Remarkable Heritage

En passent, while riding my bike, this housing complex caught my eyes. It is a remarkable estate which dates back to the late 1920's. It was the time between the wars, when the so called "Red Vienna" offered housing space for a vast number of people in Vienna - approx 63.000 aparments have been built during those years.

Social housing in Vienna, a remarkable heritage, dating back to the late 1920's

The city of Vienna looks after those estates, not long ago they funded a project for keeping records, very useful for curious people (in German only). Those large housing complexes carry names, just like large ships. The one above is named Somogyihof, after the Hungarian writer Béla Somogyi (1868–1920)

Brick facade with a capital X

The reason why I stopped, went back a few metres and took some photos is the way the architect Heinrich Schmid jun. worked with the bricks. It is not common in Vienna. In Hamburg the decorative (klinker) brick facades are a familiar sight in the "Kontorviertel", a district where you find old office buildings, a district I am very fond of.

Not exactly "Kontorviertel" but still: bricks, Hamburg, LOVE! aka "Speicherstadt" (09/2013)

Good to know there is still a lot waiting for me to be discovered in my home town city, within environmental friendly bicycle-riding distance. What a win-win.


Happy discoveries to you,
Paula

PS: I'd like to continue on this path: posting twice a week. Keeping my fingers crossed, with a capital X.