were two common rooms on the ground floor and two on each of the two upper floors, on both sides of the corridor131. This concept assumed a strong social bond and loyalty. Did anyone actually believe in this kind of forced community life? The worst enemy of a human is another human when they both are looking for a place to relax and rest – that was the belief before the war132. The extensive minimisation of the surface area was highly criticised by Walter Baranek, a receiver of the Wrocław exhibition, responsible for the interiors section in the exhibition hall133. The Housewives' Association was also very critical of the house-community
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presented by Adolf Rading. It was criticised for its poor conditions for bringing up children, the lack of isolation from the neighbours and the lack of opportunities to rest after work. It was a house for working class multifamily occupancy after all. It was anticipated that such small surface areas would cause a lot of problems with everyday use of the flats and the ability to keep them clean134. The house for singles and childless couples by Hans Scharoun (no. 31) was a highly controversial building from the very beginning of the exhibition. On the one hand, it was praised for its good proportions which made the small apartments spacious and comfortable spaces, its original and bold layout135 and good ventilation and lighting136 , excellent social programme 137 and its appropriate concept as an apartment for singles. On the other hand, the Housewives' Association, having analysed the flats presented in Wrocław, pointed out certain flaws of this building, such as the way the bathroom ventilation went through to the bedroom, the presence of internal stairs in an already small flat, and lack of doors to the rooms138. The building looks like a ship that has just landed at a peaceful port, there are only the masts missing (...) and the waves, apart from that there is everything: the stern of a vessel, an angular form, hatches, railings, extension arms for the ship's
114 WuWA
6. opinions about the housing estate after the opening of the exhibition
131 Edgar NORWERTH, op.cit., p. 330. 132 Ibidem, p. 289, Tafel 98. cf. Werkbund – Versuchssiedlung in Breslau. Ausstellung ”Wohnung und Werkraum”, ”Die Baugilde”, vol. 11, no. 13, 1929, p. 998. 133 Walter BARANEK, op.cit., p. 357. 134 Eleonore COLDEN-JAENICKE, op.cit., p. 615. 135 Edith RISCHOWSKI, op.cit., p. 410. 136 Guido HARBERS, op.cit., Tafel 99. 137 Gustav LAMPMANN, op.cit., pp. 466–467. 138 Eleonore COLDEN-JAENICKE, op.cit., p. 615. 139 Guido HARBERS, op.cit., pp. 288–289.