The Fritz-Kissel-Siedlung Modernisierung is a renovation and densification project in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, carried out by the Nassauische Heimstätte Wohnungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (NHW), with parts of the scheme also involving Vonovia as co-owner of some of the housing stock.1234 The project focuses on modernizing a postwar residential estate in Sachsenhausen while adding new housing through roof extensions rather than expanding the site footprint.124
The Fritz-Kissel-Siedlung itself was originally built between 1950 and 1955 to plans by the Frankfurter city planner Ernst May.34 The estate contains roughly 2,500 dwellings and is regarded as a characteristic example of 1950s housing development in Frankfurt.39 Because the buildings are subject to heritage protection, the modernization had to balance preservation with technical renewal and extra housing supply.24
A central feature of the project is the upward extension of existing buildings using prefabricated timber modules, which was described as the first time NHW used this method in its modernization and major maintenance division.14 The work adds new compact apartments, including one- to three-room units, and creates additional living space without major land sealing.12 The project also includes improved bicycle parking and, in some buildings, delayed energetic modernization for existing residents.14
The initiative reflects a broader strategy of inner-city densification in Frankfurt: creating new affordable housing while retaining the structure of an established residential quarter.14