Learning from the Past: Urban Landscape Transformation Praxis on the Example of Interwar German Housing Estates

Abstract

In this paper, the incorporation of formerly existing built environment and natural elements was studied in eight housing estates from the interwar period in the Weimar Republic as a part of broader research on landscape transformations. The data on the original state of land development were collected using the comparative cartographic analysis method. The analysis was supplemented by a comparison with iconography, such as aerial photographs, orthoimagery, and, in some cases, manually drafted plans. The results suggest that pre-existing conditions significantly influenced the functional dispositions and urban layout of the estates. These findings add to our understanding of the development of housing estates of the interwar period in the Weimar Republic and the posture of designers and urban planners towards the natural conditions of the respective project sites. This work can be valuable for adding to existing guidelines or principles of urban planning.

Evaluation of the New European Bauhaus in Urban Plans by Land Use Occurrence Indicators: A Case Study in Rijeka, Croatia

“…The need to increase the size and quality of natural green areas within populated areas is also determined in research studies conducted in the EU. The topics of green infrastructure and natural models with elements of urban integration have been the focus of recent research, both methodological and focused on the selection of correct, optimal, and consistent urban indicators and symbols (building density versus untouched "biological" environment), which represent the basic assumption of the sustainability of the NEB [20], as well as through studies that record the importance of the inclusion of natural elements of greenery and water in the living environment, whether it is about contemporary trends [63], or the recognition of similar approaches in the not-so-distant past [64].…”