Vienna's Höfe: How housing builds the collective

The housing projects carried out in Vienna during the Interwar period, usually grouped under the name ‘Red Vienna,’ were executed in light of a precise architectural model: the Hof, loosely translated as ‘superblock’ or ‘large courtyard block.’ This model was at the core of planning policies and new dwelling initiatives, a reaction to both the accelerated metropolitan growth and an acute housing shortage. To the Viennese, housing started to become a public utility and part of a wider and multifaceted social view, being thus considered a fundamental element to the construction of the city. The housing policy guidelines stressed the need for ornamental gardens, for the allowance of sufficient area for all to receive as much sunlight as possible, for the provision of play areas for children, rest areas for adults, room for planting and even for ice rinks. Gardens separate the pedestrian path from the leisure areas, usually placed in the middle of the courtyard.