Unity of art and technology
"Many of the things that seem to be luxuries today will become the norm in the near future."
- Walter Gropius
Born and educated in Germany, Walter Gropius (1883-1969) belongs to the select group of architects that massively influenced the international development of modern architecture. As the founding director of the Bauhaus, Gropius made inestimable contributions to his field, to the point that knowing his work is crucial to understanding Modernism. His early buildings, such Fagus Boot-Last Factory and the Bauhaus Building in Dessau, with their use of glass and industrial features, are still indispensable points of reference. After his emigration to the United States, he influenced the education of architects there and became, along with Mies van der Rohe, a leading proponent of the International Style.
About the Series:
Every book in TASCHEN's Basic Architecture Series features:
approximately 120 images, including photographs, sketches, drawings, and floor plans
introductory essays exploring the architect's life and work, touching on family and background as well as collaborations with other architects
the most important works presented in chronological order, with descriptions of client and/or architect wishes as well as construction problems and resolutions
an appendix including a list of complete or selected works, biography, bibliography and a map indicating the locations of the architect's most famous buildings
About the author:
Gilbert Lupfer has published on the history of art and architecture of the 20th century. He currently teaches at the Technische Universität Dresden, Germany.