Transom light in the Million Programme's houses. Why?

[TheImprovisor]

In the multi-family houses of the Million Program, and also in small houses from that time, the space above the interior doors often consists of transom windows or is sealed with, for example, thin plywood.

I have entered into a discussion regarding why this is the case.

I claim that it has to do with construction techniques, at least in the houses built from square, prefabricated concrete elements. That it was simpler and cheaper to place a panel above the door than to prefabricate concrete elements to fit a door opening.

My opponent argues that it was a deliberate design to allow for transoms and thereby create a brighter apartment.

Does anyone know what the reality is?

 

[BirgitS]

It's probably a mixture of both parts, I would think.

There haven't been any transom windows in this apartment from the early '60s, that is before the Million Program, but there are certainly prefabricated concrete elements. Then maybe an architect came up with the idea of replacing the panel with a glass pane to make hallways and corridors brighter, and then it became modern/popular/trendy and was also picked up in small houses built in other ways. My guess.

 

[Claes Sörmland]

I once lived in a horrible apartment from the early 70s many years ago. The interior walls were not built in concrete but in plaster, though there was that industrially lacquered board panel above the interior doors. In light gray. It matched the light gray plastic moldings.

Perhaps it was faster to install a door with a board panel above than to plaster above the door? It was all about speed and simplifying every installation step.

DDR technology that we imported along with our coterie with the regime.

 

[TheImprovisor]

It is probably a mix of both parts, I would think.

There haven't been any transom windows in this apartment from the early 60s, that is, before the "miljonprogrammet", but prefabricated concrete elements are surely there. Then maybe an architect thought to replace the panel with a glass pane to make halls and corridors brighter, and then it became modern/popular/trendy and was picked up even in smaller houses built differently. My guess.

Maybe that's how it is.

 

[TheImprovisor]

I once lived in a dreadful apartment from the early 70s many years ago. The interior walls were not built of concrete but of gips, but sure enough, there was that industrial lacquered board panel above the interior doors. In light gray. Matched the light gray plastic moldings.

Maybe it was faster to install a door with a board panel above than to gips above the door? It was all about speed and simplifying every installation step.

DDR technology that we imported with our coterie with the regime.

Yes, it was supposed to be quick and cheap. No frills and extravagances. Standardization and mass production. By the way, the plastic moldings are disgusting. They attract dirt better than a magnet attracts iron shavings.

 

[Staffans2000]

They were probably intended as sources of light. In Italy, every apartment with a hallway without windows has had glazed doors. That could be the same reason.

Staffan

 

[Mikael_L]

I have always believed that it was due to cheap and fast mass production with precast concrete elements. That is, it was easier and faster to place straight cut concrete elements, and then fill up above the door with hardboard.

I doubt that it was for the sake of light, as I think it's quite uncommon to have glass there, mostly lacquered hardboard or some other board. But surely there was some architect somewhere who saw the opportunity for a transom window and managed to convince the builder to invest in it, in some room...

It might not be so easy to gain insight into the thought process back then; it's hardly easy to find documentation. With a bit of luck (a lot of luck), maybe someone who was involved at the time reads this and can tell us.

 

[TheImprovisor]

I have always believed it was due to cheap and fast mass production with concrete elements.
That is, it was easier and faster to fit straight-cut concrete elements, and then fill up above the door with masonite.

I doubt it was for the sake of light, as I find it quite unusual to have glass there, mostly lacquered masonite or some other board.
But surely there was some architect somewhere who saw the opportunity for an overlight and managed to persuade the builder to invest in this, in some room ...

It may not be easy to know what the thoughts were then, hardly easy to find documentation. With a bit of luck (a lot of luck), maybe someone who was there at the time is reading this and can tell us.

That's my thought too. Simple, quick, and cheap.