How about stepping back in time to an era of garden cities? Right here we find ourselves at the Gartenheimsiedlung in Dresden-Gruna. This settlement emerged east of the Großer Garten after World War I. It embodies the spirit of the garden city movement.
The Gartenheimsiedlung is one of Dresden’s largest pre-World War II settlements. It boasts over six hundred apartments. To the east, the settlement of the former Dresdner Spar- und Bauverein joins it beyond the Landgraben. Together with the GEWOBAG settlement to the northwest, they transformed Gruna’s rural character.
South of the Gartenheimsiedlung lies the Schieferburg. This striking building complex for children and young people is hard to miss. Only the Landgraben and an embankment separate it from the settlement. The streets of Junghansstraße, Hepkestraße and Bärensteiner Straße border this protected landmark. Am Grüngürtel, Am Ende and Frauensteiner Platz also mark its boundaries.
The Bauverein Gartenheim built the Gartenheimsiedlung from 1920 to 1926 around the Gartenheimallee. Dresden architect Paul Beck, under Max Oertel’s direction, designed it. The design features a traditional style. It has subtle expressionistic elements. Note the entrance at Am Grüngürtel. “Ornamental forms like circles, triangles, and rectangles are set off in plaster technique.” The cooperative’s building, called the Rathaus, has a central avant-corps. It structures the facade and features six concave vaults.
The Gartenheimsiedlung seems closed off from the outside. Inside, a sequence of streets, squares and garden courtyards opens up. Each apartment includes a garden in the courtyard.
The war partially destroyed the Gartenheimsiedlung. Afterward essential parts were rebuilt. By 1990 it had increasingly fallen into disrepair. The Wohnungsgenossenschaft Aufbau Dresden eG modernized it by 2003. They restored it following historical preservation principles. They filled gaps left open during the post-1945 reconstruction with historicized buildings.
The founding of the “Bauverein Gartenheim” cooperative took place on February 3, 1917. Healthy living in green spaces with plenty of light and high amenity value was in demand. Paul Beck and Max Oertel were responsible for the development and execution plan. The entire project was realized between 1919 and 1926. The settlement exudes a harmonious unity.
Roofs covered with beaver-tail tiles and dormers add to the charm. Windows with mullions and shutters create a special atmosphere. Sandstone pedestals and light scratch-coat facades add to the impression. Furthermore, each apartment has a small garden. The garden city idea achieved exemplary urban development and architectural realization. The greenery of the gardens continues in the outdoor areas of the streets and squares.
The three public squares are worth highlighting. They feature garden design and include a central fountain. These places don’t have official names. However, people call them after the fountain. Stadt-wappen-, Gedächtnis- and Hausfrauenbrunnen are the names. In 1925, the Gartenheimsiedlung expanded along Junghansstraße. This involved the construction of 24 block houses made of wood.
The air raids on February 13/14 and March 5, 1945 brought death and destruction. Countless residents died. Of the original 277 houses, 141 were totally destroyed. That included all the block houses. The complex reconstruction mainly took place between 1952 and 1958. The garden city character became palpable again. Only a few gaps were filled with garages.
Since its founding, the Gartenheimsiedlung has maintained cooperative status. Today it is part of WG Aufbau Dresden eG. From 1995 to 2001, they carried out the first and most extensive renovation. Some gaps were filled with new buildings. Several differently equipped playgrounds were built. The interest in the Gartenheimsiedlung remains unbroken.