06 Communal Backhaus
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a local social practice
German bread, particularly the sourdough ‘Schwarzbrot,’ is renowned both in Europe and globally. Recognized as part of Germany’s cultural heritage, it has been protected under UNESCO since 2014, featuring 3200 different recipes.30 In the district of Fulda, extending to the wider Rhön region, traditional breads are not only produced in commercial bakeries but also in private and semi-private village communities.
The traditional Backhäuser—baking houses—of Fulda’s region are portrayed in previous pages. Many have been recently renovated, and nearly all are regularly used. This social practice fosters a sense of tradition and community, where not only the whole village gathers for ‘Backhausfest’—a baking celebration—but individual families also produce their bread for several weeks in one session.
I had the pleasure og growing up with this tradition in my grandmothers village, Reulbach, at the foot of the Wasserkuppe. My grandmother and family would bake their bread once a month, an event that the extended family was invited to help with. The Backhaus is traditionally fired by one appointed person each week. Those interested in baking would set a timeslot and collect the yeast base for the sourdough. The large wooden trough in the middle of my grandmother’s farm kitchen was filled to the brim with ingredients, mixed and kneaded by hand, and then transferred into bread baskets. These baskets were then transported on a trolley down to the Backhaus, where my grandfather and uncles ensured the breads stayed in the oven for the correct amount of time. After baking, the entire family sat together, enjoying the freshly baked bread and spending quality family time. This entire day was one of my favorite events, cherished not only for the fresh bread but also for the traditional pastries like Plootz with onions and ‘Deitcher,’ made from potatoes.
This tradition of communal practice, where families, neighbors, and wider communities come together to share their bread and baking knowledge, continues to this day. The entire process is a practice passed down through generations and communities, sparking interest in new backhouses, such as the one built in suburban Petersberg in 2015. Funded by local clubs and community members interested in preserving this tradition, the structure was constructed using a mix of brick and traditional ‘Fachwerk’ half-timbering.31
Up to today, my family and others still make use of the village Backhaus. The tradition, knowledge, and utensils have been handed down to the next generation. During my childhood, I particularly enjoyed the smell of fresh Schwarzbrot with caraway seeds and proudly helped my grandmother clean the trough and shape the dough in the baskets. We carved special marks like stars or hearts in the raw dough, so my siblings and I could identify our bread once baked.
Today, I appreciate the extended role of this practice beyond just food production. The Backhäuser serve as public spaces for community gatherings, with facilities for festivities, and the process of shared baking, yeast sharing, idea exchange, and communal eating fosters a strong sense of community and belonging.
To honor the cultural integrity, heritage, and traditions of Fulda and its surrounding region, the Backhaus will play a key role in the ecosystem, fostering community and facilitating the interchange between cultures. Baking bread, eating together, and fostering community spirit are traditions not unique to Germany or Hesse, which is why the Backhaus will not only be a space for traditional German Schwarzbrot but also for all the multicultural backgrounds that call Fulda home. Whether it’s pide, flatbread, pizza, or other traditional baked goods, communities are welcome in this new public space and plaza to share their social practices and knowledge.
This sense of community is enhanced not only for humans but also for fauna and flora. Birds, mammals, and insects can nest and expand their habitats in the structural components and niches of the vernacular structure. Existing trees are allowed to expand their reach and grow to their full extent, with human structures thoughtfully placed around them to provide sufficient distance for natural development without interference.
The Fachwerk structure is abstractly dismantled and adapted to optimize space, light, storage potential, and nesting options for mammals, insects, and birds—leaving just the frames, which are occasionally filled with clay and earth walls depending on functionality. The space is designed to be open and adjustable in warmer temperatures, allowing the entire complex of structures to be experienced in one continuous flow.
The Backhaus subsystem encompasses three larger structures connected by wooden platforms used as terraces and shaded by existing trees. The first structure to the west links to the bike path and, on a different scale, to the co-working space. This building includes workshop spaces such as kitchens, open terraces, storage capacity, and public facilities that are accessible year-round.
The backhouse itself forms the center of the space, featuring openable doors, wood and resin storage, and a brick chimney. The public kitchen, equipped for cleaning, cooking, and serving as a normal kitchen, can be publicly accessed and used by the community.
In between, all sorts of vegetation, including cultivated spaces like herb gardens for the kitchens, caraway seeds, and crop cultivation for educational purposes, can thrive. These areas interweave seamlessly with the flora, fauna, and water components of the shared living system.
This layout and functionality enable multiple families and individual parties to utilize different areas of the space, as well as host commonly used events that make full use of all available spaces.