Margarethenhöhe, a garden suburb for Essen

Around 1900 plans are drawn up for a Grüngurtel (Green Belt) around Essen to stop the rapid (sub)urbanisation and give the inhabitants access to clean air and space for recreation. On the south side of the city an extension of the existing Stadtwald (City Wood) was planned for this. The plan would, however, never be realised as a direct result of an intervention by the Krupp family.

In 1905 many of the Marches surrounding Essen were incorporated (eingemeindet) into the city. This as a logical move as most of the development of Essen lay outside of the territory in the surrounding towns and villages. To celebrate the wedding of her daughter Bertha, Margarethe Krupp founded the Margarethe-Krupp-Stiftung für Wohnungsfürsorge (Foundation for Housing Provision) with a capital of 1 million marks and a large landholding in Rüttenscheid. Some 50 hectare is set aside for a park and on the remaining 115 hectare 3092 homes in 935 buildings were built between 1909 and 1938.

The first houses on the plateau (the literal translation of Höhe) were occupied in 1910. To create access to the site a viaduct was built across the Borbecker Mühlenbachtal, a narrow valley occupied by a small stream (the eponymous Borbeck Mill Brook) and a railway. All houses in this garden suburb were designed by Georg Metzendorf a member of the Deutschen Werkbund (German Association of Craftsmen). Together with Gartenstadt Hellerau (1909) and Gartenstadt Rüppurr (1911), Gartenstadt Margarethenhöhe (1910) forms the three initial housing projects of the Garden City Movement in Germany. All three were heavily influenced by Das Englische Haus, a book in three parts written by Hermann Muthesius, instigator of the Werkbund and later Bauhaus. In his book Muthesius combines English vernacular architecture as promoted by Raymond Unwin with the German Heimatstil into the so-called Landhausarchitectur.

The buildings were constructed in several building campaigns. The street plan and layout of the streets are clearly Unwinesque in the treatment of public space. It also shows the more formal approach to central public spaces that is so commonly seen in German and Dutch examples of garden cities and villages.

The layout of this garden city shows the change in ideas on urban design. The first building phase -A- (1909-1928) is characterised by Unwinesque design principles combines with several pivotal formal ensembles (the axis of symmetry shown in violet).This core-section of the garden city is bound by a wide avenue with tram. Beyond the 1930s-sections are located. Most buildings in were brick-built -B- whilst others are mostly rendered blocks -C-. These sections are dominated by low apartment blocks and terraces on a layout reminiscent of New Objectivity. On the side some individual detached properties -D- were built. Thus Margarethenhöhe has a clear inner and outer section on either side of the Sommerburgstrasse.

The Margerethenhöhe was named after its founder Margarethe Krupp and occupies a special place within the Krupp housingprovision. It is the first attempt at providing a complete community separate from the workplace aimed at providing good and affordable homes for employees of various classes. In that it differs from Altenhof I that was aimed at the infirm and widowed. Influenced by the Garden City Movement it was a logical progression from Altenhof. The architecture of Metzendorf continues on this vein of Heimatstil adapted by Muthesius into the Landhausstil. The houses were luxuriously appointed for the age with running water, indoor toilets, mains gas and a small garden. It was therefore forbidden to keep geese or chickens unlike in the mining colonies with their large gardens! A large school was built, as was a church. The charming market square lies at the heart of the garden city (although more a village in feel). It has a lovely fountain, market arcades on either side and the guesthouse (now a hotel) and the former Krupp'sche Konsumanstalt (now a supermarket ) on the either end.

The 1930s section is almost devoid of amenities. It only houses the new police station (P) on the avenue. On the avenue a tram (T) runs to its end halt Margarethenhöhe (MH). This tram connects the garden city with central Essen via a bridge (TB). The railway that once ran below it has recently been converted to a cycle highway. From the bridge one enters Margarethenhöhe through a formal gate (1). The street than leads to the Kleiner Markt (2) with the Gasthaus (3) and the Konsum (4). The first police station (5) was built nearby. The Gustav Adolf Haus (6) is home to an evangelical church. The Robert-Schmohl-Platz (7) is completely enclosed by terraced housing. Its axis is continued in the ensemble around the Hauxplatz (8), once with 4 pavilions on either corner. The axis end in the Schule an der Waldlehne (9). The catholic church of the Holy Family (10) was built to one side. The Giebelplatz (11) and Waldlehneplatz (12) are small formal ensembles around a crossroads. Beyond the garden city the Waldpark (WP) was created out of a wooded valley. The remains of the Sonnenburg (a castle) can still be found here. On the other side the natural valley of Nachtigallental (NT) separates the garden city from the large cemetery of Fullerum. On the Kesselbach the Halbachhammer (Hh) was reerected from another location in Wiedenau in 1935. It is a medieval hammering mill. On the edge of the wooded valley of the nightingales an old farm Hülsmannshof (HH) has been turned into a restaurant as the garden city was built. The farm Zur Altenau (ZA) was demolished and replaced with a modern party centre.

Although partly destroyed during WW2 the garden city was rebuilt and was given heritage status in 1987. The buildings have been since renovated as a showcase of ensemble architecture and social housing provision. Between 1962 and 1980 the New Margerethenhöhe was built on land already acquired decades before by Bertha Krupp in memory of her mother. On these 16 hectare mainly apartment blocks and CIAM-style tower blocks were constructed.The housing of Margarethenhöhe is still owned by the Margarethe Krupp-Stiftung für Wohnungsfürsorge and rented out at affordable rates. Truly a legacy Margarethe can be proud of!