Arbejdernes Byggeforening
Encyclopedia
Arbejdernes Byggeforening (lit.
English
: The Workers' Building Society) was a Danish
building society
founded in Copenhagen
in 1865 to provide healthy homes for the city's workers, especially those from the Burmeister & Wain
factory. At the time of its foundation, the society had just 200 members but it grew fast, reaching 16,000 in 1890, and peaking at 26,342 members in 1955.
The society built a total of almost 1,500 terraced house
s at various sites around the city, including Kartoffelrækkerne in Østerbro
and Humleby
in Vesterbro, before it was dissolved in 1972.
The Danish Medical Society was the first to take action with the construction of Brumleby
, built between 1853 and 1872.
Ulrik had his clinic at Christianshavn
and arranged some meetings for the workers at the nearby Burmeister & Wain
plant, one of the largest work places in the city, and it was with them that the new building society was founded on 20 November 1865, with foundry worker N. B. Hallin as its first chairman and Ulrik as its deputy chairman.
from 1867 to 1871. They were designed by Henrik Steffens Sibbern who also planned the next developments, 12 houses at Gammel Kongevej (1868–69) and 45 houses at Nyboder
(1870–72).
The third development, 45 houses at Nyboder
built from 1870 to 1872, was designed by Frederik Bøttger and from 1874 he became the society's new resident architect, a position he held until 1903. During this 30-year period, the society built up the areas which are now known as Kartoffelrækkerne, Humleby
and Strandvejskvarteret.
Bøttger was succeeded by Christen Larsen and it was to his design that the society built its last two developments, the so-called Lyngbyvejskvarteret with 324 houses, from 1906 to 1929, and another 105 houses on Amager between 1930 and 1938.
a week. When they had saved up DKK
20, they could participate in the annual drawing for a house. After 10 years of repayments, they received the deed to the house, and after 24 years were the homeowners. For those who did not receive a house, the society worked as a savings bank
. After a number of years they could withdraw their savings.
Christen Larsen's houses, in red brick and with red tile roofs, are built to an asymmetric National Romantic
design. Considerably younger, they also demonstrate the general improvements in housing standards, with more practical floor plans and fittings, such as built-in China cabinets
.
Literal translation
Literal translation, or direct translation, is the rendering of text from one language to another "word-for-word" rather than conveying the sense of the original...
English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: The Workers' Building Society) was a Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
building society
Building society
A building society is a financial institution owned by its members as a mutual organization. Building societies offer banking and related financial services, especially mortgage lending. These institutions are found in the United Kingdom and several other countries.The term "building society"...
founded in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1865 to provide healthy homes for the city's workers, especially those from the Burmeister & Wain
Burmeister & Wain
Burmeister & Wain was a large established Danish shipyard and leading diesel engine producer headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded by two Danes and an Englishman, its earliest roots stretch back to 1846. Over its 150-year history, it grew successfully into a strong company through the end...
factory. At the time of its foundation, the society had just 200 members but it grew fast, reaching 16,000 in 1890, and peaking at 26,342 members in 1955.
The society built a total of almost 1,500 terraced house
Terraced house
In architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
s at various sites around the city, including Kartoffelrækkerne in Østerbro
Østerbro
Østerbro is one of the 10 official districts of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located just north of the city centre, outside the old city gate Østerport which, after it was moved around 1700, used to be located close to present-day Østerport Station...
and Humleby
Humleby
Humleby is an enclave of terraced houses situated next to the Carlsberg area in the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark. They were built between 1885 to 1891 by the Worker's Building Society to provide healthy housing for the workers at Burmeister & Wain.The area consists of 235 three storey...
in Vesterbro, before it was dissolved in 1972.
Background
The idea of providing good and healthy homes for the poorest part of the city's workforce originated among local politicians and medical doctors during the 1853 Copenhagen cholera outbreak which killed approximately 5,000 citizens. A major reason for the outbreak was the dismal conditions in the poorest parts of the city which suffered from overpopulation and lack of proper sanitary facilities.The Danish Medical Society was the first to take action with the construction of Brumleby
Brumleby
Brumleby is an enclave of terraced houses in Copenhagen, Denmark, located between Østre Allé and Østerbrogade, just south of Parken Stadium and St. James' Church...
, built between 1853 and 1872.
Foundation
The Worker's Building Society was founded in 1865 on the initiative of the medical doctors Emil Hornemann (1810–90) and Frederik Ferdinand Ulrik (1818–1917) who had witnessed first hand how far conditions could deteriorate, but it also drew on possible reforms in health care and housing.Ulrik had his clinic at Christianshavn
Christianshavn
Christianshavn is an artificial island neighbourhood located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was founded in the early 17th century by Christian IV as part of his extension of the fortifications of Copenhagen. Originally it was laid out as an independent privileged merchant's town with inspiration from...
and arranged some meetings for the workers at the nearby Burmeister & Wain
Burmeister & Wain
Burmeister & Wain was a large established Danish shipyard and leading diesel engine producer headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded by two Danes and an Englishman, its earliest roots stretch back to 1846. Over its 150-year history, it grew successfully into a strong company through the end...
plant, one of the largest work places in the city, and it was with them that the new building society was founded on 20 November 1865, with foundry worker N. B. Hallin as its first chairman and Ulrik as its deputy chairman.
Developments
The first terraces were built on AmagerAmager
Amager is a Danish island in the Øresund. The Danish capital, Copenhagen, is partly situated on Amager, which is connected to the much larger island of Zealand by five bridges.-History:...
from 1867 to 1871. They were designed by Henrik Steffens Sibbern who also planned the next developments, 12 houses at Gammel Kongevej (1868–69) and 45 houses at Nyboder
Nyboder
Nyboder is a historic row house district of former Naval barracks in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was planned and first built by Christian IV to accommodate a need for housing for the personnel of the rapidly growing Royal Danish Navy and their families during that time...
(1870–72).
The third development, 45 houses at Nyboder
Nyboder
Nyboder is a historic row house district of former Naval barracks in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was planned and first built by Christian IV to accommodate a need for housing for the personnel of the rapidly growing Royal Danish Navy and their families during that time...
built from 1870 to 1872, was designed by Frederik Bøttger and from 1874 he became the society's new resident architect, a position he held until 1903. During this 30-year period, the society built up the areas which are now known as Kartoffelrækkerne, Humleby
Humleby
Humleby is an enclave of terraced houses situated next to the Carlsberg area in the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark. They were built between 1885 to 1891 by the Worker's Building Society to provide healthy housing for the workers at Burmeister & Wain.The area consists of 235 three storey...
and Strandvejskvarteret.
Bøttger was succeeded by Christen Larsen and it was to his design that the society built its last two developments, the so-called Lyngbyvejskvarteret with 324 houses, from 1906 to 1929, and another 105 houses on Amager between 1930 and 1938.
Late years
Gradually the price of land and the costs of construction became too high, making the houses inaffordable for ordinary workers. It was said that "...the Worker's Building Society was not for workers but for people of means" which undermined the original philosophy behind it. In 1972 it was dissolved.Scheme
The Building Society members paid 35 øreDanish krone
The krone is the official currency of the Kingdom of Denmark consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It is subdivided into 100 øre...
a week. When they had saved up DKK
Danish krone
The krone is the official currency of the Kingdom of Denmark consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It is subdivided into 100 øre...
20, they could participate in the annual drawing for a house. After 10 years of repayments, they received the deed to the house, and after 24 years were the homeowners. For those who did not receive a house, the society worked as a savings bank
Savings bank
A savings bank is a financial institution whose primary purpose is accepting savings deposits. It may also perform some other functions.In Europe, savings banks originated in the 19th or sometimes even the 18th century. Their original objective was to provide easily accessible savings products to...
. After a number of years they could withdraw their savings.
Architecture
Frederik Bøttger's houses are built in yellow brick with slate roofs.Christen Larsen's houses, in red brick and with red tile roofs, are built to an asymmetric National Romantic
Romantic nationalism
Romantic nationalism is the form of nationalism in which the state derives its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of the unity of those it governs...
design. Considerably younger, they also demonstrate the general improvements in housing standards, with more practical floor plans and fittings, such as built-in China cabinets
Cupboard
A cupboard or press is a type of cabinet, often made of wood, used indoors to store household objects such as food, crockery, textiles and liquor, and protect them from dust,vermin and dirt....
.