Munich: Walchenseeplatz

1927 – 1930

Architects: Hans Atzenbeck, Joseph Duerr, Hans Grünzweig, Carl Jäger, Fritz Landauer, Hanna Löv, Fritz Männche, Max Schoen

Deisenhofener Straße, Perlacher Straße, Walchenseeplatz, Munich, Germany

Design

The plans for the listed housing estate at Walchenseeplatz in Obergiesing, which was built by the Gemeinnützige Wohnungsfürsorge AG as part of the Munich large housing estate program of the years 1927 to 1930, goes back to a preliminary design by architect Hanna Löv.

The settlement was built under the direction of Carl Jäger, to whom Fritz Landauer, Hans Atzenbeck, Max Schoen, Joseph Dürr, Hans Grünzweig and Fritz Männche, among others, were assigned as part of the job creation program for architects at the time.

The planning was already based on the Walchenseeplatz with the development of its north side.

Stockwerk Estate Walchenseeplatz

Towards Deisenhofener Strasse on the one hand and towards Perlacher Strasse on the other, the estate is shielded by elongated four-story blocks, the block on Deisenhofener Strasse distinguished by overheight corner buildings, the blocks on Perlacher Strasse following the slight curve of the street.

The likewise four-story row buildings in the interior of the settlement are oriented from north to south, whereby, partly additionally screened by one-story intermediate buildings at the head ends of the rows, generous, traffic-calmed courtyards with places for playing and drying laundry result.

Only two-thirds of the planned extent of the housing estate was realized.

Apartments

Due to the economic crisis, the original concept could not be implemented. Instead of the 1170 apartments planned for the 11.5-hectare site, only 862 apartments were built by 1930.

These apartments with 45 to 100 square meters of living space were located in differently designed four-story row buildings and apartment blocks, to which 26 stores and a restaurant were assigned.

Facilities

For the tenants of the smallest apartments without bathrooms, a shower and tub bathroom was provided, which has since been demolished.

All other apartments were equipped with a kitchen-living room, bathroom, toilet and stove heating.

Sgraffito

The sgraffito and fresco paintings on the house facades were designs by Lois Gruber, executed by his painting class at the Meisterschule für das deutsche Malerhandwerk in Munich.

Fountains

Two fountains were also erected in the estate: “Das Brunnenbuberl” from 1930 at Walchenseeplatz, designed by Walther von Hattingberg, and the “Pinguin-Brunnen” from 1931 in the courtyard at Perlacher Straße 57 by Adolf Giesin.