Munique: intervenções urbanas de Theodor Fischer como circunstância para um projecto na Schwanthalerstraße

Abstract

The object of study of this dissertation is Theodor Fischer's urban intervention in Munich. In order to do this, we will analyse some parts of Munich's Urban Expansion Plan created while the architect was working for the Münchner Stadterweiterungsbüro, between 1894 and 1902. Initially, Fischer (1862 - 1938) will be introduced through the reference of some relevant data concerning his life as an architect, urbanist and teacher. There will also be a reference his close relationship with other urbanists of that period such as Reinhard Baumeister (1833 - 1917), Josef Stübben (1845 - 1936), and Camilo Sitte (1843 - 1903). Sitte is an important reference for Fischer. They have a very similar point of view on the importance of unity and circumstance within the city, besides that of identity and reference. However, considering the practical application, Fischer's approach is much more real and less philosophical, that is, the city shouldn't be thought theoretically, but in practical terms, approaching each case according to its specificities. Traffic is also a novelty brought by Modern Urbanism and that reflects the importance that Fischer concedes to this issue. For the urbanist, the three main problems of the city were the housing issue, the traffic use and adapting to nature. By the end of the 19th century, there were serious public health and hygiene problems. Land speculation was huge and people lived in precari-ous situations. Modern Urbanism tries to solve these issues and provide the city with a greater infrastructural development. That is when the first water and sewage networks and heating systems start to appear in houses. Moreover, some areas of Munich will be analysed. Prinzregentenstraße, Schwabing, Tal, Rothmundstraße and Bavariaring are the five study cases chosen to solve different issues. Whilst Prinzregentenstraße is a big axis of the city and Schwabing corresponds to the expansion of the historic part of town, Tal shows a type of intervention in the historic centre. Rothmundstraße is a residential street and Bavariaring solves a traffic issue by means of a ring. Finally, we introduce the project made at the Technische Universität München of a high density building for the Central Station area - Hauptbahnhof. The volume is based on houses often found In the Northern and Southern parts of Munich and it has two courtyards. These houses also added to the logic of space organization. Moreover, we will mention Chicago in some references, in view of a field trip under the scope of this project.