Walter Gropius: German Architecture

Walter Gropius (Fig.1) was a German architect and the founder of Bauhaus; a German art school operated from 1919 to 1933 in Weimar. The institute was famous for the approach to design under the idea of creating a ‘total work of art’ in which all artistic medias, including architecture, fine art, industrial design, graphic design, typography and interior design would be combined. This style later became one of the most influential ideals in modern design. Gropius decided to leave Germany in 1934 and migrated to the United States, where he would build his own house with the principles he taught at the Bauhaus school, introducing the international, modernism style to America. The house resides on 68 Baker Bridge Rd Lincoln, MA 01773, USA. He then continued to teach his beliefs at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

The materials are sourced locally and are traditional materials such as pine clapboards, redwood sheathing, brick and fieldstone. In addition, industrial materials are also used such as welded steel, acoustic plaster, chromed metal and glass blocks; these were used to maximise the efficiency and simplicity of Gropius’s vision. Whilst being vernacular, the architectural style distinctively communicates a modern and avant-garde impression. The flat roof, cubic form and unique entrance seen in Fig. 4 demonstrates the Bauhaus style to the American audience. The two-story wooden framed structure is mostly painted with white and has accents of grey. The façade is simple yet arranged asymmetrical. The spiralled staircase on the right-side serves as a direct entry to Gropius’s daughters room. The driveway is located on the east elevation side. Gropius altered window sizes depending on the purpose of the inner rooms, for example, more than half the west elevation is taken up by the living room window due to views and natural lighting. On the other hand, windows appear to be narrower facing the north due to