Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau

Dresden, Germany

'Living and working, culture and nature' — following this model the businessman Karl Schmidt and the 'German Werkbund' have built the garden city Hellerau and its centrepiece, the 'Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau', an ensemble of workshops. The idea of the garden city came to founder Karl Schmidt during his years of travel throughout England. The basic idea, to create a balance between city and countryside, of developed and green areas, inspired him, because it provided a connection of living, working, provisioning and leisure possibilities – a concept successfully implemented in Hellerau by the architects Richard Riemerschmid, Hermann Muthesius and Heinrich Tessenow.

In 1909/10 a factory producing modern Reformmöbel (furniture) was built after a concept of Richard Riemerschmid. Since the manufacturing centre had moved across the street in 2006, the old buildings with its inner courtyard 'Karl‐Schmidt' has served as a versatile and popular venue.