Fourteen housing models from Germany’s largest conurbation are showcased in great detail in Atlas Ruhrgebiet. They are as diverse as the people of the Ruhr region. The projects range from the workers’ housing estates of the 19th and early 20th centuries, such as Margarethenhöhe in Essen, to experimental residential buildings of the 1970s, such as those in the ‘new town of Wulfen.’ The conceptual audacity and coherence of many of the designs fascinate from today’s perspective, which is conditioned by increasing price constraints and growing ecological concern.

Visually impressive line drawings, sometimes depicting three dimensions, are combined with analyses of key figures from both urban planning and the individual buildings as well as concise project descriptions. These convey the residential models in a comprehensible way and enable comparison. Richly illustrated with photographs by Dortmund-based architectural photographer Detlef Podehl, the current condition and atmosphere of the estates are documented. Five essays by renowned architects and art historians shed light on the design eras introduced in this volume.

Taken as a whole, the book is a collection of buildings of architectural and cultural value in the metropolitan region and is one which can be understood by the interested general public. It can also serve as inspiration for the future: What conclusions can we draw from the urban models presented here for contemporary and future residential projects? What relevance can these insights provide to builders, urban planners and architects?

A publication by Moritz Henkel from the Chair of Urban Design (headed by Anna Jessen and Ingemar Vollenweider) at TU Dortmund University.