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X-CHANGE EUROPE-USA
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BERLIN • LEIPZIG • WITTENBERG • DESSAU LETTERS OF INTENT STUDIO DESCRIPTION, RISD
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PROJECT: GROPIUS GUEST HOUSE LINCOLN / MA
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• Matthew E. Elson, US
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• Teresa H. Wan
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• Roselle S. Curwen
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• Jae Hun Choi
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• Chelsea D. Limbird
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PROJECT: A NEW ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN LIBRARY AT THE BAUHAUS
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• Damir Vukovjak
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• Ryohei Tsutsui
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• Andrew D. Simes
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• Chelsea D. Limbird
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DRAWING WORKSHOP BY PROF. THOMAS LYON MILLS
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RISD • PROVIDENCE • BOSTON • HARVARD • YALE • NEW YORK
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PROJECT: A NEW STUDENT GRADUATE CENTER AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY
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• Stephanie Fähnrich
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• Thomas Ave
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• Erik Zein
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• Sabrina lo Cicero
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• Winnie Y.-P. Chan
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• Narcisa Hadzic
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LECTURES
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HARVARD BOSTON
RISD - PROVIDENCE
YALE - NEW HAVEN
NEW YORK
BERLIN
WITTENBERG
DESSAU
LEIPZIG
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X-CHANGE EUROPE-USA This booklet is the outcome of an exchange which both our schools, RISD in Providence, RI and DIA in Dessau had agreed to stage as a architectural as well as a cultural Crossover Project. It proved a fascinating experience to bring a similar number students from Europe to the US and vice versa. Participants were to be exposed to a typical architectural project in the hosting country in addition to a series of accompanying lectures and outings. The studio design projects focused around the work of Walter Gropius. In Germany it coincerned itself with the project for a library adjacent to the Bauhaus in Dessau to function as the university library for the facultied of architecture and Design on the campus next to the icon of architectural education of the 1920 ‚ies. The project task based in the States was to formulate an answer for a Graduate Center at Harvard University in Cambridge/Mass. on a site next to Halls of Residence, constructed by Walter Gropius in the early 1960 ‚ies In effect this experience turned out to be well organised and profitable for everybody exposing himself to it. Students and staff involved used the lectures, drawing experiences,outings and discussions amongst each other to produce some very beautiful projects. In order to provide you as a reader with the insight on what was achieved, both institutions have cooperated yet again to produce this booklet. We hope you have fun reading and studying it. Prof. Lynette Widder Head of Department Architecture School RISD Prof.Johannes Kister Dean Architecture School Anhalt University Prof. Gabriel Feld Project Conception Architecture School RISD Prof.Alfred Jacoby Director Dessau Institute of Architecture Anhalt University
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>> LETTERS OF INTENT
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From: To: Date: Subject:
Lynnette Widder gfeld@risd.edu Friday - October 12, 2007 10:48 PM spring studio possiblity
Dear Gabriel I just had dinner in NY with Alfred Jacoby, the Director of the Neue Bauhausakademie in Dessau who I believe you met last spring when he visited our reviews (his daughter graduated from ID last spring). He and I have been trying to figure out a way to collaborate - wintersession was one - but we discussed something this evening that I think is more interesting, and, if you have not already set your sights on a springsemester studio topic, I would like to ask whether you might be interested in pursuing: the idea would be to take a similar topic and scale of project - we talked about the return of historicism in the city centers of Providence, Frankfurt and Berlin, for example - in Germany and the US Northeast (preferably Providence and a city not far from Dessau, Halle might also be a possiblity). Alfred Jacoby‘s students and a set of RISD studio students would begin working on the project in their home countries. Midway through the semester, the two groups would more or less cross paths midway above the Atlantic - the Germans would come to Providence for a week, and the Providence students would go to Dessau. Thereafter, they would return to their home institutions, but work on the projects in the remote location. The review, which could be here or there, would be two days, with the student projects also discussed comparatively. The Bauhausakademie is able to house students and feed them at almost no cost. We have a good relationship with swiss airlines for subsidized fares, and if I began now, I might be able to get a few thousand dollars through the German cultural consulate in Boston to help. We would need to get students here to agree to have a German student or two on their sofas; or else we could simply do the switch during spring break while people are away (I would propose spring break anyway for the RISd students to go to Dessau). If you are interested, let‘s talk about this next week, and I will give you all of Alfred Jacoby‘s contact information so that you and he can discuss the direction in which you might take this organization. Have a good weekend Lynnette
From: To: Date: Subject:
Lynnette Widder <lwidder@risd.edu> a001jacoby@aol.com Di., 16. Okt. 2007, 17:40 studio, information
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Dear Alfred Jacoby, Welcome back, should I say? I enjoyed our meeting too, and appreciated your tolerance for a not terribly well behaved seven year old at the table. Gabriel Feld is very enthusiastic about the studio idea. I hope that you can work together quickly so that we can locate some funding for the travel, which seems to me an integral part of the studio proposal. Please let me know. I also appreciate your other notes, and am hopeful that Jovan will be able to come in the spring. It would be a pleasure if your colleague could accompany you. we would have to resolve the visa issues, but that is not impossible! Best regards, Lynnette -----------------------------------------------------------------------I am back in Germany now and would like to say thank you very much for the nice meeting we had in New York and all the effort you have made since then. I received Gabriel Feld‘s very interesting note and will think about it swiftly. I have a feeling that the exhibition New York/Berlin might be something to latch this onto as a motivator-using Gabriel‘s idea of build- repeat-copy etc. Concerning New York, this pattern does not apply so much for Manhattan, although Berlin has parts based on a Baroque grid) but developments like I just saw in Red Hook are something that has parallels in Europe- Also, Red Hook represent a sort of umbilical cord between both continents, as the big ships arriving from the Old World were unloaded and repaired there. Thank you also for mentioning the firms in RH . We were able to see Cemre ?urusoy at MADE out there. I have written to Jovan Ivanovski‘s University in Macedonia (see attachement) and will get back to you about him. Hopefully by next Monday. (Whatever the outcome of this will be). In addition, in NY we spoke about Jo Krausse, who is our Prof. for Theory of design. He sent me this note for a conference in Berlin. It has him on it too. Perhaps when the parallel studio takes place and we will travel to the US, I would take him along and he could give a lecture at RISD . All the best yours Alfred Jacoby
From: To: Date: Subject:
<a001jacoby@aol.com> <lwidder@risd.edu>, <gfeld@risd.edu> Friday - October 19, 2007 7:38 AM Re: studio, information
Dear Lynette Widder, thank you for your speedy response and the suggestions by Gabriel Feld. I have researched into the idea of a joint studio and written to Gabriel. As I am not 100% sure of his correct mail address please forward the enclosed letter of mine to him. Your students would be travelling while it is still the intermission period (Semesterferien from 1st Feb till 1st April) in our school which starts just one week later. However, I think this is manageable. As for accomodation, it seems it will be free of charge for both RISD students and staff travelling and the school will give me a small sum for travel expenses for the RISD group.(approx. 500.-â&#x201A;Ź) This will pay for some Bahntickets and/or Museum entrance fees. (Visit to Berlin-Gropiusarchiv) If we can fix things quickly, I can order our school bus for excursions. As for our group to come to RISD, we could either do this after the begining of April (which might be easier) and then work our solutions until July 15th ( end of semester) or start together with RISD in Feb. and present the first leg together in Dessau in March. By the way, there is a conference New York/Berlin in the Kulturforum (Schwangere Auster by Hugh Stubbins) next week. Best regards Alfred Jacoby
To: Prof. Gabriel Feld Rhode Island School of Design Department of Architecture 2,College Street Providence ,RI
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Dear Gabriel, thank you very much for your inspiring letter. I loved that story of the Italian Immigrants. Taking it as a point of departure, I have come up with the following thought: Our both locations, the Bauhaus and RISD with its Museum, have something unique. They both are centers for the Arts as well as schools of Design and Architecture. I do not know the exact story of how RISD turned towards Modernism, but in our case it is obvious. For students to do some project, I therefore see the following possibility: We have outstanding examples of early Modern Design in Dessau with the Masterhouses by Gropius. They were built as Double (joint) Villas for Bauhaus teachers, (Klee, Feininger, etc.) They have all been restored to their original form. In a strange parallel way, this fits the first part of your immigrant story. We all know how Gropius, Albers, Mies and others went to the US and influenced teaching at Architecture and Design schools. (IIT Chicago, Black Mountain College, Harvard GSD). They therefore exported this idea of the original type of architecture to the US. The first Building to show these new tendencies was the Moma. (Durell Stone 1929-31). Now, strangely, the same has happened: One of the houses was half destroyed during the war, so only 50% remains and there is a large empty lot next to it. It houses the Kurt Weill Centre of Music, while the other two double houses are (a) a Museum of Modern Art and an (b) an exhibition space. (see Meisterhäuser Dessau). From over here, I therefore suggest to ask students to build something onto or next to the remaining Masterhouse which serves the Kurt Weill Center for Music (an auditorium plus some classrooms for teaching Music).I think this is an exercise, which is manageable in the given timespan (March 24th to May 20th or so). For the preceeding period, I suppose you could suggest a topic in the US that could in idea match that second German one. This way one would do two comparative studies on two terrains with a common ground. What I therefore would ask of you would be to propose a project similar in size, which could be done by us until the 24th March. We could then have a common final presentation in Dessau for this. As for the logistics: a) there are no direct flights Boston/Berlin. However, Continental and Delta offer a direct service from New York. Trains Berlin/Dessau go at hourly intervals and arrive directly to the Bauhaus b) we can offer you accommodation in our Student Guest House for the entire period. I have to check if this is free of charge. Otherwise charges are minimal. We have a Professorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guest House with a furnished apartment for teachers , again for the entire period. (free of charge). c) Meals are offered in the Bauhaus c. Club and the Bauhaus Mensa. d) We will provide a program over the 10 or so days you will be there, which will give an in-depth introduction to the topic. I would be available for that period as well as other teachers to complete this program. Waiting to hear from you I remain, With best regards Prof. Alfred Jacoby Director dia
From: To: Date: Subject:
Lynnette Widder gfeld@risd.edu Monday - October 29, 2007 9:13 AM Fwd: AW: Re: Jovan
Hi Gabriel, I wondered, based on Alfredâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s note here, whether you had gotten around to reviewing his suggestions about the spring studio? If so, could you please send him a note? I would love to have a project set up so that I can approach the IKEA foundation (which supported my Swiss trip) about funding the travel to Germany; any thoughts you have about putting the German students up in PRov would be really helpful, too. congratulations, incidentally, but for me, it was one of the most boring world series ever. I miss the oldschool National League running and fielding game. Bye for now Lynnette
From: To: Date: Subject:
<a001jacoby@aol.com> „Gabriel Feld“ <gfeld@risd.edu>, „Linette Widder“ <lwidder@risd.edu> Sunday - November 25, 2007 3:02 PM AW: parallel studios
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Dear Gabriel, This time I am sorry for not having replied within a reasonable time. I have however been active on preparing the ground for your visit at the end of March. The Department and the University are jointly ready to offer you accomodation and use of all facilities for you as well as all of your students for the entire visit here, if you so wish Dessau students would join both projects in the beginning of April08 when we can travel to RISD or Boston( see below) and we would conclude it in midJuly 08. This means we could at least be present at one crit for the RISD student‘s first project in the US which you could present either in Providence in April or you could do the crit in Dessau. As for content I have had the following trought: The controversy of translation of Freud‘s writings is well documented in Peter Gays Biography and I always found it to be relevant to architectural appraisal as well. I therefore am on board with you on that Architecturally, this idea of „translation“ (as opposed to the idea of „transformation“) can be looked at- as you suggested- as two answers to two similar building tasks but involving two very different contexts. (e.g. Revitalisation of two ex-industrial sites). They could also be interpreted to mean the different approach to a similar idea or ideology. This was my intention behind my suggestion to ask students to formulate an additin to one of the missing halves of one of the Gropius Masterhouses in Dessau as a project. (The enlargement of the Kurt Weill Institute of Music as a contemporary confrontation with the ideas and architectural formulations of the Bauhaus)Your first (US) project would be formulated by you at RISD and involve the „translation“ of an „ideological“ task similar in size. A different choice from this end (Germany) would be to take a Berlin site. I am thinking of the area around the Tacheles Site on Oranienburger Strasse and Friedrichstrasse. (Look up in Google Earth) up to the Hackesche Hoefe on Rosenthaler Strasse. There are many suitable sites to be developed there or even the Tacheles site itself is a fabulous site to consider. It is a dense inner city site containing a big partly demolished artist house (The Tacheles) which today is used as a culktural center. It has around it a fairly large empty site between Friedrichstrasse and Oranienburger Strasse. As you spoke of similar sizes of problems, adopting such a site in Berlin could mean going to a similar US city, say Boston. (We would fly to BOS on our way to RISD anyway). To conclude our discussion, my institute(DIA) is inviting you to come here in order to fix our plans together- either before Xmas (we break up here on 21st Dec) or in early to mid Jan 08. We still have semester and we could introduce you and our joint task to our students in Dessau AlternativelyI am ready to come and see you in RISD. Tell me what you make of these suggestions Yours Alfred.
From: To: Date: Subject:
Gabriel Feld Jacoby Mob, Linette Widder 29. Okt. 2007 18:47 parallel studios
Dear Alfred, So, what do we do? I‘d like to think that one of the morals of the little story about the churches is that there are great opportunities for architecture in the migration of ideas, from one place to another, from one time to another, from one culture to another (when thinking of this I always go back to a short story by Borges--“Pierre Menard, author of Don Quixote“--that test this idea to its limit.) So, I‘d propose that we do something in which our respective students are confronted with two problems, first one in their place of origin then a second one in a different, foreign context; the idea is that rather than taking the two problems independently, they look at the second project as a process of translation from the first, the one in their „native language.“ I‘ve always been fascinated with these questions of translation. For example, in the eighties here there was a whole debate here about the translations of Freud and I remember Bruno Bettelheim using the simple contrast between the words Wasserstoff and Hydrogen to show the differences between what he saw as a more humanist bent in the German language against a more technocratic tone in English. I‘d suggest that we pick similar (at least in scale and nature) loaded urban contexts, so the students at RISD begin with one in the US, do a project for about a month, then visit the second site in Germany (with some ideas from their US project already in mind) and then they work on the German project for the remaining two months or so. And, of course, your group would do the other way around. It would be very important that the two circumstances have some common characteristics, so there is a sense of continuity from one project to the other. I also thought about doing something around the figure of Walter Gropius since he divided his professional career between our two places, but I haven‘t thought about a specific problem (in any case, when your group comes here we can visit Gropius‘s house in Lincoln, Mass., a very nice little project.) All I can think for now. With great excitement and best regards, Gabriel
To: Prof. Gabriel Feld Rhode Island School of Design Department of Architecture 2,College Street Providence ,RI
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Dear Gabriel, Thanks for your swift reply. Our School and I personally find the prospect of a joint studio with RISD and with you a very exciting task and we will do our best, to make it a positive experience for all. You made two very interesting suggestions, which we should consider in detail: 2 smaller Projects in Dessau and Lincoln /Mass. I think, the Gropius House at Lincoln could serve as a Czerny Etude for the US team, as I think it is certainly do-able within the first 4 weeks before you travel. Then the Germany visit would have a more demanding program. I would then organise lectures and seminars on the Bauhaus and would suggest a visit to Berlin to the Bauhaus Archives, Berlin Britz (Bruno Taut), Potsdam(Einstein Pavillion) as well as (maybe) the Weissenhof Siedlung in Stuttgart - to demonstrate that there were other movements in parallel with the Bauhaus at the time. Adopting smaller projects allows for a more extended travel visit. For the US Team this could be basis anyway. I would see this visit to the Bauhaus as a research into the physical as well as the theoretical fabric of the location. For us, this version would have the advantage to start with you in late March ‘08 and then do both projects throughout the semester as we only start on April 2nd. 2 larger projects in Boston and Dessau I liked the Harvard Grad Law School idea with the Bob Stern poject. In parallel I would suggest a project that has been bugging us here for many years: We badly need an Architecture/Design/Art History Library on our campus in Dessau, which also houses the Bauhaus Archives.(for our campus see www.dia-architecture.de). There have been 2 competitions (to no avail) for it, consequently there are realistic programs available for the task. There are several empty sites around the Bauhaus Building here, which would fit that. If you look on Google Earth you will notice it. 1 Smaller Project and 1 Larger Project in Mixed Locations I would like to suggest a third variation of the theme of the Czerny Etudes, which takes care of the unsymmetrical time allotted for each of the tasks. (4weeks/8 weeks).It assumes that the smaller task is done before travelling abroad for each team. In this way, the smaller task will sharpen the focus on the idea of “translation” when returning home and sitting down to tackle the larger one :
Etude Performance 1 Small Project ( 4 weeks) plus 1 Large Project (8 weeks) US Team (RISD) Visitor Center Lincoln/Mass Dessau Library at the Bauhaus German Team (DIA) 1 Small Project (4 weeks) plus 1 Large Project Masterhouse Dessau Harvard Law School /Boston Hoping to hear from you soon I remain, Yours Prof. Alfred Jacoby Director dia Dessau 27th Nov.2007
From: To: Date:
Gabriel Feld a001jacoby@aol.com 12/06/07 1:52 PM
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Dear Alfred, Thank you for your letter. I really like the “1 Smaller Project and 1 Larger Project in Mixed Locations” alternative. So, it’s a deal, we’ll work on the Gropius House in Lincoln for the first four weeks of the term and the remaining eight (after the visit) on the Dessau Library at the Bauhaus. You’ll work on the Dessau Masterhouse and the project next to Gropius Graduate Center at Harvard. I’m attaching a few images of the Gropius House in Lincoln but I’m confident that you know it. I’m also attaching an image of the Graduate Center so you can get a sense of the project. The site of Stern’s project for the Law School is between the Graduate Center and Mass Avenue to the West (at the top of the image.) The parking garage and brick apartment building were demolished a couple of month ago and the three wood houses were moved two blocks to the north in the summer. Right now the site is a hole and they are pouring foundations; the construction is going very fast so I wouldn’t be surprised if there is structure already up at the time of your visit. The whole area (Harvard’s north campus) is going through major transformation, with a number of large infill projects (a good expansion to Sert’s Science Center and an also very good lab building by Moneo, others rather conventional but fantastic in the way they find space within an already developed context.) All very exciting. Really looking forward. With best regards, Gabriel ****************************** Gabriel C. Feld, AIA Professor, Department of Architecture Rhode Island School of Design Two College Street Providence, RI 02903
DAAD Ms. Habbich Kennedyallee 53 53134 Bonn GERMANY
APPLICATION FOR SUPPORT OF A BILATERAL DESIGN STUDIO COURSE BETWEEN THE RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN AND THE ANHALT UNIVERSITY OF ARCHITECTURE â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bauhaus and Cultural Exchange -Translations in Designâ&#x20AC;&#x153; Dear Ms. Habbich, This exchange represents a powerful new model of academic collaboration between schools in two countries whose pre- and post-World War II architectural history are intimately intertwined. The architects who formed the image of Modern architecture in Europe at the Bauhaus - Gropius, Mies, Breuer, to name a few of the most famous protagonists - were the same architects who, in the post-war period, lent the High Modernism with which the United States represented its newly established international presence its image and philosophical agenda. The curriculum allows for reflection upon the meaning of the Modern in these two historical and cultural moments, divided from each other by the experience of the war, and thus asks students to reconsider in the context of their own creative work this heritage. In structural terms, the bilateral nature of the design process goes well beyond a traditional workshop or exchange by exposing students a whole spectrum of new experiences and information while maintaining for them the context of their home institution, in which they are best equipped to work productively and effectively. It is a model that I would wish to see repeated and refined in the future. Yours, Lynnette Widder Head Department of Architecture Rhode Island School of Design Providence, 6.December.2007
From: To: Date: Subject:
Lynnette Widder <lwidder@risd.edu> a001jacoby@aol.com; Gabriel Feld <gfeld@risd.edu> Fr., 14. Dez. 2007, 14:47 Fwd: DAAD Group Study Visit
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Wonderful news from snowy Providence! Thank you for all your efforts, Alfred. Best, Lynnette ---------------------------------------------------eMail im Anhang From: Myoung-Shin Kim <kim@daad.org> To: lwidder@risd.edu Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:40:14 -0500 Subject: DAAD Group Study Visit Dear Professor Widder, We are happy to inform you that your application for a Group Study Visit for a group of University of Rhode Island School of Design students to Germany in March 2008 has been approved. Based on the information provided in your application, DAAD will be able to pay a subsidy of up to â&#x201A;Ź3,465 towards room and board for a group of up to 10 students and 1 faculty member for a period of 9 days (travel days included). Should fewer students choose to participate in the program, we ask that you notify us immediately in order for funds to be adjusted accordingly. Please find the attached signature sheet which needs to be signed by each participant. Once the sheet has been completed, please fax or mail it back to us at your earliest convenience. After we have received the completed signature sheet, we will prepare your contract. Funds will be allocated to you six weeks before the planned date of departure to Germany. Please feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions. Sincerely, Myoung-Shin Kim Program Officer *************************************** German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) New York Office 871 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017 Tel: 212-758-3223 Fax: 212-755-5780 Email: kim@daad.org Website: http://www.daad.org
From: To: Date: Subject:
<a001jacoby@aol.com> <lwidder@risd.edu>, <gfeld@risd.edu> Friday - December 14, 2007 4:57 PM Re: DAAD Group Study Visit
Dear Lynette, I am so happy that we got this application through. I shall find out what we have to produce as far as bills etc is concerned. I am now looking forward to a great project. I shall talk about details here now swiftly and will get back to you. Please give Gabriel my my best regards. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year I remain, Yours Alfred
To: Prof. Gabriel Feld Rhode Island School of Design Department of Architecture 2,College Street Providence ,RI
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Dear Gabriel, thank you very much for your nice postcard. I enjoyed the image and the text. As your visit with students is approaching, I would like to ask you for some detail of your envisaged program in Berlin and Dessau. We are at your disposal as of the 25th March (one day after Easter) and could join you that day in Berlin. (if wanted).- Otherwise we would meet you all in the evening in Dessau. My overall program suggestion would be as follows: 25th March ‘08 --19.00 p.m. Arrival in Dessau / settling in to Student Dorms Hardenbergstrasse. --20.00 p.m. Joint Dinner at Kornhaus Restaurant (individual payment) 26th March ‘08 -- 9.00 -10.00 a.m. --10.00-12.30 p.m. --12.30-14.00 p.m. --14.00-17.00 p.m. --18.00 p.m.
Breakfast at Bauhaus Bistro (individual payment) Site visit and Programming for the library project plus visit of the Bauhaus Building. Lunchbreak (individual payment) Visit Masterhouses, Siedlung Törten (Gropius) and the Housing project by Hannes Meyer. Seminar and Discussion “Architectural Exchange Europe / USA” (Prof. Alfred Jacoby DIA / Prof. Gabriel Feld RISD)
27th March ‘08 --9.00-10.00 a.m. --10.00-12.30 p.m. --12.30-14.00 p.m. --14.00-18.00 p.m. --18.00 p.m.
Breakfast at Bauhaus Bistro (individual payment) Introduction to Charette “ Modern Life in Dessau” Prof. Gabriel Feld RISD Prof. Gunnar Hartmann DIA Prof. Alfred Jacoby DIA Prof. Johannes Kister DIA The project will imagine one of the houses built post-war in between the existing Masterhouses to be at the students disposal. We would expect them to prepare a short design for a replacement. Lunchbreak (individual payment) Studio with students from RISD and Dessau / Charette Seminar and Discussion “Germany as Context” (Prof. Gunnar Hartmann, DIA)
28th March ‘08 --9.00-10.00 a.m. --10.00-12.30 p.m.
Breakfast at Bauhaus Bistro (individual payment) Review Charette Part I Prof. Gabriel Feld RISD Prof. Daniel Dendra DIA Prof. Gunnar Hartmann DIA Prof. Alfred Jacoby DIA Prof. Johannes Kister DIA
--12.30-14.00 p.m. --14.00-18.00 p.m. --19.00 p.m.
Lunchbreak (individual payment) Review Charette Part II Prof. Gabriel Feld RISD Prof. Daniel Dendra DIA Prof. Gunnar Hartmann DIA Prof. Alfred Jacoby DIA Prof. Johannes Kister DIA Departure Party at Bauhaus Bistro
29th March â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;08 --8.00â&#x20AC;&#x201C;9.00 a.m. Breakfast at Bauhaus Bistro (individual payment) --9.00 a.m. Departure RISD students to Tegel Airport I hope, this program makes sense to you as well. Of course, you are more than welcome to share your thoughts on that with me. Looking forward to your visit, I remain Yours Alfred
From: To: Cc: Date: Subject:
Gabriel Feld <gfeld@risd.edu> a001jacoby@aol.com; Lynnette Widder <lwidder@risd.edu> P.Merkel@afg.hs-anhalt.de Fr., 7. Mrz. 2008, 18:48 Fwd: your visit to Dessau, reply
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Dear Alfred, Thank you very, very much, the program is simply terrific! I think that our work on the Gropius House is going very well, more of a theoretical project of representation, drawings, models and some other constructions (Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;m aiming even for some perfomance but not sure if it will work.) We will have the review of that work in Providence on March 20 but would be great, if possible, to bring some documentation to Dessau and have a second review with you (including, of course Daniel, Gunnar, Johannes, Patricia, hoever can make it,) I would be very interested in your reaction. A couple ours should be plenty for that. All I can think for now. Again, thank you very much, Look forward with great excitement, Gabriel
From: To: Cc: Date: Subject:
„Gabriel Feld“ <gfeld@risd.edu> <boettner@afg.hs-anhalt.de>, <a001jacoby@aol.com>, <weyand@ksg-architekten.de> “Kristen Oehlrich“ <koehlric@risd.edu>, „Lynnette Widder“ <lwidder@risd.edu> Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:54:57 Re: DIA US visit, tentative schedule
Dear Alfred, Johannes and Cornelia, Find below my first shot and a schedule for your visit: Visit of the DIA Group Tentative Schedule (Apr/07/08) Saturday, April 26 -- Arrival to Providence -- Group dinner in Providence Sunday, April 27 -- Breakfast at “Met” (RISD Cafeteria) -- Tour of Providence and RISD campus -- Group dinner at “Evelyn’s Drive-In” in Tiverton, RI (seafood) Monday, April 28 -- Visit to Boston and Cambridge -- Tour of Beacon Hill and Back Bay -- Tour of the Harvard Yard and project site adjacent to Gropius’s Graduate Center -- Tour of Harvard and MIT campuses including Le Corbusier’s Carpenter Center, Aalto’s Baker House, Saarinen’s MIT Chapel and Kresge Auditorium -- Group dinner at “Bartley’s” in Cambridge, MA (hamburgers) Tuesday, April 29 -- Studio day, visit to lectures and reviews -- School-wide lunch lecture: Prof. Johannes Kister -- Afternoon drawing workshop with Prof. Tom Mills -- School-wide evening lecture: Prof. Alice Friedman (Wellesley College) -- Dinner for guest lecturer and RISD/DIA faculty (students on their own) Wednesday, April 30 -- Visit to New Haven -- Tour of the Yale campus including Kahn’s Art Gallery and British Art Center, Rudolph’s Art & Architecture Building and Bunshaft’s Beinecke Library Thursday, May 1 -- Studio day, visit to lectures and reviews -- Morning lecture by Prof. Lynnette Widder: “The Proxy War: The Bauhaus Debate of 1953” and introduction to the RISD architecture program. -- School-wide lunch lecture: Prof. Alfred Jacoby -- Group dinner at “Wes’ Rib House” (southern barbecue) Friday, May 2 -- Free day Saturday, May 3 -- Departure from Providence
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>> STUDIO DESCRIPTION
Department of Architecture Rhode Island School of Design
Spring 2008
ARCH 21ST Advanced Studio THE BAUHAUS REVISITED Instructor: Gabriel Feld STUDIO DESCRIPTION The Bauhaus and its founding director, Walter Gropius, have a central place in the history of modern architecture. This studio will attempt to look again at their legacy not as a historical exercise but as a way to mine the rich interplay of artistic and cultural practices of the Bauhaus experience searching inspiration and a point of departure for our own creativity. More broadly, it will revisit the avant-gardes of the early twentieth century--with their experimental and ludic attitudes--to construct design exercises addressing contemporary problems and sensibilities. Our studio at RISD will run in parallel with a studio at DIA (Dessau Institute of Architecture) in Germany. Each school will begin by looking at a small local building of Bauhaus heritage to then take on a larger project on the other side of the Atlantic. In our case we will spend the first four weeks of the course exploring and experimenting with the Gropius House in Lincoln, Massachusetts; then, for the reminder of the term we will work on the project of a new library for the Bauhaus in Dessau. Throughout the course assignments will focus on the notions of translation and representation in many of their potential meanings as a way to unlock (hopefully) unexpected opportunities for contemporary architecture.
Bauhaus Building. Dessau, Germany. Walter Gropius, 1925 (photograph, January 2008.)
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>> PROJECT: GROPIUS GUEST HOUSE LINCOLN / MA
The Bauhaus Revisited, page
2 Spring 2008
TENTATIVE STUDIO SCHEDULE Thu. Feb. 21
Course introduction First project: The Gropius Variations
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Sat. Feb. 23
Variation #1: In “The Flesh” Field trip to the Gropius House (68 Backer Bridge Road - Lincoln, MA)
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Tue. Feb. 26 Thu. Feb. 28 Variation #2: In Two Dimensions
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Tue. Mar. 4 Thu. Mar. 6 Variation #3: In Three Dimensions
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Tue. Mar. 11 Thu. Mar. 13 Variation #4: In Light, Movement and Performance
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Tue. Mar. 18 Thu. Mar. 20 Final review of the first project
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Mar. 22 to 30
Trip to Berlin and Dessau (spring recess)
Tue. Apr. 1 Thu. Apr. 3
Second Project: A New Library for the Bauhaus in Dessau
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Tue. Apr. 8 Thu. Apr. 10
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Tue. Apr. 14 Thu. Apr. 16
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Tue. Apr. 22 Thu. Apr. 24
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Tue. Apr. 29 Thu. May 1
Visit of DIA students and faculty (potential fieldtrips and parties) Drawing workshop with Prof. Tom Mills
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Tue. May 13 Thu. Apr. 15
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Tue. May 6 Thu. Apr. 8
May 20 to 23
Final reviews
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ARCH 21ST Advanced Studio
Spring 2008
THE BAUHAUS REVISITED Instructor: Gabriel Feld FIRST PROJECT: THE GROPIUS VARIATIONS “I just knew how to make a few variations in exactly the same way as Bach wrote variations on certain themes.” Jean Prouvé (from the movie “La Maison de Jean Prouvé” by Stan Neumann, 2004) This first project will take the Gropius House in Lincoln, Mass. as the subject of careful study and as a point of departure for visual, design and architectural experimentations. This work will take its clues and ideas from the teachings of the Bauhaus, the work of its teachers and students and, more broadly, the work and ideas of the early twentieth century avant-garde. These exercises will borrow from music the notion of variation (as in “Variations on a Theme of Paganini”) with the Gropius House as the “original theme” and our work as interpretations, transformations and inventions. At the risk of stretching our musical analogies, these exercises will be introduced as if they were voices in a fugue, where successive voices remain in play and add to the density of the experience. Each week we will begin a new drawing, model or construction and we will continue to work on it until the final review of this project.
Gropius House. Lincoln, Mass. Walter Gropius, 1937.
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The Gropius Variations, page 2
Spring 2008
Variation #0: In Plans, Sections and Elevations (begins Thursday, February 21) We will begin by looking at the Gropius House using the mechanisms of orthographic projections. Each student will start with one projection--a plan, a section or an elevation--and progressively develop a composite drawing including diverse (many) projections. We will use a large scale--1/2”=1’-0”--drawing free hand with particular attention to the syntax and structure of both the drawing and the building. Variation #1: In “The Flesh” (Field trip - Tentative date: Saturday, February 23) We will visit the house and take this opportunity for increasing our understanding of the project through sketching, measuring, photographing, etc. This visit should also provide us materials for future work. Variation #2: In Two Dimensions (begins Thursday, February 28) For this variation each student will look closely at the work of an individual teacher, artist or designer associated with the Bauhaus, searching for clues and ideas for representation, interpretation and invention. The work will develop in a large sheet of paper employing diverse techniques--line drawing, color, photography, collage, etc.-and a variety of materials. Variation #3: In Three Dimensions (begins Thursday, March 6) For this variation each student will work with a specific material--those used in the Bauhaus workshops, the early twentieth century avant-garde or contemporary/common ones--and devise particular forms of assembly to develop a tree-dimensional construction originating in the previous variation. Variation #4: In Light, Movement and Performance (begins Thursday, March 13) Finally we will look at the artistic experimental tradition dealing with light, movement and performance (from the visual arts, literature, dance, music, etc. (from the light machines of Moholy-Nagy and the ballets of Oskar Schlemmer to Calder’s Circus, the Dada poetry of Hugo Ball and the early films of Hans Richter and Rene Clair) to bring our constructions (or elements of them) in narrative action. The final review for this project will be Thursday, March 20. There will second presentation and review of the work in Dessau during the week of March 24. READINGS AND WRITING Throughout the course we will read and discuss a number of readings, study the work of artist, designers, writers, etc. In the course of working on the first project there will be two assignments: -- Each student will “interview” one artist or designer (more or less) connected with the Bauhaus. -- As a group we will put together a lecture about the history, teachings and work of the Bauhaus. After the spring break, as background for the project of a library we will read Alberto Manguel’s “A History of Reading” (Viking, 1996.) For the first project we will read and discuss the chapter titled “The Translator as Reader” (pp. 260-277) looking at the process of translation as a form of creative activity.
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Matthew E. Elson, US graduate, second year
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Teresa H. Wan, Taiwan/Hong Kong, China senior (undergraduate, fourth year)
Roselle S. Curwen, US graduate, second year
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Jae Hun Choi, South Korea graduate, second year
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Chelsea D. Limbird, US graduate, second year
>> PROJECT: A NEW ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN LIBRARY AT THE BAUHAUS
ARCH 21ST Advanced Studio
Spring 2008
THE BAUHAUS REVISITED Instructor: Gabriel Feld SECOND PROJECT: THE DESSAU CONVERSATIONS “The book will kill the building” Victor Hugo, Notre-Dame de Paris, 1831 During the last few years there have been several proposals for the construction of a 10,000 sq. ft. library to service the needs of both the Bauhaus Foundation and the neighboring Anhalt University in Dessau, Germany. The second project of our studio will take this program as a way to focus design explorations in close proximity to the seminal building of the Bauhaus. The work will attempt to develop “foundational” strategies for the various aspects of the project through a series of “conversations.” While each student will develop his/her own questions to advance these conversations, I propose that we all begin with the rather humorous but puzzling question we heard in Dessau: “Where is the Bauhaus?”
Map of Dessau from a prospectus issued by the Dessau tourist office. Joost Schmidt, around 1930.
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The Dessau Conversations, page 2
Spring 2008
Where is the Bauhaus? This question may be less innocent that it seems. Of course, the Bauhaus “is there”. But what does “there” mean? Today the Bauhaus is surrounded by a variety of buildings built at profoundly different times (the Third Reich, the German Democratic Republic, recent German reunification;) definitely a very different context from the open field in which the building was originally built. Is the building best described as “fronting” Gropius Allee? Or as “terminating” the street that starts at the train station? Or in what other ways? How do we understand today the relation between the Gropius building and its territory? How can this understanding help us establish directions for a project? To address these questions we can employ the techniques that we develop in the earlier stages of our studio, from straight plans sections and elevations to two-dimensional and three-dimensional constructions, animations, performances, “interviews” with artists, etc., expanding them as the project evolves. I propose that each student begins with a large site plan (let’s say at 1”=40’ scale) drawing free hand with particular attention to the syntax and structure of both the drawing and the site (buildings, streets, landscape, etc.) READINGS AND WRITING We will continue with our readings and discussions, also looking at the work of artists, designers, writers, etc. As background for the project of the library we may read various excerpts from Alberto Manguel’s “A History of Reading” (Viking, 1996.) Individually and as a group we will look at other readings but I propose that we specifically read and discuss two short stories from Jorge Luis Borges’s “Ficciones” (Grove Press, 1962.) We can begin with “Pierre Menard, Author of Don Quixote” and later read “The Library of Babel” (of course I believe that these stories are related to the issues and questions of our project; I could explain, but it would spoil the fun.) TENTATIVE STUDIO SCHEDULE Tue. Apr. 1 Second Project: A Library for the Bauhaus in Dessau Thu. Apr. 3
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Tue. Apr. 8 Thu. Apr. 10
7
Tue. Apr. 14 Thu. Apr. 16
8
Tue. Apr. 22 Thu. Apr. 24 Intermediate Review
9
Tue. Apr. 29 Drawing workshop with Prof. Tom Mills Thu. May 1 (visit of the Dessau group from April 26 to May 3)
10
Tue. May 6 Thu. Apr. 8
11
Tue. May 13 Thu. Apr. 15
12
Wed. May 21 Final review - BEB 219
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Damir Vukovjak, Bosnia and Herzegovina graduate, second year
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Ryohei Tsutsui, Japan graduate, second year
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Andrew D. Simes, US graduate, second year
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Chelsea D. Limbird, US graduate, second year
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>> PROJECT: A NEW STUDENT GRADUATE CENTER AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY
> WHY STUDENT CENTER?
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> WHAT SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN A STUDENT CENTER?
> mix of spaces > Configurable, flexible spaces for multi-purpose uses and crossdisciplinary work > space ranging from small meeting rooms to large conference / event rooms > Variety of food offers > 24-hour late night dining options
> LINE BETWEEN CITY AND UNIVERSITY, LAW CONSULTANCY CENTRE
Harvard as a city catalyst citizens as harvardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s audience connection between them as an important aspect citizens gain legal service from law students law students get experience
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> WHAT DO WE NEED WITH REFERENCE TO EXISTING CONDITIONS?
isolation
from big avenue seclusion
connection
gropius building 7dormitories and harkness commons
connection
green area law school main yard
connection
direction relocation new studetn dormitories green areas
relation
old houses location house in house
house in house
for citizens law consultancy centre
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> EVOLUTION
geometrics
Stephanie F채hnrich, Germany 4th year Bachelor Program
> THESES
places to meet
network / interpretation
connection
Inspired by the Yale-Art-Gallery of Louis Kahn and the contention with the Modernism in our preparatory, I worked with geometrics to create urban space. Additional to that the site plan of the area was full of geometric forms and bodies. Next to my first mind-mappings I study projects and works of modern artists like Mondrian, Feininger, Klee and Albers. Especially the colour/formstudies of Josef Albers impressed me a lot. My aims was to build public place, a place to meet, in opposite to that a more intimate place like courts and finally a connection between the different parts/functions like a network which represents the students-life. The excursion to Providence was a great and unique experience to me and my study. The most impressive point I will always remember is the very common way the american students work and communicate.
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> DESIGN
groundfloor 1:500
II. floor 1:500
I. floor 1:500
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groundfloor 1:2000
Thomas Ave, Germany 4th year Bachelor Program
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view from east 1:500
Erik Zein, Germany 4th year Bachelor Program
MCB . MULTITASKING CENTER BOSTON : it follows from parallel alignment a cutting of rooms and consequently a cutting of buildings in my concept : with a repeatedly found form > the trapezium : taking up an old road link in the east, seperate from delimitation, but it will turn into a new water bound way system : the way system works as orientation and it is an very important part of my concept at the same time : the concept opens to the east through 3 solitary vitreous which urbanize concept and room simultaneously : in that way released the look the historical scenery
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ENFILADE: Suite de choses, à la suite les unes des autres. From French, from enfiler, to ‚thread on a string, pierce from end to end’Sequence of things such as spaces one after the other
Sabrina lo Cicero, Canada 1st year Mastercourse DIA
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â&#x20AC;&#x17E;Cambridge is the spirited side of the historic Charles River. Packed with international flair and a youthful vitality, it is the birthplace of higher education in America. Harvard College was founded in 1636 and, across town, Massachusetts Institute of Technologie (MIT) is renowned as the epicenter of the emerging cyberculture.â&#x20AC;&#x153;
Winnie Y.-P. Chan, Canada 1st year Mastercourse DIA
A student centre for the Harvard Law school. I have get into an exploration of the nature of space but unfortunately the project is not complete. The trip to RISD/USA led me to get into a more design approach to this project. For example the drawing workshop with students from RISD was a nice experience to start approaching the project in a new perspective.
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ACADEMIC Classrooms Research Labs Administration
RECREATIONAL
SOCIAL
PUBLIC
ENTERTAINMENT
Game Room Gymnasium Party Space
Cafeteria
Bookshop Law Practice Exhibition
Cinema Multi purpose hall Video Shop
Narcisa Hadzic, Bosnia-Herzegovina 1st year Mastercourse DIA
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>> LECTURES