MANILA, Philippines - What is this housing estate built for exhibition in Stuttgart in 1927 and designed by 17 European architects — called?
It was an international showcase of what later became known as the international style of modern architecture. The estate was built for the Deutscher Werkbund exhibition of 1927, and included 21 buildings comprising 60 dwellings, designed by 17 European architects, most of them German-speaking. The German architect Mies van der Rohe was in charge of the project on behalf of the city, and it was he who selected the architects, budgeted and coordinated their entries, prepared the site, and oversaw construction. Le Corbusier was awarded the two prime sites, facing the city, and by far the largest budget.
The 21 buildings vary slightly in form, consisting of terraced and detached houses and apartment buildings, and display a strong consistency of design. What they have in common are their simplified facades, flat roofs used as terraces, window bands, open plan interiors, and the high level of prefabrication which permitted their erection in just five months. All but two of the entries were white. Bruno Taut had his entry, the smallest, painted a bright red.
Advertised as a prototype of future workers’ housing, in fact each of these houses was customized and furnished on a budget far out of a normal workers reach, and with little direct relevance to the technical challenges of standardized mass construction. The exhibition opened to the public on July 23, 1927, a year late, and drew large crowds.
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Last week’s question: Who is the Chinese American architect known for his dramatic use of concrete and glass? His iconic works include the John Hancock Tower in Boston, the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Ohio, and the Pyramid in the Louvre in Paris.
Answer: IM Pei
Winner: Sharmaine Anne Zafra of Sucat, Parañaque
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Text your answer to 0927-7579807 with your name and address. One winner will be chosen through a raffle of texts with the correct answer. The winner will receive P2,000 worth of SM gift certificates for use at Our Home, SM Department Store, or SM Supermarket. They can claim their prize at Our Home in SM Megamall. Call the store manager at 634-1951.Bring photocopies of two valid IDs and a clipping of the Design Quiz issue in which you appear as winner.