T h e E x h i b i t of B a u h a u s David Axtell
T h e E x h i b i t of B a u h a u s
David Axtell
Beacon Publications
T h e E x h i b i t of B a u h a u s
David Axtell
Beacon Publications
Preface The book, ‘Archive des Bauhauses’ , was designed with the intent of Admiring and Acknowledging the Architectural style of Bauhaus. The book focuses on the five major buildings of Bauhaus architecture with proper information and illustrations related to the buildings. Bauhaus—literally translated to “construction house”—originated as a German school of by Walter Gropius, the school eventually morphed into its own modern art movement characterized by its unique approach to architecture and design. Today, Bauhaus is renowned for both its unique aesthetic that inventively combines the fine arts with arts and crafts as well as its enduring influence on modern and contemporary art. Bauhaus architecture in this style is characterized by harmoniously balanced geometric shapes and an emphasis on function. This can be observed throughout the book.
“
Limitation makes the creative mind inventive. - Walter Gropius
“
the arts in the early 20th century. Founded
Preface The book, ‘Archive des Bauhauses’ , was designed with the intent of Admiring and Acknowledging the Architectural style of Bauhaus. The book focuses on the five major buildings of Bauhaus architecture with proper information and illustrations related to the buildings. Bauhaus—literally translated to “construction house”—originated as a German school of by Walter Gropius, the school eventually morphed into its own modern art movement characterized by its unique approach to architecture and design. Today, Bauhaus is renowned for both its unique aesthetic that inventively combines the fine arts with arts and crafts as well as its enduring influence on modern and contemporary art. Bauhaus architecture in this style is characterized by harmoniously balanced geometric shapes and an emphasis on function. This can be observed throughout the book.
“
Limitation makes the creative mind inventive. - Walter Gropius
“
the arts in the early 20th century. Founded
01
02
03
04
05
Fagus Factory
Bauhaus Building
England Gropius Haus
Haus am Horn
Meister häuser
14 - 21
22 - 31
32 - 41
42 - 51
52 - 61
Contents
01
02
03
04
05
Fagus Factory
Bauhaus Building
England Gropius Haus
Haus am Horn
Meister häuser
14 - 21
22 - 31
32 - 41
42 - 51
52 - 61
Contents
O
Modernist architecture has been influencing building design since before the Second World War. Key principles such as anti-historicism, function, progress and social morality translated to high expectations, ones that often did not meet the real needs and wants of families and communities. Aside from the underlying principles of Modernist architecture, famously summarized by American architect Louis Sullivan as “form follows function,” the design style has a specific and recognizable aesthetic. The mixed use of cubic and cylindrical shapes feel asymmetrical, while flat roofs and the absence of ornamentation or moldings create a clean and simplified look compared to previous heavily decorated styles. As for materials, the use of metal, glass and exposed concrete gave Modernist buildings an industrial or utilitarian appearance. A fitting description based on Modernist architecture pioneer Le Corbusier’s declaration that a house is “a machine for living in.” Stark, neutral colours like white, cream or grey were another mark of Modernist architecture.
8
9
O
Modernist architecture has been influencing building design since before the Second World War. Key principles such as anti-historicism, function, progress and social morality translated to high expectations, ones that often did not meet the real needs and wants of families and communities. Aside from the underlying principles of Modernist architecture, famously summarized by American architect Louis Sullivan as “form follows function,” the design style has a specific and recognizable aesthetic. The mixed use of cubic and cylindrical shapes feel asymmetrical, while flat roofs and the absence of ornamentation or moldings create a clean and simplified look compared to previous heavily decorated styles. As for materials, the use of metal, glass and exposed concrete gave Modernist buildings an industrial or utilitarian appearance. A fitting description based on Modernist architecture pioneer Le Corbusier’s declaration that a house is “a machine for living in.” Stark, neutral colours like white, cream or grey were another mark of Modernist architecture.
8
9
Bauhaus Walter Gropius
10
11
Bauhaus Walter Gropius
10
11
Walter Gropius one of the pioneers of modern architecture, he was the founder of the Bauhaus, a revolutionary art school in Germany. The Bauhaus replaced traditional teaching methods with a flexible artistic community,
focusing
on
a
collaborative
approach to learning and the creation of integrated design projects. Later, the Bauhaus also incorporated mass production
techniques
into
its
output,
designing objects and buildings for a wide audience. The school taught some of the most famous names in modernism as well as attracting established artists working within the fields. Despite its relatively short-lived existence, the Bauhaus and the design styles associated with it were hugely influential on a global scale, but particularly so in the United States where many of the artists moved before and during the Second World War to escape persecution by the Nazis.
12
Walter Gropius
13
Walter Gropius one of the pioneers of modern architecture, he was the founder of the Bauhaus, a revolutionary art school in Germany. The Bauhaus replaced traditional teaching methods with a flexible artistic community,
focusing
on
a
collaborative
approach to learning and the creation of integrated design projects. Later, the Bauhaus also incorporated mass production
techniques
into
its
output,
designing objects and buildings for a wide audience. The school taught some of the most famous names in modernism as well as attracting established artists working within the fields. Despite its relatively short-lived existence, the Bauhaus and the design styles associated with it were hugely influential on a global scale, but particularly so in the United States where many of the artists moved before and during the Second World War to escape persecution by the Nazis.
12
Walter Gropius
13
Fagus Factory
The Fagus Factory is one of the earliest built works of modern architecture, and the first project of Walter Gropius. In his lecture, ‘Monumental Art and Industrial Construction’, he explained that train stations, departments stores, and factories should no longer be built like those from previous decades and needed to evolve to suit changing societal and cultural dynamics.
14
15
Fagus Factory
The Fagus Factory is one of the earliest built works of modern architecture, and the first project of Walter Gropius. In his lecture, ‘Monumental Art and Industrial Construction’, he explained that train stations, departments stores, and factories should no longer be built like those from previous decades and needed to evolve to suit changing societal and cultural dynamics.
14
15
Gropius emphasized the social aspect to architectural design, suggesting that improving working conditions through increased daylight, fresh air, and hygiene would lead to a greater satisfaction of workers, and therefore, increase overall production. The Fagus Factory is a complex with many buildings, which contain various functions such as manufacturing, storage, and offices, and Gropius felt it was important to design an exterior design aesthetic that could be applied to various structures. The use of brick — more specifically, a 40-centimeter high, dark brick base which projects 4-centimeters from the facade can be seen repeatedly throughout the complex. The most architecturally-significant aspect of Gropius’ contribution to the project is the office building. Unlike the other buildings, this flatroof, three-story building features a façade that consists of more glass than brick. Instead of conventional load-bearing exterior walls, Gropius had made the bold and innovative decision to place reinforced concrete.
16
Fagus Factory
17
Gropius emphasized the social aspect to architectural design, suggesting that improving working conditions through increased daylight, fresh air, and hygiene would lead to a greater satisfaction of workers, and therefore, increase overall production. The Fagus Factory is a complex with many buildings, which contain various functions such as manufacturing, storage, and offices, and Gropius felt it was important to design an exterior design aesthetic that could be applied to various structures. The use of brick — more specifically, a 40-centimeter high, dark brick base which projects 4-centimeters from the facade can be seen repeatedly throughout the complex. The most architecturally-significant aspect of Gropius’ contribution to the project is the office building. Unlike the other buildings, this flatroof, three-story building features a façade that consists of more glass than brick. Instead of conventional load-bearing exterior walls, Gropius had made the bold and innovative decision to place reinforced concrete.
16
Fagus Factory
17
Columns inside the building to free the façade. A series of brick piers suspend iron frames that supports glass inserts. Metal panels were placed within the iron frame to conceal the floor slabs behind. The most innovative feature of the building is the fully glazed exterior corners, which are free of structural elements. The exterior design of the office building effectively demonstrated Gropius’ ambition to improve interior conditions while exposing contemporary construction techniques as an architectural image. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011 for its early influence on the development of modern architecture.
18
Fagus Factory
19
Columns inside the building to free the façade. A series of brick piers suspend iron frames that supports glass inserts. Metal panels were placed within the iron frame to conceal the floor slabs behind. The most innovative feature of the building is the fully glazed exterior corners, which are free of structural elements. The exterior design of the office building effectively demonstrated Gropius’ ambition to improve interior conditions while exposing contemporary construction techniques as an architectural image. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011 for its early influence on the development of modern architecture.
18
Fagus Factory
19
The main building was built over a basement structurally stable. A mixture of cement uncompressed gravel was used for the walls of the basement and these are unable to accommodate large single loads. From the basement up, the building was constructed in plain brickwork, reinforced with wooden floors. The roofs were reinforced formwork and finishes with a rough plaster on the side of the facility. The floors were composed of loose boards on sleepers, ie, that the ties were not established between the floor joists. Therefore, the ceilings in the main building was not continuous shear and thus could not meet the necessary boost function.
20
Fagus Factory
21
The main building was built over a basement structurally stable. A mixture of cement uncompressed gravel was used for the walls of the basement and these are unable to accommodate large single loads. From the basement up, the building was constructed in plain brickwork, reinforced with wooden floors. The roofs were reinforced formwork and finishes with a rough plaster on the side of the facility. The floors were composed of loose boards on sleepers, ie, that the ties were not established between the floor joists. Therefore, the ceilings in the main building was not continuous shear and thus could not meet the necessary boost function.
20
Fagus Factory
21
Bauhaus Building
In 1919, German architect Walter Gropius founded Bauhaus, the most influential art school of the 20th century. Bauhaus defined modernist design and radically changed our
relationship
with
everyday
objects.
Gropius wrote in his manifesto Programm des Staatlichen Bauhauses Weimar that “There is no essential difference between the artist and the artisan.�
22
23
Bauhaus Building
In 1919, German architect Walter Gropius founded Bauhaus, the most influential art school of the 20th century. Bauhaus defined modernist design and radically changed our
relationship
with
everyday
objects.
Gropius wrote in his manifesto Programm des Staatlichen Bauhauses Weimar that “There is no essential difference between the artist and the artisan.�
22
23
It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1996. In 1925, the Bauhaus left its birthplace in Weimar, where the school could not continue to operate due to drastic budget cuts by the right-wing conservative government. The school moved to Dessau, where the city gave it the opportunity, among other things, to erect a new school building of its own. “We want to create buildings as clear, organic bodies, naked and radiant by virtue of their own inherent laws, free of falsehood and extravagancies,” wrote Bauhaus director Walter Gropius in 1923.With the school building in Dessau, he now implemented these ideas rigorously. As early as December 1926, the building opened to great public attention. Bright white façades, reinforced concrete and glass, and clear geometrical shapes.
24
Bauhaus Building
25
It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1996. In 1925, the Bauhaus left its birthplace in Weimar, where the school could not continue to operate due to drastic budget cuts by the right-wing conservative government. The school moved to Dessau, where the city gave it the opportunity, among other things, to erect a new school building of its own. “We want to create buildings as clear, organic bodies, naked and radiant by virtue of their own inherent laws, free of falsehood and extravagancies,” wrote Bauhaus director Walter Gropius in 1923.With the school building in Dessau, he now implemented these ideas rigorously. As early as December 1926, the building opened to great public attention. Bright white façades, reinforced concrete and glass, and clear geometrical shapes.
24
Bauhaus Building
25
The exterior of the new school building was a novelty. The glass exterior provides offers an unimpeded view of the structure and the interior. A clear functional separation between working, studying and living organises the asymmetrically arranged building complex. The complex, which consists of five distinct components, can best be seen in its entirety from a bird’s eye view or on a tour of the building ensemble. The workshop wing with its famous glass curtain wall and loadbearing reinforced concrete skeleton and the vocational school rise up 3 storeys. The white, 5-storey studio building housed students and junior masters in 28 studio flats.
26
Bauhaus Building
27
The exterior of the new school building was a novelty. The glass exterior provides offers an unimpeded view of the structure and the interior. A clear functional separation between working, studying and living organises the asymmetrically arranged building complex. The complex, which consists of five distinct components, can best be seen in its entirety from a bird’s eye view or on a tour of the building ensemble. The workshop wing with its famous glass curtain wall and loadbearing reinforced concrete skeleton and the vocational school rise up 3 storeys. The white, 5-storey studio building housed students and junior masters in 28 studio flats.
26
Bauhaus Building
27
Finally,
a
two-storey
bridge
that
accommodates the administration – including Walter Gropius’s director’s office, which can be visited on guided tours – connects the workshop wing to the vocational school to the north. In 1932 the National Socialists closed the Bauhaus Dessau. In the following decades, the school complex served various functions. Its international importance as an architectural icon of modernism, however, only slowly gained attention in the GDR from the 1960s onwards.
28
Bauhaus Building
29
Finally,
a
two-storey
bridge
that
accommodates the administration – including Walter Gropius’s director’s office, which can be visited on guided tours – connects the workshop wing to the vocational school to the north. In 1932 the National Socialists closed the Bauhaus Dessau. In the following decades, the school complex served various functions. Its international importance as an architectural icon of modernism, however, only slowly gained attention in the GDR from the 1960s onwards.
28
Bauhaus Building
29
In 1972 the Bauhaus building received protected status as a historic monument and in 1976, on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary, the first restoration took place. Its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List was followed by further comprehensive measures between 1996 and 2006. Gropius was against the use of colors for his architecture writes Nina Kandinsky in her memoirs, recalling the years when she lived with her husband, Wassily, in Dessau. In contrast Kandinsky appreciated living with and in colors. That’s why we painted the walls.
30
Bauhaus Building
31
In 1972 the Bauhaus building received protected status as a historic monument and in 1976, on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary, the first restoration took place. Its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List was followed by further comprehensive measures between 1996 and 2006. Gropius was against the use of colors for his architecture writes Nina Kandinsky in her memoirs, recalling the years when she lived with her husband, Wassily, in Dessau. In contrast Kandinsky appreciated living with and in colors. That’s why we painted the walls.
30
Bauhaus Building
31
England Gropius House
Situated amidst war and the spread of the modern architectural movement to the United States, the Gropius House is a fairly modest building that maintains the scale and materially identity with the surrounding area. The facade of the house combines common brick and local clapboard with manufactured ribbons, windows and glass blocks evoking a sense of stability and balance between old and new, traditional and modern, New England and European.
32
33
England Gropius House
Situated amidst war and the spread of the modern architectural movement to the United States, the Gropius House is a fairly modest building that maintains the scale and materially identity with the surrounding area. The facade of the house combines common brick and local clapboard with manufactured ribbons, windows and glass blocks evoking a sense of stability and balance between old and new, traditional and modern, New England and European.
32
33
Gropius imposes the modernist aesthetic on the local materials by painting the house a stark white that when combined with the tinted ribbon windows and the glass block appears to be a, slightly Corbusian, foreign object placed in the landscape. In regards to the interior of the house, Gropius did not take the New England architectural vernacular into consideration, rather the interior is a mix of fabricated pieces from the Bauhaus and furniture by Marcel Breuer. Similar to the work that was happening simultaneously in Europe; the house employs an open spatial organization that filters light throughout the house through the large windows. Similar to the exterior of the house, Gropius uses a minimalist color palette throughout the interior consisting of black, white, pale greys, and earth tones with only faint splashes of red found throughout the house.
34
England Gropius House
35
Gropius imposes the modernist aesthetic on the local materials by painting the house a stark white that when combined with the tinted ribbon windows and the glass block appears to be a, slightly Corbusian, foreign object placed in the landscape. In regards to the interior of the house, Gropius did not take the New England architectural vernacular into consideration, rather the interior is a mix of fabricated pieces from the Bauhaus and furniture by Marcel Breuer. Similar to the work that was happening simultaneously in Europe; the house employs an open spatial organization that filters light throughout the house through the large windows. Similar to the exterior of the house, Gropius uses a minimalist color palette throughout the interior consisting of black, white, pale greys, and earth tones with only faint splashes of red found throughout the house.
34
England Gropius House
35
Wooden trellises reaching from the east and west sides of the house, and covered with pink climbing roses on the east and grapevines on the west, provided privacy. The Gropiuses aimed to create a New England landscape complete with mature trees, rambling stone walls, and boulders used as focal points for gardens. While Walter Gropius gained great pleasure from the gardens, his wife, Ise, was the principal landscaper. Around 1957, after a summer trip to Japan, she redesigned the perennial bed in imitation of a Japanese garden. The Gropius House was home to Walter Gropius and his family until his death in 1969, which was then officially transferred back to the owner of the land who was so enthralled by Gropius and his work opened up her land to other architects to create similar establishments as Gropius.
36
England Gropius House
37
Wooden trellises reaching from the east and west sides of the house, and covered with pink climbing roses on the east and grapevines on the west, provided privacy. The Gropiuses aimed to create a New England landscape complete with mature trees, rambling stone walls, and boulders used as focal points for gardens. While Walter Gropius gained great pleasure from the gardens, his wife, Ise, was the principal landscaper. Around 1957, after a summer trip to Japan, she redesigned the perennial bed in imitation of a Japanese garden. The Gropius House was home to Walter Gropius and his family until his death in 1969, which was then officially transferred back to the owner of the land who was so enthralled by Gropius and his work opened up her land to other architects to create similar establishments as Gropius.
36
England Gropius House
37
the Gropius house reflects an aesthetic that resonates in 2018. Modest and easily sourced building materials, small and well-designed spaces, which provide ease of circulation, ample storage, as well as consistency and rhythm in interior colors, furnishings and other details, create an overall sense of comfort and ease. The connection to the exterior world, whether walking in the Gropius’ landscape or viewing it from inside the house, only adds to the sense of well-being. Light was extremely important to the family;
including allowing
natural light into the house as much as possible, as well as providing functional task lighting.
38
England Gropius House
39
the Gropius house reflects an aesthetic that resonates in 2018. Modest and easily sourced building materials, small and well-designed spaces, which provide ease of circulation, ample storage, as well as consistency and rhythm in interior colors, furnishings and other details, create an overall sense of comfort and ease. The connection to the exterior world, whether walking in the Gropius’ landscape or viewing it from inside the house, only adds to the sense of well-being. Light was extremely important to the family;
including allowing
natural light into the house as much as possible, as well as providing functional task lighting.
38
England Gropius House
39
For today’s client, the kitchen, which was state-of-the-art for 1938 and beyond would not be sequestered from the rest of the downstairs as it is.
The amount of storage
space would probably not be enough, even for fairly clutter-free families. When entertaining, we are used to having our main entrance near the living area, and to enter the living room, you have to either walk through the office or the dining room. And the garage is a fair distance from the house. The living and dining areas could be accessed by going through the office or the hall; the kitchen is sequestered from the dining area, behind doors that close, according to the docent, to prevent cooking odors from reaching the dining or living areas.
40
England Gropius House
41
For today’s client, the kitchen, which was state-of-the-art for 1938 and beyond would not be sequestered from the rest of the downstairs as it is.
The amount of storage
space would probably not be enough, even for fairly clutter-free families. When entertaining, we are used to having our main entrance near the living area, and to enter the living room, you have to either walk through the office or the dining room. And the garage is a fair distance from the house. The living and dining areas could be accessed by going through the office or the hall; the kitchen is sequestered from the dining area, behind doors that close, according to the docent, to prevent cooking odors from reaching the dining or living areas.
40
England Gropius House
41
Haus am Horn
The Haus am Horn, as it was named, was designed by Georg Muche and Adolf Meyer as a prototype for affordable housing which could be quickly and inexpensively massproduced. The use of experimental building techniques and materials not only helped to achieve this goal, but dovetailed perfectly with the increasing focus on functionalism in the Bauhaus curriculum.
42
43
Haus am Horn
The Haus am Horn, as it was named, was designed by Georg Muche and Adolf Meyer as a prototype for affordable housing which could be quickly and inexpensively massproduced. The use of experimental building techniques and materials not only helped to achieve this goal, but dovetailed perfectly with the increasing focus on functionalism in the Bauhaus curriculum.
42
43
Muche, who was a painter and teacher at the Bauhaus, had already been in the process of designing a house for himself and his wife when the school announced a competition for a model residence. His winning entry was bold in its simplicity: a square plan, with a ring of rooms surrounding a central living room. Each space was designed with an explicit program in mind, and intentionally specialized so that it could not be used for any other purpose. Aside from the living room, the house comprised a room for the man, a room for the lady, a room for children, a guest room, dining room, kitchen, and a work niche. The dominance of the living room within the Haus am Horn was expressed in a number of ways.
44
Haus am Horn
45
Muche, who was a painter and teacher at the Bauhaus, had already been in the process of designing a house for himself and his wife when the school announced a competition for a model residence. His winning entry was bold in its simplicity: a square plan, with a ring of rooms surrounding a central living room. Each space was designed with an explicit program in mind, and intentionally specialized so that it could not be used for any other purpose. Aside from the living room, the house comprised a room for the man, a room for the lady, a room for children, a guest room, dining room, kitchen, and a work niche. The dominance of the living room within the Haus am Horn was expressed in a number of ways.
44
Haus am Horn
45
As it was cloistered in the center of the building,
daylighting
was
achieved
via
clerestory windows lining the top of each wall, the result was that the living room’s volume projected past the roofline of the rest of the house, making it visible from the exterior. This also served to differentiate the space within the house, as raising the ceiling to accommodate the clerestories made the living room taller than the surrounding spaces. Sheer floor area was another factor: at 36 square meters, the living room occupied a full third of the house’s overall footprint.Furniture designed by Bauhaus faculty and students did much to define spaces within the house. The living room was occupied by simplistic chairs and tables built of standardized lengths of wood; devoid of any ornamentation or coloring, they were highly reminiscent of chairs created by Dutch designer Gerrit Rietveld.
46
Haus am Horn
47
As it was cloistered in the center of the building,
daylighting
was
achieved
via
clerestory windows lining the top of each wall, the result was that the living room’s volume projected past the roofline of the rest of the house, making it visible from the exterior. This also served to differentiate the space within the house, as raising the ceiling to accommodate the clerestories made the living room taller than the surrounding spaces. Sheer floor area was another factor: at 36 square meters, the living room occupied a full third of the house’s overall footprint.Furniture designed by Bauhaus faculty and students did much to define spaces within the house. The living room was occupied by simplistic chairs and tables built of standardized lengths of wood; devoid of any ornamentation or coloring, they were highly reminiscent of chairs created by Dutch designer Gerrit Rietveld.
46
Haus am Horn
47
Covering the ground were carpets adorned with sleek abstract patterns, reflecting a shift away from individual craftsmanship techniques to industrial modes of production. This was made more blatant in the children’s room, which featured a set of modular wooden boxes devised by wood-carving student Alma Buscher. Smaller boxes could be used as child seating, while the larger units could either be set on their sides for the same purpose or on their ends, in which case they could serve either as child tables or adult seating. Another unit, which featured a door and a window, could be put to use as a display case when closed, but once opened, was ideal for use as a puppet theater. Instead of individual units, the kitchen workspace featured wall-mounted cabinets over a continuous countertop, all characteristically minimal in their aesthetic.
48
Haus am Horn
49
Covering the ground were carpets adorned with sleek abstract patterns, reflecting a shift away from individual craftsmanship techniques to industrial modes of production. This was made more blatant in the children’s room, which featured a set of modular wooden boxes devised by wood-carving student Alma Buscher. Smaller boxes could be used as child seating, while the larger units could either be set on their sides for the same purpose or on their ends, in which case they could serve either as child tables or adult seating. Another unit, which featured a door and a window, could be put to use as a display case when closed, but once opened, was ideal for use as a puppet theater. Instead of individual units, the kitchen workspace featured wall-mounted cabinets over a continuous countertop, all characteristically minimal in their aesthetic.
48
Haus am Horn
49
The layout of the house was also intended to facilitate a relatively affordable lifestyle. Muche’s design drew connections between living spaces which were traditionally kept separate in order to more practically serve the needs of the expected residents.
50
Haus am Horn
51
The layout of the house was also intended to facilitate a relatively affordable lifestyle. Muche’s design drew connections between living spaces which were traditionally kept separate in order to more practically serve the needs of the expected residents.
50
Haus am Horn
51
Meisterhäuser
The
single
director’s
house,
which
was
destroyed during the war, and the three double houses for the Bauhaus masters were designed by Walter Gropius and built by his architecture office on an elongated plot with a stock of pine trees. The outer shape of the buildings, the organisation of their rooms according to their usage and light sources, as well as their interior furnishing with builtin closets and shelves, correspond with the principles of functional building and represent a further development of Gropius’s idea of a “large-scale building set”.
52
53
Meisterhäuser
The
single
director’s
house,
which
was
destroyed during the war, and the three double houses for the Bauhaus masters were designed by Walter Gropius and built by his architecture office on an elongated plot with a stock of pine trees. The outer shape of the buildings, the organisation of their rooms according to their usage and light sources, as well as their interior furnishing with builtin closets and shelves, correspond with the principles of functional building and represent a further development of Gropius’s idea of a “large-scale building set”.
52
53
The double houses consist of reflections of their respective halves on the same floor plan rotated by 90°, which makes their visual impact highly heterogeneous. To provide structuring for the main buildings, the projecting building elements and/or window embrasures were framed in colour. Gropius planned to build the complex based on a modular principle, using industrially prefabricated components. With this he wished to realise the principles of rational construction, both in the architecture and in the process of building per se. In view of the technical resources available at the time, his plan was only partially realised. The buildings take the form of interlocking cubic structures of various heights.
54
Meisterhäuser
55
The double houses consist of reflections of their respective halves on the same floor plan rotated by 90°, which makes their visual impact highly heterogeneous. To provide structuring for the main buildings, the projecting building elements and/or window embrasures were framed in colour. Gropius planned to build the complex based on a modular principle, using industrially prefabricated components. With this he wished to realise the principles of rational construction, both in the architecture and in the process of building per se. In view of the technical resources available at the time, his plan was only partially realised. The buildings take the form of interlocking cubic structures of various heights.
54
Meisterhäuser
55
Towards the street the semi-detached houses are
distinguished
by
generously
glazed
studios; vertical strip windows on the sides let light into the staircases. Only the director’s house featured an asymmetric arrangement of windows. The light-coloured houses have generously-sized
terraces
and
balconies
and feature colourful accents on the window reveals the undersides of the balconies and the drainpipes. The unified overall image of the complex, which was released according to the requirements of its future inhabitants, contradicts the colourful designs of the interior spaces. These resulted from the individual preferences of the masters and are still seen as evidence of their different characters.
56
Meisterhäuser
57
Towards the street the semi-detached houses are
distinguished
by
generously
glazed
studios; vertical strip windows on the sides let light into the staircases. Only the director’s house featured an asymmetric arrangement of windows. The light-coloured houses have generously-sized
terraces
and
balconies
and feature colourful accents on the window reveals the undersides of the balconies and the drainpipes. The unified overall image of the complex, which was released according to the requirements of its future inhabitants, contradicts the colourful designs of the interior spaces. These resulted from the individual preferences of the masters and are still seen as evidence of their different characters.
56
Meisterhäuser
57
The interiors were furnished with products from the Bauhaus workshops. The Bauhaus design requirements of living in a modern world were clearly demonstrated in the houses lived in by Gropius and Moholy Nagy. Walter Gropius once said, “All six of these houses are the same but different
in
the
impression
they
make.
Simplification through multiplication means quicker, cheaper building.”
58
Meisterhäuser
59
The interiors were furnished with products from the Bauhaus workshops. The Bauhaus design requirements of living in a modern world were clearly demonstrated in the houses lived in by Gropius and Moholy Nagy. Walter Gropius once said, “All six of these houses are the same but different
in
the
impression
they
make.
Simplification through multiplication means quicker, cheaper building.”
58
Meisterhäuser
59
The houses had fitted cupboards integrated between the kitchen and the dining room and between the bedroom and the studio space. Gropius and Moholy-Nagy fitted their houses exclusively with furniture by Marcel Breuer along with other Bauhaus products. Whilst other masters brought their own furniture with them, Kandinsky and Klee developed their own ideas with respect to the arrangement of colour and light relating entirely to their own artistic work and experimentation.
60
Meisterhäuser
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The houses had fitted cupboards integrated between the kitchen and the dining room and between the bedroom and the studio space. Gropius and Moholy-Nagy fitted their houses exclusively with furniture by Marcel Breuer along with other Bauhaus products. Whilst other masters brought their own furniture with them, Kandinsky and Klee developed their own ideas with respect to the arrangement of colour and light relating entirely to their own artistic work and experimentation.
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