Kiel Housing Unit: the continuation of space versus continuation of place

The brutalist Housing Unit Kiel contrasts strongly with the neighbouring brick housing built along the lines of New Objectivity. The contrast between these two ideas on the urban environment is immense and enhanced by the contrast in colour and height. Braem makes no effort at all to mitigate these differences so the Housing Unit is more an urban fragment than part of a continuous urban landscape. This is however a problem with all architecture in this style.

The V-shaped blocks of the second phase dominate their surroundings. They were built between 1956 an 1958. The buildings were designed as two separate apartment blocks joined by a "pavilion tower" that houses the entrance hall, stairwell and lifts. In the original design these buildings would not have been joined together like this.

All buildings are raised on so-called pilotis. The central idea is the continuation of space by raising the housing units on stilts. This, in theory, allows for uninterrupted views underneath the buildings. In practice the apartments need to be functionally linked with the ground level (pipes for gas, water, and sewerage, electricity cables and lifts) so utilitarian provisions need to be inserted underneath impeding the continuous space flowing underneath.

As the buildings all look similar at ground level extra attention has been paid to the entrances that in the buildings of the first phase have been inserted underneath the building as tiled pavilions (left). The stairwell also have been adorned with murals. Each building has its own colour of tiles used to create a certain sense of place. Panels of coloured tiles are also used on the end walls (right) to break the white wall covering of Silesian stone panels.

The placement of the blocks of flats in a zigzag as seen from the major thoroughfare bordering the neighbourhood shows the masterful way in which Braem positioned the large structures across the site. The facades are never visible in succession but always in combination with trees and other greenery creating an enormous sense of space.

The apartments can be reached via galleries on the outside of the buildings. This is also the entrance side for the residents. This facade has been made more attractive by brightly coloured panels in a repetitive pattern (left). The apartments can be reached by a freestanding "tower" which houses the lifts and stairwell and serves as entrance hall at ground level. The galleries that give access to the individual apartments are connected to this "tower" via bridges (right).

The block of shops has been pushed underneath Block D as a separate two storey volume. In the distance block B can be seen. The treatment of the shops can be seen as an attempt to negotiate the difference between the massive white blocks of the Housing Unit with the older terraced housing in dark brick, as can be seen on the left. It doesn't really work, however.

The blocks on pilotis create dark shadows underneath, so often the intention of continuous space at ground level is thwarted. The block of shops has a rounded awning that protrudes far over the pavement (right). This curve contrasts sharply with the upper floor of the building and the blocks of the Housing Unit behind it.

Another curve is introduced for the housing complex for the elderly. From a distance this curved building line gives the impression of a perfect circle, one of the perfect shapes of CIAM. In reality the building swerves around an existing terrace of small family houses. The complex has been designed with great attention to detail, but the contrast with the high-rise blocks is evident.

Yet a third building also has a curved line, namely the thermal heating plant with engineer's house attached to it. The high chimney that once stood here had been taken down. It used to serve as a landmark for the Housing Unit Kiel. The curves of the engineer's house are in sharp contrast to the box of the energy plant. Curved lines are used around the edges of the central garden square between blocks A, B, C and D in the lower buildings as a conscious attempt to mitigate the scale difference of the residents at ground level and the high buildings of the Housing Unit.

Blocks A, B and C are arranged around a central parklike communal garden with a large playground. Both the buildings and the appointment of the outdoor spaces were designed by Braem as a total concept work of design. The open green space is very welcome between the high-rise buildings to create a more habitable place.

The high-rises blocks A, B and C all have these "towers "that give access to the various levels of galleries from which the apartments can be accessed directly. Bridges connect the lift tower to the galleries. This principle is used for the buildings of phase one as well as the redesigned phase two buildings (D2-5). Art is an integral part of providing an exciting airy and green living environment. Several pieces of sculpture dot the public space (on the right) "Hoger Op" by Frans Claessens from 1958.

The brilliance of Braem is clearly visible from some distance or when looking across the Housing Unit Kiel. What seems perhaps a rather haphazard placement of blocks in a green parklike context is actually a well-crafted urban landscape where buildings can never be viewed in their entirety but always with trees. This negotiates the difference in scale between human beings and the immense housing units via the trees that have been strategically planted everywhere.