Matthäuskirchstraße Estate

Just like the Hirtsiefer estate, the Matthäuskirchstraße estate was also built by the architect, Theodor Suhnel. There is a small, rectangular square with trees and a lawn area in the centre of the estate. The houses are characterised by hipped roofs and intricately designed gateways. The overall appearance of the green estate has been well maintained up to today including the front gardens with the original enclosures.

You enter the estate from bustling Altendorfer Straße through the front, multi-storey buildings via a spacious courtyard entrance with wide steps (see diagram). Once in the estate, you find yourself in another world: gardens, trees, green paths and small houses dominate the idyllic picture. This example illustrates the philosophy of the Essen reform architecture which designs the urban space in different ways: large houses on the main roads, small houses with lots of green in the side streets.