#Apartment block #Augsburg #Germany #1930
Wohnungsbaugesellschaft der Stadt Augsburg GmbH (WBG)
Rosenaustraße 70–74, Schlettererstraße 2–12
86152
Augsburg,
Germany
Access: Accessible
Today's use: Apartment block
Description
The Lessinghof is a four-storey housing complex with flat roofs. The complex is composed of two elongated residential wings that run along the street. These volumes are connected by a slightly recessed, rounded building section, which creates a transition between the otherwise rectilinear forms and adds a distinctive element to the composition. The building’s horizontal character is emphasized by the continuous roofline and the elongated proportions of the windows.
The façades facing the street are relatively restrained in appearance. Smooth plaster surfaces dominate, interrupted mainly by the entrance areas with projecting canopies. By contrast, the façades facing the inner courtyard show a more articulated design. Here, each section of the building features stacked semicircular balconies, arranged vertically and marking the central axes of the apartments.
The exterior walls are finished in white plaster, while window and door frames provide a subtle colour accent. The internal organization of the apartments reflects contemporary ideas about rational housing layouts. Units were entered through compact vestibules and generally included a bathroom, a kitchen designed as a living space, and a small pantry. Heating systems varied according to apartment size: larger flats were equipped with hot-water heating, whereas smaller units were heated by individual stoves.
Description
The Lessinghof is a four-storey housing complex with flat roofs. The complex is composed of two elongated residential wings that run along the street. These volumes are connected by a slightly recessed, rounded building section, which creates a transition between the otherwise rectilinear forms and adds a distinctive element to the composition. The building’s horizontal character is emphasized by the continuous roofline and the elongated proportions of the windows.
The façades facing the street are relatively restrained in appearance. Smooth plaster surfaces dominate, interrupted mainly by the entrance areas with projecting canopies. By contrast, the façades facing the inner courtyard show a more articulated design. Here, each section of the building features stacked semicircular balconies, arranged vertically and marking the central axes of the apartments.
The exterior walls are finished in white plaster, while window and door frames provide a subtle colour accent. The internal organization of the apartments reflects contemporary ideas about rational housing layouts. Units were entered through compact vestibules and generally included a bathroom, a kitchen designed as a living space, and a small pantry. Heating systems varied according to apartment size: larger flats were equipped with hot-water heating, whereas smaller units were heated by individual stoves.
History
The Lessinghof in Augsburg was built between 1930 and 1931 according to designs by the German architect Thomas Wechs. The project was commissioned by the municipal housing company Wohnungsbaugesellschaft der Stadt Augsburg (WBG) as part of a broader effort to create affordable housing during the interwar period. The only requirement imposed by the city was to provide as many apartments as possible at low rent levels.
Construction began in autumn 1930, and the housing complex was completed on 1 August 1931. The Lessinghof formed part of a larger modern housing development along Rosenaustraße, together with the nearby Schuberthof, also designed by Wechs.
The residential complex originally contained 68 apartments of different sizes. Shared facilities included laundry rooms, drying attics and storage spaces in the basement, reflecting the functional planning principles of modern housing estates of the period.
Several alterations were made after the Second World War. In 1949, parts of the attic drying spaces were converted into additional apartments. A workshop building was added in the courtyard in 1959, followed by the construction of a garage block in 1967.
Together with the neighbouring Schuberthof, the Lessinghof was placed under heritage protection in 1977. The residential complex underwent a comprehensive renovation in 2004.
History
The Lessinghof in Augsburg was built between 1930 and 1931 according to designs by the German architect Thomas Wechs. The project was commissioned by the municipal housing company Wohnungsbaugesellschaft der Stadt Augsburg (WBG) as part of a broader effort to create affordable housing during the interwar period. The only requirement imposed by the city was to provide as many apartments as possible at low rent levels.
Construction began in autumn 1930, and the housing complex was completed on 1 August 1931. The Lessinghof formed part of a larger modern housing development along Rosenaustraße, together with the nearby Schuberthof, also designed by Wechs.
The residential complex originally contained 68 apartments of different sizes. Shared facilities included laundry rooms, drying attics and storage spaces in the basement, reflecting the functional planning principles of modern housing estates of the period.
Several alterations were made after the Second World War. In 1949, parts of the attic drying spaces were converted into additional apartments. A workshop building was added in the courtyard in 1959, followed by the construction of a garage block in 1967.
Together with the neighbouring Schuberthof, the Lessinghof was placed under heritage protection in 1977. The residential complex underwent a comprehensive renovation in 2004.
Sources
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