Walter Gropius

Who was he?

• born in Berlin, 1969 - the 80s

• Van der Rohe, Gropius, Le Corbusier - 3 masters of the 20s modernism / considered a great pioneere of MODERN MOVEMENT

• He worked in the office of Peter Behrens (Like VdR)→ influence on his design approach (collab between art & technology)

• his architectural idea → INDUSTRIAL AESTHETIC at the origin of NEW MONUMENTAL ARCHITECTURE

• he was a BAUHAUS DIRECTOR (just like Van der Rohe)

• his career can be divided in 2 parts - Germany & US (Like VdR)

Werkbund Pavilion, Gropius, 1914

• Pavilion for Köln Exhibition

• Divided into 3 parts → 3 uses (offices, power plant for energy production, industrial site) - FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION

• Modern use of materials + theme of TRANSPARENCY (use of glass in wide surfaces)

• * staircase is worth noticing - instead of being on a bearing wall, it is in a transparent cage

Fagus Shoe Factory, Gropius & Mayer, 1911-25 (PLAN & OUTSIDE)

• the plan is a composition of shapes → squares & rectangles VERY GEOMETRICAL

• Every volume has a different function for the company → SHAPE FOLLOWS FUNCTION

• Idea of regularity that is later broken

• DETAIL THAT IS STRANGE → glass up to corners; as they are considered the most important parts for the building balance, however, due to the use of PILLAR SUPPORTS, the edges are freed from building suspension (one of the first times where glass is used not as detail (reinforced concrete support))

Fagus Shoe Factory, Gropius & Mayer, 1911-25 (INSIDE)

• Continuous approach → the stripes. Are both in the outside structure & in objects

• Reinvokes the decorative style of ART NOUVEAU of the past

• the products in this house were majorly made by the students of bauhaus

• Art Nouveau style influence

• composition of geometrical volumes → flexible style for creating anything (factories, skyscrapers, etc.)

• Modern style

• Made for one of the 2 IMPORTANT COMPETITION → the Chicago Tribune Tower

• handle that is again a composition of geometrical shapes

• Very simple & modern style → easily matches many interior

• Modern use of materials

• Approach developed in nay kind of scale

• high experimentation

• The dream of architects at the time → creating parts of the building outside & later assembling them together (like cars)

• All of the houses are mass produced → assembling of the same mass produced pieces

• Not a successful project → everything is way too similar, ease of getting lost (LACK OF IDENTITY) (problem with the then current modern architecture)

• inspo with the model of TAYLORISM -

• Concept of FLEXIBILITY → the house is created from modular parts allowing for the house’s expansion

• Made for the concept of FAMILY EXPANSION → more generations, more space needed

• the dimensions of the house are less important than the functionality itself

• adding the machines into buildings

• This building is NON STATIC - the circular part is able to rotate to create a TRADITIONAL THEATHERE OR ANCIENT

• Idea of FLEXIBILITY → The building is multi-functional

• project for another important competition (2nd one) - PALACE OF THE SOVIET

• Building based around the idea & aesthetic of machines (did not align with the soviet mindset of celebrating the political movement/belief)

• Key ideas of MODERNITY - REPETITION of precast projects, SIMPLICITY that is evident & CONTINUITY of the space