Rebuilding the Gropius Director’s House on a postwar schoolhouse building  in Dessau/Germany - Competition entry to 4th International Bauhaus Award in 2006, initiated by the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation.

partner: Henning Kunow
status: unrealized
related project: Gropius Director’s Tent

The task
“The Foundation was interested in forward-looking ideas for the former Gropius Director’s House in the Masters’ Houses Ensemble in Dessau. Solutions are sought that refer clearly to the site, to urban development in Dessau and to the Bauhaus and that, at the same time, take up and develop the basic values of Modernism.”

The story
In 1926, Walter Gropius built his Director’s House as part of the Masters’ Houses Ensemble for Bauhaus-teachers. It was destroyed during WW2. Upon the remaining basement a simple gable roof single family house, named House Emmer, was built in 1956.

Emmer House (left) has displaced Gropius Director's House

So the traditional house suppressed the former Director’s House, which is considered to be an incon of the pre-WW2-avantgarde alongside other modern houses of that settlement. Today, this anomaly in building history is still present at the head of the settlement.

Taking revenge
Now it’s time for a unique architectual revenge: Instead of just reconstructing the original building, we suggest to place the Director’s House in the center of Dessau on top of a GDR schoolhouse (type SBR 80). Still in use, the Gymnasium Philantropinum at Dessau Schlossplatz is a perfect candidate to function as a solitary pedestal for this lost architectural classic.

Using a GDR-schoolhouse as a pedestal

Access through schoolhouse and garage

The historical anomaly of overwriting a culturally valuable architectural style with a secular one could be done again…but this time the other way round, so the Director’s House would be vindicated. The formal, functional and ideological concepts of these two faces of modernism could be symbolically confronted in such a radical neighbourhood.

A postmodern landmark
For Dessau, this project could be a cultural contribution to the city’s center, which was considerably destroyed during WW2. The highly frequented eastern entrance axis could get a new eye catching landmark in addition to the existing Johannbau, Marienkirche and City Hall.

Moving the location

Such juxtaposition of historic buildings, GDR architecture and the Director’s House could become a symbol of the complex architectural history of Dessau and it’s current urban development tasks.

Failure as chance
On the rootop, the building could be constructed according to the original plans. Thus it’s unique formal qualities could be experienced again by tourists, reseachers, inhabitants. Building the Director’s House at a new location could liberate it from its original context and create an obvious replica. So complaints about faking an intact history are impossible.

Plan of the Dessau Masters' Houses by Gropius

Meanwhile, The Emmer House, which currently occupies the location of the former Director’s House, could stay intact as evidence of the reception of the pre-WW2-avantgarde during GDR times. Such a wanted historical anomaly of architecture has to be beared, it just needs positive external communications.

After the war: Emmer House replacing the Director's House

Furthermore, it is necessary to uncover and mark the historical Director’s House basement underneath the Emmer House, so the historiy og its location could be experienced with all senses.
Even if the current public debate ends with a simple reconstruction of the building on its former ground, a double on the rooftop of a building in Dessau city could be a necessary correction to give a non-transfigured perception of the vital history of the house.

Copy and paste Director's House

Two identical Director’s Houses would challenge the significance of historical authenticity in public.

Recycling Modernism
This late triumph of the Director’s House could be brought to life with recycled materials, as innovative Gropius probably would have enjoyed. The Director’s House could be entirely made of former GDR-Plattenbau-buildings, constructed of large prefabricated concrete slabs.

House Z (right) in Mehrow near Berlin by Conclus architects, a single family House from recycled GDR concrete slabs (left)

Building whithin the pattern of GDR-concrete slabs: House Z by Conclus Architects

In the city of Dessau, several empty concrete slabs buildings are waiting to become such on-locations-donators. Using these local resources would be a symbolic as well as innovative way to handle the remaining GDR legacy.

Possible interior view of SBR 80 Type Walter / images taken from House Z by Conclus Architects

To faithfully display the use of concrete slabs, the interior walls must not be plastered. Windows, doors and the facade would be adjusted to the original appearance using contemporary building materials. The facade would be covered with a common heat insulation. The interior space should not be bound to historical plans but modified according to a contemporary concept of use.

Use: unknown
Deliberately, the possible range of utilization is left open here: To bring life to the center of Dessau, a concept needs to be developed by a local community of interest like Bauhaus Dessau Foundation, the Cultural Affairs Office in Dessau, the school and other educational/cultural institutions.

A new place for Bauhaus-like morning exercises

For the pedestal is a common federal schoolhouse, here is the right place to question the relevance of the Bauhaus education program today.

Side view

Top view