After completing his studies and spending a short period in Berlin, he followed Bruno Taut to Magdeburg in 1921. There, he implemented Taut’s ideas for urban expansion. Following Taut’s departure for Berlin in 1927, he became Magdeburg’s City Planning Councillor. He promoted the Neues Bauen movement in the publication Magdeburg – City of a New Architectural Will, which appeared in 1927. His architectural projects included housing estates, public baths, and industrial facilities.
His period of influence in Magdeburg lasted until 1933, when the Nazis came to power and removed him from office. He remained in Magdeburg until 1936, but then moved to Berlin, where he stayed until 1945. During this time, he even headed the German Academy for Urban and Regional Planning (DASL) and began planning for the reconstruction of war-damaged cities.
After the Second World War, he took part in the reconstruction of Braunschweig, Germany. In addition, he worked at a university and at an institute for urban planning. Following his death, the Johannes Göderitz Foundation was established in 1970 to support student architectural projects.
Sources
Buildings
Magdeburg, Germany
Hermann Beims Housing estate