Perhaps you’ve walked by without realizing its significance. This is Siedlung Mariengarten. It is a testament to Berlin’s history. Siedlung Mariengarten showcases innovative urban planning from the early 1930s.
Josef Bischof designed Siedlung Mariengarten in stages. He collaborated with Ernst and Günther Paulus on the third section. This section was built from 1932 to 1933. The Baugesellschaft Mariengarten AG commissioned the work.
After the economic crisis, cost-effective building methods were necessary. Single-family homes were unaffordable for most people. Bischof chose two-story row houses along the streets. Each house had a long garden. Stichstraßen branch off Belßstraße at right angles. Sonnenscheinpfad widens in the middle like a square. It ends in a dead end.
Bischof designed simple white facades to save on construction costs. The houses lack typical regional elements. Paired entrances with brown wooden doors share an architrave. Colored shutters add variety to the square ground-floor windows. The staggered rows loosen up the development.
The central row houses on Sonnenscheinpfad are set back slightly. A narrow gap separates the northern sections from the rest of the development. There are two floor plan variations. These variations differ in the location of the staircase. The hallway leads to the living room at the rear. A terrace door leads to the small garden. The kitchen is next to the entrance. Upstairs, there are two bedrooms and a bathroom. The gently pitched gable roof is not used for living space.
Addresses included are Belßstraße 26A-H through 36A-H and Sonnenscheinpfad 1-67 and 2-68. These Reihenhauszeilen showcase uniform design. The Siedlung Mariengarten aimed to provide affordable housing. The northern part used a more economical construction method. This part of Siedlung Mariengarten addressed the needs of the population after the economic crisis.
Previous sections of Siedlung Mariengarten feature free-standing single-family homes. These were too expensive after the economic downturn. Siedlung Mariengarten demonstrates how urban planning adapted to changing economic conditions.
Note the simple facades. They lack ornamentation but are functional. The colored shutters add small visual accents. The layout with gardens offered residents space for self-sufficiency. This reflects a focus on practical living. Siedlung Mariengarten offers a glimpse into Berlin’s architectural history. It is a reminder of the challenges and solutions of the 1930s. As you leave Siedlung Mariengarten consider the history. Think about the people who lived here. Think about how they shaped this community.