The presentation concerns the landscape of multifamily housing estates designed and built before 1945 as part of the modernist trend in Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, and Breslau (present-day Wrocław, Poland). Research investigates the original land development state, compares the original and contemporary development states, and identifies historical solutions, which could be currently perceived as blue-green infrastructures. The starting point of the investigation was the observation that the interwar German housing estates were planned in a functional way, with the pivotal role of greenery and water in shaping urban spaces. Consequently, this pre-war development approach aligns with current calls for sustainable development and the creation of resilient cities. Natural elements were not only an aesthetic consideration, but an integral part of the urban fabric. However, especially in Wrocław, subsequent post-war transformations led to the degradation of these planned spaces, highlighting the need for a comprehensive understanding of historical urban planning to inform contemporary approaches.
The pre-war state of development is illegible to a large extent and could be reconstructed through archival materials employing the comparative cartographic analysis method. This type of analysis is commonly used in landscape studies to trace landscape changes using mainly cartographic data. The comparison was carried out, juxtaposing current open spatial data and historical topographic maps, aerial photos, topographic maps, and original manually drafted plans and projects. The analysis was carried out in the GIS environment. Field observations of the housing estates under study, carried out using the method of direct observation combined with photographic documentation, were complementary to the analysis. The subject of the observation was the land development of the housing estates, with particular emphasis on green-blue infrastructures, such as street greenery, climbing plants on buildings, retention basins, and water reservoirs. The effects of the study were mapped and compared quantitatively.
As part of the study, comparative research of housing estates from the same period in Wrocław, Berlin, and Frankfurt am Main was conducted. The research questions explore whether blue and green infrastructure solutions are local or exhibit repetitive patterns of land development. This comparative approach broadens the scope of the study and enriches the understanding of how these solutions manifested in diverse urban landscapes.
In conclusion, this research contributes to understanding the historical land development of housing estates. While existing research has focused primarily on the architectural aspects of these estates, this study complements the literature by offering insights into the broader context of balance between functional planning and the use of greenery and water, and the subsequent landscape transformations these spaces underwent.