Fachwerkhäuser, Siegener Industriegebiet, 1993

Fachwerkhäuser (half-timbered houses) are a hallmark of traditional German architecture, characterized by exposed wooden frameworks filled with materials like brick, clay, or plaster. Dating back to the Middle Ages, these buildings are found across Germany, with regional variations in style and decoration. Their intricate timber patterns and craftsmanship reflect both structural ingenuity and cultural heritage. This portfolio depicts 12 such – all located in the artists’ hometown Siegen – houses in Bernd and Hilla Becher’s iconic style that is characterized by a systematic, documentary approach and emphasizes objectivity and typology. As a whole, the exposed beams' orthogonal grid with triangular reinforcements create interesting and diverse structures.