Werkbundsiedlung Neubühl, Modernist housing complex in Wollishofen, Switzerland
Werkbundsiedlung Neubühl is a housing complex with 121 buildings and 194 apartments arranged in parallel rows to maximize sunlight and air flow. The layout follows modern planning principles designed to improve living conditions and comfort.
The settlement was built between 1930 and 1932 during the Great Depression and represents Switzerland's first complete application of modern building principles. It marks a turning point in Swiss architecture of that era.
The early residents were artists, writers, and musicians who came together seeking a modern way of life. Their presence shaped how this southern housing community developed and how people still experience it today.
You can walk around the settlement freely and explore it on your own, while three museum houses offer scheduled guided tours showing how people lived here. It helps to check opening times ahead and allow plenty of time for a leisurely visit.
The buildings are intentionally positioned perpendicular to the streets to reduce traffic noise and dust. This thoughtful arrangement combined with gardens designed by landscape architect Gustav Ammann created a quieter living environment.
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