Quality on a Budget

A building ensemble creating quality housing with genuine neighbourhood ties

On Wolberostraße in Neusser Furth, a multi-family housing complex with 31 accessible rental apartments has risen in a prime location. Designed by Schmale Architekten of Grevenbroich for Neusser Bauverein, this project directly addresses the demand for affordable housing while simultaneously serving as the foundation for broader neighbourhood revitalization.

The expansive site was previously defined by two offset residential rows, with generous but largely undifferentiated open spaces. The new construction—comprising three four-storey wings—rises on what had become a neglected sports court. The architects positioned these wings strategically: creating street-facing frontage while simultaneously opening up an intimate courtyard. This sheltered outdoor space belongs to residents, yet it extends organically into the surrounding landscape. At its open edge, the courtyard transforms into a gathering point accessible to the broader neighbourhood—with every tree on the site preserved. This became possible only because Neuss approved construction without an underground garage for the first time; parking was instead provided on an adjacent property's existing deck. The complex contains 29 subsidized units currently renting at €5.75/m², plus two additional market-rate apartments. While primarily designed for one to two occupants, several larger two- to three-bedroom units (50–80 m²) were also included. Most importantly, this project shatters the myth that subsidized housing must compromise on architectural quality. Brilliantly white facades, immaculate galleries, a well-maintained playground, and manicured gardens speak for themselves. Since completion in May 2018—and nearly two years after the first residents moved in—architect Markus Schmale has observed not a single sign of damage. For a building housing over 30 units, that's exceptional. It demonstrates that residents treat this as a place with soul, worthy of respect. This attitude stems from careful design decisions: generous stairwells and galleries that eliminate "fear spaces," each corridor serving just two apartments with individual front doors like townhouses, and every unit opening onto green views. Materials were chosen with equal precision: dark brick detailing and granite cladding throughout convey a sense of substance—care that residents visibly reciprocate.

www.schmale-architekten.com