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Origin and history

The garden town of Stockfeld, located in the Neuhof district of Strasbourg, was designed in the early 20th century, while Alsace was under German administration. The project was aimed at relocating the inhabitants of the city centre, of which 3,460 were displaced as a result of a sanitation and modernization plan launched in 1907 by Mayor Rudolf Schwander. The latter ordered the demolition of 126 houses to transform the historic heart of Strasbourg, requiring the creation of a new residential area.

The project selected was that of architect Edward Schimpf, inspired by the English garden cities and the theoretician Ebenezer Howard. Schimpf named his Howard Plan in tribute to the latter and also supported Hellerau, the first continental garden city built in Dresden in 1909. However, disagreements with the municipality led Schimpf to abandon the construction site, which was finally completed by Ernst Zimmerle. The First World War interrupted work: of the 457 housing units planned, only 220 were built between 1910 and 1912.

The garden city is distinguished by its geometrical plan combining curves and organized islands, an urban innovation for the period. The facades, roofs, gardens and tree alignments of the original buildings were protected by an inscription as historical monuments in 1996. Today, this neighbourhood reflects a pioneering social and architectural will, combining hygienism, modernity and quality of life for the popular classes in Strasbourg.

Located six kilometres south of the city centre, in the area of Stockfeld, this faubourg-garden includes streets with evocative names such as Rue du Coucou, Avenue David-Goldschmidt or Rue de Lichtenberg. The protected elements cover a precise perimeter, including fences, green spaces and trees, reflecting the initial ambition of a harmonious living environment. Property now belongs to a private company, and access to it remains subject to specific rules.

The Alsatian context of the time, marked by German influence, played a key role in the realization of this project. Garden towns were then a response to problems of urban overpopulation and unsanitaryness, while embodying progressive ideals of urban planning. Strasbourg, a border and cultural city, thus became a laboratory of architectural innovations, where Germanic influences and Anglo-Saxon models were intersected.

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