The Neubühl Werkbund estate of 1930-1932 was a model housing development of the Neues Bauen (‘New Objectivity’) movement. Like others across Europe, it followed the example of the Weissenhof estate at Stuttgart. To implement the project, the Swiss Werkbund formed an initiative and non-profit cooperative society in 1928.
The location, on the ridge of a hill above the lake, fulfilled ‘New Objectivity’s’ preconditions: light, fresh air and sunshine. There are various dwelling types on the estate, from studio apartment to six-room house, as well as a community room, nursery, shops and workshop.
Flat roofs, light-coloured façades and strip windows give the buildings the cubist forms of Modernism. Cross-wall construction enables a dynamic ground plan and exterior format.
Unlike the other Werkbund estates, Neubühl would not result in individual buildings for exhibition purposes. The architects conformed to an overall concept, producing a uniform settlement with a variety of ground plans. A company was formed to manufacture furniture for the new interiors, following architects’ concepts.
Neubühl has not changed since its construction. In 1978 it was placed under a conservation order, and in 1986 registered as an art/cultural history protected object. In 2010, it became a formally protected site.