Types of housing estate – German nomenclature and systematics on the example of Wałbrzych agglomeration settlements

The term housing estate (Wohnsiedlung, osiedle mieszkaniowe) appeared in the press and professional literature at the beginning of 20^th century. Analysis of the German terms, initially of a cultural and geographical nature, used then in the emerging professional architecture-related language, reveals what factors were considered to be the most important in deciding on the characteristic traits of the housing development. In most cases, the nomenclature and typology were based on experience from Berlin and the largest German cities. The local specificity based on research into the characteristics of an ‘experimental’ region (i.e. the developing Wałbrzych (Waldenburg) agglomeration) may highlight not only issues related to the perception of the terms of housing estate types but also their design solutions, and in some cases, also the origins of new architectural concepts.