The Sep Ruf Society has come closer to its goal of adding a house in Solln designed by the architect of the same name to the list of monuments: the State Office for Monument Preservation has certified the building as having “monument status”. On the other hand, it is becoming apparent that preventing its demolition and building a new three-in-hand carriage on the property at Fellererplatz would mean a dilemma that is difficult to resolve for two closely related families.
The Lower Monument Protection Authority and the Local Building Commission, both located within the city’s Department of Urban Planning and Building Regulations, therefore do not want to make a hasty decision. “We are in close contact with the owners regarding the further handling of the building. We cannot provide any further information about the status of the process until the coordination process has been completed,” the planning department said upon request.
Meanwhile, Jonas Björklund, spokesman for the private developers, made a statement and explained why his family would be threatened with ruin if the plans for a “sustainable housing project” failed due to monument protection. Referring to the existing building permit – it was issued in December 2022 – the Solln doctor points out high upfront costs that his in-laws in particular would have to cover due to existing loan and construction service contracts. If the authorities actually thwart the demolition and new construction project, they would face “gigantic damage.” That’s why he calls on the city administration “not to leave us out in the cold now” and to refrain from “an arbitrary approach that prohibits us from disposing of our property.”
As Björklund notes with astonishment, the Ruf House on Fellererplatz has never attracted public interest since it was built in 1936. It is by no means preserved in its original form, but was modified by an extension in the 1980s, among other things. Sep Ruf Gesellschaft is therefore using “completely false information” in its demand for protection.
Ulrich Rappold from the company Casaconcept Immobilien, which is selling one of the three-in-hand cars on behalf of the owners (the Björklunds and their parents want to use two of them themselves), also doubts the outstanding importance of the Solln Ruf House. “It’s actually a very simple building that Sep Ruf probably wouldn’t have included in the list of monuments himself,” says Rappold. Rappold does not doubt the importance of the renowned Munich architect, but it is clear that “he has created much more beautiful things elsewhere.”
“We’re not a big investor, we’re a small family”
After a site visit with a representative of the State Office for Monument Preservation, a discussion began as to whether it would be possible to place the planned three-in-hand carriage on the stately property between Fellererplatz and Herterichstrasse in such a way that the Ruf building could be preserved. Theoretically, this is possible without giving up a larger portion of the garden, admits Jonas Björklund. However, the existing building would first need to be urgently renovated because it no longer meets today’s living standards and, for example, has a completely outdated oil heating system. Because of the dilapidation, Björklund recently moved into a smaller apartment with his wife and two children.
In addition to the construction of the new three-in-hand building, Björklund asserts that it is not possible for the affected families to finance the renovation of the Ruf House. And there’s no need to wait long for a decision from the authorities either because of the tense financial situation – “we’re not a big investor, we’re a small family.” If the city and state consider the Ruf building to be as important as the Sep Ruf Gesellschaft, then they would have to take it on themselves, says Björklund. Casaconcept broker Rappold can hardly imagine another buyer. “That would have to be a very big fan of the architect, who died in 1982.”