Like many German cities, Bremen
is confronted with an increasing
housing shortage and a growing
demand for affordable housing.
In response to this, the largest
Bremen housing association,
GEWOBA, has prudently taken
on a supplementary extension
to their existing 45,000+ housing
stock. In 2011, within the
framework of the “Ungewöhnlich
Wohnen” (Unusual Living)
competition, five exemplary lots
from a post-war housing area
were chosen to investigate the
adaptability of the area. The
proposals considered contemporary
demands for affordable and
flexible housing that could offer
manifold inhabitant configurations.
These housing areas in the
Gartendstadt Süd area of Neustadt
Bremen offer generous green
open spaces formed by uniform
four-storeyed housing blocks.Cube house
The high adaptability and
multiplicity of the modular prefab
timber system makes the Bremen
Cube (or Bremer Punkt in German)
a pilot project for supplementary
extensions to social housing on
an urban scale.
The urban niches are activated
by the integration of four-storey
timber cubes. With a surface area
of only 13.35 x 13.35 metres, the
cube houses respond sensibly to
the existing buildings, allowing
the green open spaces on the
estate to retain their appearance.
The new buildings are designed
with a modular timber prefab
system. This allows flexible layout
options for site-specific needs
and responds to individual
demands. The houses can adapt to
differing apartment combinations,
surface area, circulation, facade
and building-form requirements.Prototype
With a 44-58 square metre living
area (2-3 rooms), these smaller
apartments manage to provide
affordable housing with a higher-
than-average standard of
living, timber construction
system, generous window
openings, spacious private outdoor
areas and an optimised southwest
orientation. The new buildings
upgrade the housing stock and
local area, and afford existing
tenants intergenerational equity,
specifically for those requiring
barrier-free design solutions.Floor plan kit
The Bremen Cubes can accommodate
up to 11 apartments per
building. The floor plan kit
showcases a catalogue of
22 apartment typologies, which
can be combined with each other
in over 60 variations.Ad hoc solutions
in standardisationPhoto © GEWOBA