After Walter Gropius founded the Staatliche Bauhaus in Weimar, there was no time to mould his new ideas into a building. After his move to Dessau, he appeared as an architect on a site of the Bauhaus School. Here, the four Masters’ Houses form an ensemble. [German]
Masters’ Houses in Dessau-Roßlau
The Masters’ Houses are an intriguing opportunity to look at Walter Gropius’ thoughts from outside and inside. Unlike the Auerbach Villa in Jena, they are largely freely accessible. Nevertheless, the first impression should be treated with caution.
Of the original four buildings, the house of Walter Gropius and half of the other Masters’ Houses were lost in the bombing of the Second World War. The destroyed parts were rebuilt in 2014 as reconstructions.
These replicas are intentionally simplified and, for me, are more of a reflection than a copy of the original buildings. Nevertheless, the play of light and shadow inside these rooms made me think about the role of light in Bauhaus architecture.
Sources / More info
- Masters’ Houses (Bauhaus Dessau)