The Römerstadt housing estate is a key example of the Neues Frankfurt programme and is notable for the way its overall layout is shaped by the surrounding landscape. The course of the River Nidda, running from the districts of Praunheim to Heddernheim, determines the site with a gentle, sweeping line. Along the river, the estate is defined by an embankment, beyond which it opens into green spaces with allotment gardens, creating a gradual transition between built form and nature.
Conceived as a classic satellite settlement, Römerstadt was planned as a largely self-contained residential area without a direct structural connection to the existing city. Essential facilities such as schools and local shops were integrated into the estate itself, forming a neighbourhood centre, while more specialised services remained in the city and were accessible by public transport. This reflects the broader urban planning principles of the time, which sought to decentralise the city while maintaining connectivity.
The housing itself consists predominantly of single-family in elongated rows of terraced houses, each with its own garden, emphasising light, air and access to green space as key elements of modern living. In total, 581 such houses were built, alongside 602 flats in multi-storey apartment blocks. These larger buildings were often positioned at right angles to the rows of terraced houses, creating defined spatial edges and a varied urban form. They also benefited from garden areas along the embankment. The main axis of the estate is Hadrianstraße, which runs through its centre. The buildings along this street accommodate shops and services for everyday needs.
To enable rapid and cost-effective construction, prefabrication and serial building methods were employed. Standardised components, such as concrete external walls, were produced in series and assembled on site, reflecting the rational, industrial approach of the Neues Frankfurt initiative. The design extended beyond the architecture itself: the gardens and green spaces were planned by Leberecht Migge and Max Bromme, who also specified the planting in detail and famous landscape architects, ensuring a coherent overall environment. As Ernst May later noted, Römerstadt offered its residents an environment shaped according to a clear cultural vision, from public spaces to houses, gardens and even interior furnishings.
Technologically, the estate was highly innovative for its time and is regarded as the first fully electrified housing development in Germany. The houses were equipped with combination electric cookers, which included an integrated emergency stove for briquettes, while hot water was supplied by electrically powered 80-litre low-pressure storage heaters. The apartment buildings, by contrast, were served by a central heating system fuelled by coke.
The site also includes the Geschwister Scholl School. Built and opened in 1930 as the Römerstadt School, it was designed by the architect Martin Elsaesser. After the Second World War, the building was used as workers’ accommodation until 1951, after which it returned to its original function as a school. Following several changes of name, it has borne its current name since 1964.
