Quartier Im Hole

The current architectural diversity at the “Im Hole” residential complex barely hints at its original design as a typical post-war housing estate. In the 1950s, when ribbon-development multi-family houses with pitched roofs were built, their most critical shortfalls were the flats’ floor plans and their energy consumption, two deficits still present today in most of the residential estates of that period. This residential estate has recently been rebuilt in phases, an undertaking that was suggested by the estate’s great potential, its good infrastructure, close proximity to the Ruhrpark shopping centre and generous amount of open space.
Funded in part by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, reconstruction included modernisations, additions to the attic spaces of existing houses and the building of new homes on land where houses had been demolished. This modernisation process also incorporated an ambitious project to convert a multi-family house built in 1953 into a low-energy house in accordance with modern standards. Triple-glazed windows and 30-cm thick insulation on the facade and cellar ceilings provide effective heat protection. A ventilation system allows the heat from exhaust air to be reused. Heat is also produced using solar energy, earning the house a DENA (German Energy Agency) distinction for its energy-optimal renovation.
The development of the entire “Im Hole” neighbourhood also included the dismantling of individual residential buildings and the construction of up to 23 single-family semidetached and terrace houses.

Author: Route der Wohnkultur
Last changed on 27.04.2023

Categories:
Architecture » Residential buildings » Multiple Housing