The Architecture and Design of Walter Gropius with Reference to His Three Major Projects – Fagus Factory, Bauhaus and Gropius House.
Walter Adolph Georg Gropius is regarded as one of the pioneer modern Architects in the world. He was born in Berlin Germany on 18th May 1883 as the third child of Walter Adolph Gropius and Manan Auguste Pauline Scharn Weber. He studied in Technical Universities in Munich and Berlin.
He started his career in 1908 as an architect with Peter Behrens who was a German Architect and designer. Noted architects Ludwig Mies and Le Corbusier were his colleagues there. Gropius continued there for two years and left Behrens in 1910and started private practice at Berlin together with Adolf Meyer. From here Gropius began to grow as a pioneer Architect and designer.
In 1914 when the 2nd World War started Gropius was called to serve as a reservist as Sergeant Major and in the war front he was severely injured and reached near dying. But he came back to life.
In 1919 Gropius was appointed as the Master in Grand Ducal Saxon School of Arts and Crafts in Weimer which he transformed into the famous ‘Bauhaus’ School. At Bauhaus he introduced new and innovative method of teaching. For about 15 years Gropius continued with Bauhaus. Many innovative structures and designs started to come out from Gropius in this period. He designed the housing projects Karl Sruhe in Berlin and Dessau.
In 1934 Gropius left Germany for England and worked there for three years and went to USA. The house he built at Lincoln Massachussetts for him which said to be a prelude to the growth of international modernism in USA. Gropius subsequently joined Harvard Graduate School of design as a faculty in 1938 and continued there till 1952 (Walter Benjamin Research – www.question.com-waler Benjamin). In 1944 he became a naturalized citizen of America. In 1945 he founded the firm ‘The Architects Collaborative’ together with 7 other architects. Because of the financial problems TAC was officially closed in 1995.
Walter Gropius was a man with enormous talents in architecture and design. He began
He started his career in 1908 as an architect with Peter Behrens who was a German Architect and designer. Noted architects Ludwig Mies and Le Corbusier were his colleagues there. Gropius continued there for two years and left Behrens in 1910and started private practice at Berlin together with Adolf Meyer. From here Gropius began to grow as a pioneer Architect and designer.
In 1914 when the 2nd World War started Gropius was called to serve as a reservist as Sergeant Major and in the war front he was severely injured and reached near dying. But he came back to life.
In 1919 Gropius was appointed as the Master in Grand Ducal Saxon School of Arts and Crafts in Weimer which he transformed into the famous ‘Bauhaus’ School. At Bauhaus he introduced new and innovative method of teaching. For about 15 years Gropius continued with Bauhaus. Many innovative structures and designs started to come out from Gropius in this period. He designed the housing projects Karl Sruhe in Berlin and Dessau.
In 1934 Gropius left Germany for England and worked there for three years and went to USA. The house he built at Lincoln Massachussetts for him which said to be a prelude to the growth of international modernism in USA. Gropius subsequently joined Harvard Graduate School of design as a faculty in 1938 and continued there till 1952 (Walter Benjamin Research – www.question.com-waler Benjamin). In 1944 he became a naturalized citizen of America. In 1945 he founded the firm ‘The Architects Collaborative’ together with 7 other architects. Because of the financial problems TAC was officially closed in 1995.
Walter Gropius was a man with enormous talents in architecture and design. He began
References: 1. Anne Marie Jaeggi – Fagus; Industrial culture from Werkbund to Bauhaus. New York Princeton architectural press ISBN-1-568981-75-9. 2. Darlene Levy drawn from S.Giedion. Walter Gropius: work and Teamwork page 54-56 Echard Bernstein – culture and customs of Germany. 3. S. Giedion-Walter Gropius work and team work Page 77. 4. Udo Kulter Mann – Architecture in the 20th Century – New York: Van Nostand Rein Hold, 1993, ISBN 0- 442- 00942-9-LC 92-26734. NA 680 K7913, 1993- discussion page 37-38. 5. Walter Benjamin Research-www.questia.com Walter Benjamin. 6. Walter Gropius- the new architecture and Bauhaus – Boston, Massachusetts: Charles T Branford Company, 1955- NA 680 G7 1955 page 25-30.