ABSTRACT
Much of the ire against modern architecture in 1920s Germany centered around its perceived symbolism as the bearer of a new society – one that was based on an internationalization of building culture and the mitigation of class and gender differences. In addition to advocating for standardized building processes, avant-garde architects argued against knick-knacks, moldings, and other ornamentation as “dust catchers” that would force women to waste their time with cleaning. Their pared-down aesthetic, they argued, would save women time, allowing them to enjoy greater independence and time for recreation. A common image of the interwar housing estates presented women with bobbed hair relaxing in lounge chairs on rooftop terraces – the recreational terraces being one of the arguments made for the flat roof form. 1 In the eyes of conservatives, such visions were a cultural affront, as they challenged images of the traditional family, and the roles of the mother as homemaker and the father as the family’s patriarchal leader.
