Ernst-Neufert-Haus
Encyclopedia
The Ernst-Neufert-Haus (sometimes also known as the Meisterbau) is a massive, brown clinker
-clad residential building in Darmstadt
, Hesse
, designed by Ernst Neufert
. It was built in 1955 as the "Ledigenwohnheim" (single men's hostel) and was part of the 'Meisterbau' (Master Builder's) programme to give Darmstadt, which had lost much of its historical substance in World War II to bombing
, a new architectural emphasis.
While the attempt to guide the newly burgeoning city into a stylistic direction failed, and the small rooms of Neufert's building were later redesigned to more typical apartments, the building is considered a prime example of his style, and is now heritage protected. A restaurant occupies part of the lower floor, reached via a large freestanding staircase on the western side.
Clinker brick
Clinker bricks are partially vitrified brick stones used in the construction of buildings.Clinkers are burnt under temperatures so high that the pores of the fuel property are closed by the beginning sinter process. Thus they are considerably denser and therefore heavier than regular bricks...
-clad residential building in Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
, Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, designed by Ernst Neufert
Ernst Neufert
Ernst Neufert was a German architect who is known as an assistant of Walter Gropius, as a teacher and member of various standardization organizations, and especially for his essential handbook Architects' Data.- Life :...
. It was built in 1955 as the "Ledigenwohnheim" (single men's hostel) and was part of the 'Meisterbau' (Master Builder's) programme to give Darmstadt, which had lost much of its historical substance in World War II to bombing
Bombing of Darmstadt in World War II
Darmstadt was bombed a number of times during World War II. The most devastating air raid on Darmstadt occurred on the night of 11/12 September 1944 when No. 5 Group the Royal Air Force bombed the city....
, a new architectural emphasis.
While the attempt to guide the newly burgeoning city into a stylistic direction failed, and the small rooms of Neufert's building were later redesigned to more typical apartments, the building is considered a prime example of his style, and is now heritage protected. A restaurant occupies part of the lower floor, reached via a large freestanding staircase on the western side.