Weissenhof, Nový Dům, WuWA, Neubühl, Lainz, Baba - experimental Werkbund housing estates built in Europe between 1927-1932, significantly influenced the development of world architecture. There are only six of them - in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Austria - symbolizing ‘architectural and urban revolution’ of the first half of the twentieth century.

They constitute cultural heritage of extraordinary importance, a reflection of the history of political and social movements in Europe, a testimony of the dissemination of modernist architecture. Moreover, both today and in the future, they are an ambitious challenge in the field of monument protection.

The exhibition “A way to modernity”, presented in the Museum of Architecture in Wroclaw from 31 March to 5 June 2016, exhibits all the model housing estates in one place for the first time. The exhibition is one of the most important events undertaken as part of the architectural program of the European Capital of Culture Wroclaw 2016. Thanks to the cooperation of six cities and six institutions affiliated with them, you will be able to see the historical plans, architectural designs and documents, models of all the estates and individual houses, as well as archival and contemporary photo documentation, original furniture, interior elements and domestic appliances. This is a unique opportunity to show the original design of a kitchen, dining room and living room from Neubühl estate in Zurich, bedroom furnishings from estates in Brno and Stuttgart, and lamps, dishes and toys from Baba estate in Prague. Presentations showing the present condition of Werkbund estates were prepared specifically for the exhibition. The exhibition is complemented by an extensive catalog containing articles written by experts in the field of modernist architecture and biographies of all the authors of the estates published in Polish, English, German and Czech. A program of meetings, lectures and educational activities is also planned to accompany the exhibition.

How did it all start?

In September 2011, a network for exchanging experience regarding the protection of Werkbund estates was created between Wroclaw and Stuttgart. A year later, an exhibition devoted to Wroclaw WUWA estate was shown in Stuttgart and Wroclaw hosted the exhibition on the Stuttgart’s Weissenhof estate. Even at that time it was considered that the purpose of the network should not only be the exchange of experience in the circles directly interested in the subject, but also care about recognizing the role of the estates in the context of European culture achievements. One of the formulated tasks was the endeavor to grant the estates the European Heritage Label.

In November 2013, a meeting of representatives of all the six estates took place for the first time in Stuttgart. This created a network of cooperation between six European cities. All the cities expressed the wish to present all the settlements together and show their importance in the context of the European cultural heritage in 2016 in Wroclaw – European Capital of Culture.

Werkbund

Werkbund Association was founded in Germany in 1907 under the influence of progressive artistic movements that were born in the UK and spread to Europe in the late nineteenth century.

A few years after its founding, the neighboring countries created their local Werkbund branches (1913 - Austrian and Swiss, in 1920 - Czechoslovakian).

Due to the growing importance of the industry in Europe, the aim of Werkbund members was to design objects intended for mass production, while not devoid of artistic value. After World War I, Werkbund interest focused on the notion of a flat as a ‘subject’ of mass production. This was possible mainly due to industrial prefabrication of large construction elements. Werkbund was also a proponent of ‘Neues Bauen’ movement and contributed greatly to the development of modern architecture in the world.

Werkbund Model Estates 1927-1932

The first exhibition devoted to modern flats was organized by Werkbund in Stuttgart in 1927. The innovative idea was to show the exhibition not only in classic exposition of new materials and construction techniques in temporary structures, but also the whole housing estate with interiors. In this way, Weissenhof estate was created within the Stuttgart exhibition. It was the result of cooperation between 17 avant-garde architects of contemporary Europe and a strong impulse for the international modernist movement.

A year later, in 1928, CIAM (Congrès Internationaux de l’Architecture Moderne - International Congress of Modern Architecture) was founded in La Sarraz, and Werkbund branches in different countries were preparing new housing exhibitions, also in the form of completed housing estates.

The result were the estates in Brno (1928), Wroclaw (1929), Zurich (1931), Vienna and Prague (1932). Each of them was different, as they focused on different themes and architectural aspects, referring to the economic and political conditions of the country. They were created in order to check the functional principles of modern architecture, present new technical possibilities in mass construction and a new type of low-cost small- and medium-sized flats with great social importance. Ready-built and decorated houses were to convince their future dwellers to new ways of housing.

All Werkbund estates still exist and are inhabited. Preserving these experimental houses and their surroundings is a great challenge for the protection and conservation of monuments.

Exhibition

A way to modernity. The Werkbund Estates 1927-1932

opening 31 March 2016 r. I exhibition open from 31 March till 5 June 2016
Museum of Architecture in Wroclaw, Bernardyńska 5, Wrocław
ma.wroc.pl

Organizer Muzeum Architektury we Wrocławiu
Co-organizers Europejska Stolica Kultury Wrocław 2016, Narodowe Forum Muzyki, Impart 2016
Curators Jadwiga Urbanik. Grażyna Adamczyk-Arns

Partners

Stuttgart
Landesamt für Denkmalpflege im Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart, Fachgebiet Baudokumentation, Bauforschung und Fotografie, Inken Gaukel, Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart, Kommunale Denkmalschutzbehörde, Herbert Medek, Universität Stuttgart, Fakultät Architektur und Stadtplanung, Institut für Architekturgeschichte, Christiane Fülscher, Weißenhofmuseum im Haus Le Corbusier, Anja Krämer, Verein Freunde der Weißenhofsiedlung, Friedemann Gschwind

Brno
Muzeum města Brna, Jindřich Chatrný, Statutární město Brno

Wiedeń
Architekturzentrum Wien, Sonja Pisarik, Katrin Stingl, Kulturabteilung der Stadt Wien, Stadtteilkultur, Interkulturalität und Internationale Angelegenheiten, P.GOOD Praschl-Goodarzi Architekten ZT-GmbH, Azita Goodarzi, Martin Praschl

Zurych
Kanton Zürich, Kantonale Denkmalpflege, Beat Eberschweiler, Peter Baumgartner, Lukas Knörr, Arthur Rüegg, Ruggero Tropeano.

Praga
Hlavní Město Praha

Lenders

Architekturzentrum Wien, Archiv Vysokého učení technického v Brně, Bezirksmuseum Wien Hietzing, ETH Zürich, Institut für Geschichte und Theorie der Architektur (gta), Genossenschaft Neubühl, Kunstsammlung des Kantons Zürich / Kunstmuseum Winterthur, Landesamt für Denkmalpflege im Regierungspräsi, ium Stuttgart, Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart, Stadtarchiv, MAK - Österreichisches Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Městská část Praha 6, Museum für Gestaltung, Legat Rüegg/Troppeano, Muzeum hlavního města Prahy, Muzeum města Brna, Národní technické muzeum, P.GOOD Praschl-Goodarzi Architekten, Soukromý archiv, Brno, Staatliches Hochbauamt, Reutlingen, Uměleckoprůmyslové museum v Praze, Universität Stuttgart, Fakultät Architektur und Stadtplanung, Veletrhy Brno, a. s., Weißenhofmuseum im Haus Le Corbusier, Stuttgart, WIEN MUSEUM, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste

Exhibition set-up Piotr Zybura, Marta Smektała
Graphic Design Marian Misiak
Executive Coordination Alicja Wodzińska
Co-financed by Ministerstwo Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego
Strategic Partner KGHM
Media patrons: TVP Kultura, Gazeta Wyborcza, Co Jest Grane24, O.pl Polski Portal Kultury , Architektura Murator, ARCH, Fundacja Bęc Zmiana, DesignAlive, Format, Skarby Kultury, Architektura i Biznes