Bauhaus Museum Semester Book

CON

NECTION TINUATION

BLENDING THE OLD AND NEW

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 2 3 4 5

introduction context site analysis conceptual framework technical solutions

appendices

BRAD POSTIAN | ARCH515 2

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1. INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCTION |

project description

In 2019, the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the famous institution with the opening of the Bauhaus Museum.

For the first time the foundation will be able to exhibit and comprehensively present the extensive collection to the public. Many artists who contributed to the Bauhaus image were represented in numerous art galleries and the international art market. Above all, the school strived to create new knowledge and stood for a radical new presentation and way of life.

The Bauhaus conceived art, design and architecture as one overall discipline for everyone to enjoy. The design process was the result of a new view, a new aesthetic and a new pedagogical paradigm in which students collaborated with the professors in a workshop-like environment.

They practiced an anti-academic education with a concept of utopia. This education style combined the ideas of industry and art in order to design for the needs of the public.

The teachings of the Bauhaus present a number of questions to this museum. How does one exhibit a school, a philosophy, a way of working and living? What does it mean to exhibit something? How do you deal with a charged context?

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Printing Workshop

Beaux-Arts Life Drawing Studio

Carpentry Workshop

Metal Workshop

Architecture Studio

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2.

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CONTEXT

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CONTEXT |

dessau

Founded: 1213 Coordinates: 51°50’N 12°15’E Area: 70.58 sq mi Population: 77,394 Languages: German, English Dessau is a city in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. On July 1, 2007, the cities of Dessau and Roßlau merged to create the new city of Dessau-Roßlau. The city is known for the Bauhaus, a college of industry and design, which moved to the city in 1925 after the school had been forced to close its Weimar campus. The Bauhaus played host to many of the great design minds of the time; incorporating fields such as art, architecture, metalwork and furniture. The school was forced to close in 1931 due to Nazi regime and remained closed until 1986.

Distance from major cities: Berlin 127 km Prague 313 km Frankfurt 430 km Munich 463 km

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CONTEXT |

history & growth

First settlement of the area began in the early 1200’s by the Sorbians. The city develPopulation (1900): 50,582 oped through a series of small villages that merged together to become the city today.

Between the 17th and 20th centuries Dessau was the capital of the state Anhalt. It was the residence of counts, princes, dukes of Anhalt.

In 1945 the capital was moved to Madgeberg, which is to the northwest of Dessau along the Mulde River.

The city was based on industry and continued to be an industrial city well into wartime. It was decided that the Bauhaus‘s new location after the reactionaries in Weimar forced the school to move to Dessau, attracted to the city’s political stance and industrial nature. In 1932, the Bauhaus became a target for the Nazi’s because the art being produced and taught was considered to be “art-bolshevism” and it needed to be “wiped out.” In such, they felt that they must “rescue German art from modernists.”

After the Nazi’s took over the school, the city became a target for the Allies and the city was bombed heavily. Much of the city has been restored or rebuilt since.

1910

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1937

1943

Population (1950): 91,973

2007

Population: 90,707

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CONTEXT |

topography

In the city of Dessau the relative topography changes gradually. The city as a whole is sloped very towards the north river and the east river that borders the city.

The maximum elevation of the city of Dessau is 232ft above sea level while the lowest is at 213ft. This 19 foot elevation change occurs over the length of the city. The Bauhaus is located on a flat plot of land while the site to the north and the site to the southeastmarginally lower in elevation.

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CONTEXT |

geography

Overview

Nature Reserve

Rivers

Woodland

Dessau is a city in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt.

Dessau is situated on a floodplain where the Mulde flows into the Elbe. This causes yearly floods. The worst flood took place in the year 2002, when the Waldersee district was nearly completely flooded. The south of Dessau touches a well-wooded area called Mosigkauer Heide.

The highest elevation is a 110m high former rubbish dump called Scherbelberg in the southwest of Dessau.

Dessau is surrounded by numerous parks and palaces that ranks Dessau as one of the greenest towns in Germany.

Untere Mulde (Lower Tray) The lower tray is a nature reserve in the cities RaguhnJeßnitz and Bitterfeld-Wolfen and the town Dessau.

Comprised of three subareas nature reserve stretches within the Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve on a length of about 25 kilometers along the trough of the crossing of the railway line Berlin-Halle north Bitterfeld or below the trough reservoir up to its confluence with the Elbe between Dessau and Roßlau.

Mulbe River The Mulde is a river in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is a left tributary of the Elbe and is 77 miles long.

The river is formed by the confluence, near Colditz, of the Zwickauer Mulde and the Freiberger Mulde, both rising from the Ore Mountains. From here the river runs northwards through Saxony and Dessau. The Mulde flows into the Elbe 2 miles north of Dessau.

Mosigkauer Heide The Mosigkauer Heide is an almost level plateau, which only weakly by some waters was zertalt. The area is, apart from the valley of Brambaches and some of marginal land, completely forested. The conservation area is to be saved as a large, closed forest complex. The natural forests must be conserved and be managed so that their structure and Composition is not changed permanently.

Elbe River

Mulde River

Elbe River The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Czech Republic, then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 68 miles northwest of Hamburg. Its total length is 680 miles.

The river enters the North German Plain passing along the former border of East Germany, touching Dessau, and other towns on the way, to meet the Mulde and Saarenbruch-Matzwerder Saale from the west. In its northern section both banks of Saarenbruch is located on the steep slope of the Elbe the Elbe are characterised by flat, very fertile marshlands valley Holocene, and the Alte Elbe. former flood plains of the Elbe now diked.

Hang springs feed the Sarensee, which drains to the Old Elbe. Another influx of Old Same is the Katschbach which receives both more slope sources drained the Kliekener Aue. The water level is regulated by a pumping station.

Since both waters are inner dike, they are no longer affected by the flooding dynamics of the Elbe.

Saalberghau The two-part nature conservation area is located northwest of Dessau in the Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve and the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm . It includes a section of the Elbe with its floodplain and the eastern part of the Kühnauer lake with shore areas and the fishing island. Making the two subareas in the sewage treatment plant in the district Ziebigk the city of Dessau.

Mittlere Oranienbaumer Heide The reserve is one of the biotope -. and most diverse areas of Dessau. The northern area of the reserve is of fluvial sediments of Elbeurstromtals and the southern area of plateaus glacial moraines determined. In particular, the central portions of the protected area served from 1945 to 1992 the Soviet Army as a military training ground .

Mosigkauer Heide

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CONTEXT |

neighborhoods

The city of Dessau contains numerous divisions of neighborhoods and administrative districts. In 2007, the rural districts of Dessau, as well as its neighboring city, Roßlau, were reduced from 21 down to 11 in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. This resulted in the merging of the two cities and the establishment of the city of Dessau-Roßlau. This reduction of districts was due to significant population decline in the area.

The districts can then be further broken down into the outer suburban districts and the inner urban districts, with Dessau designated as the downtown area. Many buildings designed by Bauhaus students and masters are spread throughout the city of Dessau-Roßlau. These works are most commonly seen in the urban areas of Dessau, most likely due to the location of the Bauhaus within the city.

Former City of Roslau

Roslau Elbe Meinsdorf Muhlsted Streetz/Natho

Former City of Dessau Dessau Sud

Siedlung Hagenbreite West Ziebigk Alten Groskuhnau Kleinkuhnau Mosigkau Kochstedt Sollnitz Kleutsch Mildensee Walderse

Dessau

Alten

Mildensee

Roslau Elbe

Sud

Groskuhnau

Walderse

Meinsdorf

Siedlung Hagenbreite

Kleinkuhnau

Sollnitz

Muhlsted

West

Mosigkau

Kleutsch

Streetz/Natho

Ziebigk

Kochstedt

Sub-Urban Urban Down Town

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Bauhaus District

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CONTEXT |

green systems

Dessau contains four major green systems within close proximity to the Bauhaus. They vary in function and purpose from recreational use to land preservation. UNESCO recognizes the green nature reserve to the Northwest as being a biosphere reserve: an area, which shows innovative approaches to living and working in harmony with nature. This area, known as the Middle Elbe, is recognized as the largest continuous floodplain forest in Central Europe.

Located to the Northeast of the Bauhaus is Beckerbruch Park, which contains both natural and manmade landscapes. This park consists of predominantly floodplains and marshlands along with several monuments placed in English style landscapes commissioned by Johann Georg.

Two recreational areas exist near the Bauhaus: the Tierpark Zoo and Stadtpark. The Tierpark Zoo is located directly North of the Bauhaus contains 125 labeled types of trees, which are located in and around the area of Dessau.

Some of the trees represented, not being native to the area, require different types of soil conditions than those common to the region.

While there are many smaller-scale parks and public areas for residential use, there is a larger, more notable green space to the Southeast called Stadtpark.

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MIDDLE ELBE: BIOSPHERE RESERVE

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BECKERBRUCH PARK

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TIERPARK: RECREATIONAL ZOO

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STADTPARK: PUBLIC PARK

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CONTEXT |

climate

The city of Dessau lies in Eastern Ger- Average Temperature many, South of Berlin. The climate fluctuates year round with high temperatures in the summer months and low in the winter months. The hottest temperature is in June/July peaking at around 90 degrees. The coldest temperature is in February, peaking at around 15 degrees.

As is typical with Germany, the area is wet for a good portion of the year despite there not being an excessive amount of rainfall. The rainiest month is in August with an average rainfall of 65 mm although numbers remain relatively Average Humidity consistent throughout the year. The area can be relatively humid throughout the day especially in the winter months where humidity tends to stay around 95-85%. Average wind for the area remains constant throughout the year at around 10 knots, typically originating from the Southwest.

Despite these weather fluctuations, cloud cover for the area remains constant throughout the year resulting in a large amount of over- cast skies. The area allows flexibility in terms of in- Average Radiation door-outdoor use at different times of the year.

Although colder throughout the year than average human comfort levels, the area contains parks and open spaces that can be used for a good portion of the year.

As displayed by the charts, human comfort levels for the area rests at 8% in correspondence with the humidity and temperature of the area however, passive cooling, sun shading as well as solar gains allow for comfotr levels to reach 100%.

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Due to Dessau’s moderate snowfall and preticipation in the winter, the city has responded with three basic roof typologies for sloping the roofs.

The rain and snowfall in Dessau is not unheard of and is relatively average, so flat roofs are relatively common within the area, but in many circumstances the mansard roofs are used to accomodate for the top floor but also provding a slope that can rid most of the snow off the roof while having a majority of roof being flat. The gambrel and gable roofs are very common in most of the residential areas of Dessau as well as official buildings. These roofs are beneficial in regards to the precipitation in the late spring and early summer months, though not much is collected, they are the wettest months of the year and can collect a greater amount of rainfall, thus having such roof pitches are essential.

With Europes increasing regulations and initatives for sustainable living, courtyards are can be found on almost every block. Germany hold with high praise for their reach for green initatives and humbly claim as being one of the most green efficient countries in Europe. Dessau in particular, boasts their city as one of the top sustainable cities in Germany.

Average Rainfall

Below is a small portion of Dessau, showing that every block had careful considerations for the design of the courtyard spaces. It creates spaces for allowable growth of trees, plants and mixed vegetation, but creates visual stimuli for secluded spaces.

The courtyard initative in Dessau works with the cloudcover that is frequently in the city. TThe amount of cloud cover acts as a skydome which allows for sunlight in several directions, but increased heat from reflective clouds.

These courtyards use strategies in which to gather ample daylighting, with building envelopes and strategies to not collect too much heat into the building.

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SITE ANALYSIS

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SITE ANALYSIS |

overview

The Bauhaus operated from 1919 to 1933 during which the combination of crafts and fine arts were developed. The intent of the Bauhaus’s teachings was to create works of art that combined function and design, coalescing into a greater, more mastered work.

The Bauhaus churned out many new ideas in modern design and became a pivotal part in the developments in art, architecture and graphic design.

Through the years, the directors of the school managed the changing and developing program, which was influenced by the political evolution happening in Germany. Today the Bauhaus serves as a reminder of the past and the true conviction that the leaders and the students of the school had for discovering the future of design. People travel from all over to experience the industrial, precise and modern qualities that the building possesses. It, itself acts as a work of art on display, a sculptural example of a type of discipline.

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SITE ANALYSIS |

history

Meyer believed that the work of the Bauhaus thus far had been catering too much towards the wealthy with extravagant designs that would not, as intended, be able to fit in the home of the common people. Meyer’s beliefs were highly scrutinized by Gropius, the students and the town, labeling his actions as Communist ideas.

Collectively Gropius and the Mayor of Dessau decided to relinquish Meyer’s directorship in 1930.

After Meyer’s fallout it was decided by Gropius to name Mies Van Der Rohe as the successor in the directorship. Mies had a rather different approach in his directorship, halting significantly on the production of manufactured products and rather focused on the educational aspect from the teachings of the masters and the work in architecture. His directorship in Dessau only after a year came to a halt as the Nazi party had taken control of Dessau and collectively decided to close the school.

The Bauhaus building in Dessau experienced much destruction from the Nazi party, decimating recognizable curtain wall of the Academy. It was even though to adjust the footprint of the building to the shape of a Swastika, however, this idea was never carried out.

The Bauhaus went on to move to Berlin continuing under Mies directorship, but was short lived as the Nazi regime continued to push the school to its limits, making Berlin the final location for the German Bauhaus in 1933.

The location of the Bauhaus in Dessau, was the second location for the school. Originally located in Weimar, the school was known as the School of Arts and Crafts led by Henry Van de Velde. The school was then handed down to Walter Gropius as the main director of the school in which he renamed as “the Bauhaus” in 1919. Due to political frustration for the modern beliefs in mass production and influence on technological advancements to further the arts and crafts, the town of Weimar exiled the Bauhaus. The Bauhaus in Dessau was founded in 1925. The town welcomed the ideas of industrial born arts and craft and mass production of the Bauhaus. The university would serve as a school that would continue the ideals of the original Bauhaus in Weimar, as well as accommodate for the town regulated technical school that was required for the new construction of the building’s design. The intentions of the school were to shape the intellectual, technical skills and craftsmanship of creatively talented individuals and to perform various experimentation in order to find new forms of artistry. Its influence was insurmountable and became a widespread phenomenon, rebranding what was believed to be as German art. The work in the production studios and workshops were distributed all over the world with the intentions of the school working in a way that any household would be capable of having Bauhaus art or crafted objects in their homes.

Gropius directorship was short lived, as the Nazi political party started to spread throughout Germany.

Rendering Gropius vulnerable, he handed down his directorship to Hans Meyer and fled the country in 1928.

Under Meyer’s directorship he wanted to represent the Bauhaus as an affordable production for the people, rather than creating luxurious products.

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Weimar

Dessau

Berlin

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SITE ANALYSIS |

pre-Bauhaus

Before the introduction of the school, prominent buildings were in place throughout Dessau. The city had a significant amount of influence from English architecture in addition to the traditional German style.

A system of English architecture known as the Garden Kingdom of Dessau Wörlitz was in place in the city with building dates spanning through the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of these buildings can be found along the Elbe River or against Dessau’s northern border. There are six prominent English castles found in the Dessau region: Georgium Castle, Kühnau Castle and Landscape, Mosigkau Castle, and Luisium Castle and Park The city plays host to the largest system of gardens seen in Germany. The system is done in the English style as well and is known as the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm. These gardens were designed mostly by Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff and commissioned Duke Leopold III of Anhalt-Dessau.

The gardens demonstrated a breakaway from the formal hierarchical designs of the time, favoring a more natural, organic stance. The gardens today span over 55 square miles and boast hundreds of statues and architectural follies situated along the Elbe River.

Georgium Castle Architect: Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff Purpose: Home for Duke Leopold III Date: 1780

Kuhnau Castle Architect: Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff Purpose: Home for Duke Lepold III’s brother Date: 1780

Luisium Castle Architect: Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff Purpose: Home for Duke Lepold III’s wife Date: 1774

Mosigkau Castle Architect: George Wenzeslaus Purpose: Orangery Date: 1752-157

Worlitz Palace Architect: Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff Purpose: Residence for the Duke and his wife Date: 1773

Oranienbaum Palace Architect: Cornelis Ryckwaert Purpose: Summer residence home for Henriette Catharina Date: 1683

The Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm

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SITE ANALYSIS |

bauhaus significance

The Bauhaus was an art school that operated from 1919 to 1933 that was largely known as the school of building. It became famous in its time for the methods of teaching crafts and arts through an integrated approach. The philosophy the school carried was to deliver ‘full’ works of art, in that all the art the students produced in the Bauhaus was to be a combination of every form of art.

This philosophy has made an impression on many fields of art ranging from architecture, graphic design, industrial design, and many more. With the Bauhaus operating under this philosophy, it influenced the way modernist think about the construction of designs even to this day.

The Bauhaus school had two primary purposes. The first was to teach art, craft, and technology as being unified. The second was to create a school in which it could act as an experimentation ground for students to try new types for art.

The motivation behind creating a school with these two purposes laid in the concerns about art’s loss of significance in the world. Manufacturing a piece of art was starting to become distant from the notion of creativity and the Bauhaus aimed to integrate the two together again.

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SITE ANALYSIS |

bauhaus program

The design of the Bauhaus is geared towards the efficient use of space while also clustering program so that related spaces can be in close proximity. The overall view of the Bauhaus is telling about the interior and how program is grouped yet still connected in a seamless fashion. The placement of the program within the site is also relevant and thoughtout due to what was happening in the city at the time. The apartments were placed towards the greener and quieter part of the city. The more public part of the program, the school, is placed towards the more inhabited part of the city along the existing road.

Since the city fabric has changed, this is no longer the case. The school is organized in a stacking pattern of program. Separated into wings, the workshops and classrooms inhabit the same areas on each floor, allowing connections to occur through vertical circulation towers. This stacking provides a separation of program with the administrative block and the studio spaces showing a clear division of program. The apartment block acts separately from the academic portion through its lowered connection through the canteen and the addition of two levels bringing the total height to six floors.

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Apartments and Related Program Workshops and Related Program Classrooms and Laboratories Administration and Related Program Cafeteria and Related Program Gymnasium and Related Program

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SITE ANALYSIS |

bauhaus organization

Organization

Dormitory

Administration

Dormitory

Canteen

Studios

Studios

Bridge

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Pinwheeling

Administration

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SITE ANALYSIS |

views

Views From Site

Views To Site

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SITE ANALYSIS |

diagrams

Edges The Bauhaus landscape consists of open green spaces that are squared off by side walks and road ways. The endges to the site are the walkways that diliniate the start and end to the L site and the square site. As you can see in the images all the way to the left, there are gray walkays that provide pedestrian access to the Bauhaus. They also provide ready made walkways that surround each site and will be integral to the access to the designs being implimented in each site.

Approaches People approaching the Bauhaus have many options for entry. The two main roads from either direction become the primary approaches. However the main approach is through the two entries next to the bridge.

This is where people tend to access the building when coming to visit the Bauhaus. Other entries become ways for interior spaces to access the out doors or for service entry and deliveries. This then will determine which site is used. For example should the museum addition be seen when first approaching the Bauhaus or should it be something that you visit after you have already experienced the Bauhaus? The intention behind the site decision then becomes important for the design thought process.

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SITE ANALYSIS |

diagrams

Circulation The vehicular circulation near and around the site runs perpendicular and parallel to the Bauhaus. The pedestrian walkways follow this pattern from the road ways to the site making the overall access direct to each of the buildings entrances. The main circulation is a road that runs underneath the bridge of the Bauhaus where the main entrances are located. Parking for the Bauhaus is located in two places on the site, one being the service entrance for deliveries and the other being the school parking lot which resides next to the classroom portion of the building.

Vehicular

Pedestrian

Zones

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SITE ANALYSIS |

environmental conditions

Sun Studies

WInd Charts The direction and speed of wind on the sites are important factors in determining how these environmental conditions should be dealt with. In this area, the wind is mainly generated from the west and southwest of the sites. Throughout the year there are times when average wind speeds die down such as in September and November. Despite minor fluctuations, the average wind speed is 10 15 knots predominately from the southwest.

Shadows on the site pose important design considerations as the two sites experience radical shadow changes throughout the day.

Since the northern site is behind the Bauhaus, the tallest building in the area, the site is in shadow for a good portion of the day. This occurs more frequently in the winter, when the sun is lower in the sky, casting longer shadows. The smaller, square site experiences some shadows from the Bauhaus and surrounding buildings as well, however not as significant as those affecting the northern site.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | designing for the Bauhaus

In beginning conceptualizing how to intervene on the site of the Bauhaus, it became immediately clear that a decisive stance was required in order to design effectively. The building could take on one of two stances: either one of dominance where the museum overshadows the Bauhaus and defines a new language for the site or one of respect where the Bauhaus is acknowledged as the prominent entity and is given the respect that the building deserves.

Bauhaus is a representation of a movement that carries great significance in architecture. With this in mind, the decision to respect the Bauhaus became the sole, obvious choice.

Designing on a historically and architecturally charged site such as this one proves a challenge in itself. Regardless of which site chosen, either the North or the South, the Bauhaus would need to be dealt with in either situation. This drives the question of how to respond to the building to even higher importance. How do you connect to a building that strives to create a disconnect to its surroundings.

How to achieve the right amount of respect for the Bauhaus while still maintaining the integrity of this new museum for the Bauhaus. What qualities would they share? Do they follow the same language? Are they similar in idea alone?

At its inception, the Bauhaus broke the norm of architecture. Until this point, there was a logic and system in place that dictated how buildings would appear. The traditional German style of masonry or timber construction with traditional pitched roofs dominated the area. The Bauhaus took this idea and discarded the outdated thoughts; introducing steel structure, independent of the facade, flat roofs and a pinwheeling organization.

In today’s architecturally forward world, the Bahaus stands as a monument to the beginning of a movement that played a huge role in influencing much of the architecture that has come about in the past 90-some years.

The building currently exists as a destination for architects and those willing to learn about the starting point of one of the greatest movements in the history of art and architecture.

The cultural and architectural significance of the building drove the design towards one of respect. The

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“If your contribution has been vital, there will always be somebody to pick up where you left off, and that will be your claim to immortality.”

-Walter Gropius

Through the research and design process, it became more and more clear that a physical connection the Bauhaus would form one of the strongest bonds between the two buildings. This, coupled with alignments in the building as well as relationships of program organization would go on to further strengthen the bond that the two share.

In creating a connection between the two buildings, the idea of continuity in time is brought to life. What was relevant at that time links into the new architecture that highlights the Bauhaus ideas that remain relevant today.

The image dictates the relationship between the two buildings. The Bauhaus remains the dominant form on the site with the iconic signage, present front and center. The museum begins to act as a continuation of the form, following existing datum lines and formal qualities. The roof begins to highlight a divergence from the existing forms where ideas of light begin to show in the formal massing of the new building; highlighting an aspect of the Bauhaus which was never expressively shown in the building’s massing.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | Bauhaus & museum

The inital question that was dealt with in the design of a museum for the Bauhaus was how the building would be perceived. The main choice was the idea that the Bauhaus would be put on display as a work of art itself or that the museum would become an addition to the Bauhaus, creating an extension of its ideas into a new form that directly links to the old.

Both options put the Bauhaus first and foremost. By treating the Bauhaus as an object on display, the building takes on a secondary characteristic to the Bauhaus.

The attention is drawn away from the building and focused on the reason for the building.

Treating the museum as an addtition takes on a more subtle approach. There is a point where the Bauhaus and the new museum begin to merge together into one entity where the museum takes on the qualities and formal characteristics of the Bauhaus, highlighting important aspects of the building for the viewer. By this nature, the new building begins to blend with the old, directing attention to the Bauhaus as a whole.

Bauhaus as Art Museum as Addition

Utlimately, treating the museum as an addition makes the most sense with the context. The building takes on a subtle nature while still maintaining a strong stance as a separate portion of the Bauhaus.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | color theory

The interior of the museum posed a separate issue. The museum itself should represent the ideas of the Bauhaus, not necessarily following the style of the spaces created by Gropius in the original building. Early on the idea that the space should be influenced directly by the artwork proved to be a good launching point of how to deal with the space.

Without knowing what type of pieces would be on display in the museum, the idea to use color and light to transform the space develloped through color studies.

As shown in the images on the right, by incorporating color into a space and directing light into the space at different angles, the space is transformed to give different feelings and aesthetics which can affect the viewer’s senses.

With direct light creating harsh lines and heavy reflection of the colors onto the white surfaces and ambient light creating a slight glow of color and light that evenly coats the entire space, it is clear that light would have a large impact on how the gallery space would be perceived.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | color theory

In developing the idea of incorporating color into the museum, experimentation of form began to be affected by the colors themselves.

Kandinsky, one of the prominent masters of the Bauhaus had a strong belief in his color theory that the primary colors had a direct correlation to the three basic shapes. Red corresponds to squares, yellow to triangles and blue to circles.

As seen in the light study, by converting the shapes into three dimensional voumes, the space has much more activity both in section and in its interior qualities. A slight wash from each color appears in the model which helps to highlight the impact of the color on the space.

Developing this idea further into the project, the study had a direct impact on the gallery roof which allows light to filter into the space while creating an interesting play on form from the exterior.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | beginning the building

Background In 2019, the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the famous institution with the opening of the Bauhaus Museum.

For the first time the foundation will be able to exhibit and comprehensively present the extensive collection to the public.

Back in the days, the Bauhaus liked to present itself.

Walter Gropius’ residence was a model house in which he invited people to feel a new way of living. Many of the Bauhaus artists were represented at numerous galleries and international art market which contributed to a relevant public image.

Above all, the school strived to create new knowledge and stood for a radical new presentation and way of life.

The Bauhaus conceived art, design and architecture as one overall discipline for everyone to enjoy. The design process was the result of a new view, a new aesthetic and a new pedagogical paradigm in which the students collaborated with the professors in a research-by-making driven process.

They practiced an anti-academic education with a concept of utopia which sought the mankind of the future, for whom they wanted to design according to need.

The studio question deals fundamentally with a question of identity. How does one exhibit a school, a philosophy, a way of working and living?

Nowadays, art museums tend to be of two kinds. On the one hand, they could be quiet, neutral containers more often than not with maximum flexibility in mind. On the other, they become ‘settings’ tied to the exhibit itself.

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Design Objectives 1.)

Respond to the Bauhaus in a direct way, paying hommage to the building while still displaying a prominent role on the site.

2.)

React to the Bauhaus and its close proximity to the site in a tactful and strategic manner that serves to work itself into the fabric of the site.

3.)

Display Bauhaus art as well as the design ideas and goal that were taught by the Bauhaus masters back in the school’s inception.

4.)

Invigorate the ideas of the Bauhaus in a new and modern way of thinking, putting a modern twist on the iconic ideas of the Bauhaus.

Visitor Services Entrance Foyer Information Ticketing Ticketing Storage Bookshop Bookshop storgae Group Access Zone Coat Room Cafeteria Kitchen Museum Education Workshop Space Workshop Storage Outdoor Space Exhibition Temporary Exhibition Collection Presentation Administration Administration Offices Collection Offices Conference Room First Aid Kitchenette Server Room Logistics Delivery Hall Janitor Distribution Warehouse Control Packaging Interim Storage Material Storage Workshop Changing Room-Staff Garbage Room Mobile Wall Storage Subtotal Total

1 800 1 400 1 100 1 90 1 500 1 100 1 250 1 400 1 600 1 200 2 800 1 180

TBD 1 1500 1 7000 1 180 2 100 1 200 1 90 1 60 1 120 1 500 1 100 1 400 1 450 1 450 1 200 1 150 2 120 1 100 1 200 17360 28933 (assuming 60% efficiency) 61

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | the subtle site

The two sites each provide their own benefits and difficulties. The L-shaped site offers a more public stance as well as a more accessible approach to the building.

This site also offers direct access to the main road.

The square site is more secluded and set off from the open area of the site. The site offers access to the Bauhaus service entry as well as the exit point for the Bauhas tour.

In looking at the needs of the museum as well as the site approach that the building would be taking the square site offers the best fit for the building. The subtle nature of the site corresonds with the museum’s relationship to the Bauhaus. Its location gives the building a presence on the site while still allowing the Bauhaus a prominent place on the site.

Access to the service entry as well as a connection to the tour help to shape the programatic relations of the building without detracting from the existing Bauhaus functions.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | design process

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | design process The design process explores numerous iterations of how the building could be organized on the site. Beginning with ideas relating to the idea of viewing the Bauhaus as an object, leading into those designs which incorporate them more into the fabric of the building.

With conceptual sketches and foam massing models, the relationship of the gallery to the building is explored.

As the building passed through its iterations, it became more and more evident that the gallery wanted to abe a central volume within the form of the building. This would allow programmatic spaces to surround the gallery, solidifying a direct link to the gallery.

In exploring the options for the museum, the question arose as to the degree of transparency for the spaces.

Further studies in massing models were done, looking at the gallery as a solid piece or as a transparent gem within the block.

Through these options, the building began to work best having the gallery as a solid block where the remaining program became more transparent. Having a wall surrounding the building played an important role in separating the building from the viewer outside while creating a link to the concrete base of the existing Bauhaus building.

Since the building was set at this point to encapsulate the entirety of the site, the existing green quality of the site would be lost entirely. In order to pay hommage to the existing as well as provide thermal and visual value to the building, bringing the green space up and sinking the massing of the building into the ground would serve to activate the building and its view from the Bauhaus.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | relationship to site The site relation of the building proved to have a significant impact on the building. Resting in such close proximity to the Bauhaus, the immediate context of the site created a narrow walkway that surrounded the square site. This allowed for limited access onto the site from the exterior.

With pedestrian access to the North, service access to the West and main entry to the building from the Bauhaus to the North, the building remains hidden on the site, delivering the main importance to the Bauhaus.

This importance is highlighted in the views that the building gives. While the museum is predominantly an internally forcused building. Through the connection piece, visitors are given views of the Bauhaus on one side and Dessau to the other. As visitors exit the building, they are given one last view of the Bauhaus.

Buildable Area

Green Space

Views

Access

The building emulates the existing site plan by reincorporating the grass expanse into a green roof. This serves to link the building back to the original context, reinstatng the subtle undertones of the building.

On a larger scale, the museum serves as an addition to the Bauhaus. In doing so, the building is meant to break from the traditional style of architecture in the area.

Although Dessau has progressed much in past years, the sentiment of breaking away from traditional forms and methods is apparent in the formal geometries seen in the museum.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | site plan

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | following the tour The entry of the museum is based off of the existing tour of the Bauhaus. As visitors enter the building, they are brought through the studio spaces and classrooms eventually being deposited into the canteen.

From this point is where the sequence of the museum can begin.

Picking up where the tour left off, visitors are brought through the connection piece and descend down into the visitor’s center. From there, visitors have access to the gallery space itself as well as the cafe, workshops and other public areas.

Visitors exit to the North, near the dormitory tower.

This is adjacent to the existing endpoint of the tour.

The idea of the circulation is to create a continuaion of the tour. Visitors can first view the Bauhaus as a building and then through the museum, can view the Bauhaus as an idea.

Path of Travel

As indicated by the diagram on the right, the programmatic distribution of spaces in the building helps to reinforce the logic behind the circulation. With the gallery centralized, program spaces loop around to create access points and connections where needed.

The visitor’s center is adjacent to the public access point for the site where the highest level of foot-traffic would be. Easily accessible from this area are the public workshop spaces to the South. In line with the existing service entry of the Bauhaus, a double story logistics block allows access to both levels of the gallery. The administrative block sits adjacent to the bauhaus and the connection block links the Bauhaus to the new museum.

Circulation

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | linking spaces The basic organization of the building is a box inside of a box, the inner box being the gallery space which all of the other programmatic spaces can link into.

As seen in the sections, visitors enter from the Bauhaus through the connector piece. This connector feeds into the volume of the gallery space. from here, visitors are treated to a large glass wall viewing directly into the gallery to give an idea of the museum as well as to remind the visitors of the purpose for the museum.

Descending down the stairs, the visitor’s center allows access to restrooms, the coat room, information, ticket areas, the cafe, bookshop and the gallery entry itself.

The gallery consists of two spaces, the temporary exhibition and the permanent collection. The temporary gallery is treated as a floating mass in the space, createing a lighter, more ephemeral feel to the space. The permanent exhibition is more grounded, occupying the entire lower level of the gallery space.

Parti

Connections

Access Point

Public/Private

The loght scoops above incorporate multiple uses for the space. Allowing light to enter during the day, they also provide artificial lighting at night through up lighting into the scoops. Ventilation runs through ductwork in the system and the large beams spanning the space create a gutter system for the roof.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | displaying an idea

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | displaying an idea

Server Room

Admin Office

Conference Room

Collection

Collection

First Aid

Kitchenette

Coat Room

Garbage

Delivery Hall

Distribution Warehouse

Cafe

Server Room

Janitor

Admin Office

Conference Room

Collection

Collection

First Aid

Kitchenette

Coat Room

Changing

Garbage

Changing Delivery Hall

Distribution Warehouse

Cafe

Workshop

Workshop Janitor

Bookshop Workshop Storage

Changing

Changing

Workshop

Workshop Bookshop Workshop Storage

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | displaying an idea

The plans of the building work to create a dialogue between the massing of the building and how the spaces interact with one another. Instances such as the intersection of the connection and the gallery as well as the courtyard pushing into the visitor’s center help to activate the spaces and allow for a playful relationship to occur.

Garbage

As it is seen on the main level of the building, the workshop spaces, the visitor’s center and the administrative block all serve to highlight the continuous circulation around the gallery mass. The use of natural lighting helps to highlight the public areas of this path with a continuous skylight following the path of circulation.

Control Packing

Mobile Wall Storage

Other areas of the visitor’s center are highlighted in a similar way such as the cafe and the bookshop which each receive their own type of skylighting.

Permanent Gallery

Interim Storage

The courtyard is an area of the building which serves to alter the visitor’s perception of the building. By utilizing long, low steps, visitor’s are encouraged to view the dormitory tower for an extended time through their ascent from the sunken building. This serves to remind the viewer of what the building they just viewed was really about.

Garbage

Material Storage

Workshop

Control Packing

Mobile Wall Storage Permanent Gallery

Interim Storage

Material Storage

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Workshop

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | displaying an idea

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | continuity in form Although building at grade would prove an easier solution for the building, the level changes of the building are based off of the alignment of spaces to the existing bauhaus alignments.

SUnken six feet below grade, the main perimeter wall follows the existing level of the Bauhaus basement with the pattern of windows on the basement etched onto the surface of the wall.

The alignment of the gallery matches the height of the canteen space, leaving the majority of the Bauhaus to maintain a height heirarchy over to museum.

The materials chosen match the existing Bauhaus materials. Concrete for the base, white stucco for the gallery and dark gazing for the windows into the building.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK | revisiting the Bauhaus

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5.

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TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS

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TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS | structure | concept The thought behind the structure in this building is based on the Bauhaus principle of combining art and technology. In order to achieve this, the building utilizes a simple post and beam concrete structure with one and two way slabs for the majority of the building.

In the gallery spaces, the structure begins to become more exposed and highlighted with waffle slabs underneath the temporary exhibity and a system of beams and purlins that support light scoops above.

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TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS | structure | technical

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TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS | sunlight strategies

The light scoops, as mentioned prior, portray a variety of uses including, structure, light diffusion, water collection, artificial lighting, etc.

The difficulty of the design lies in the angle of the window edge. While this type of skylight typically tends to be orthagonal to the structure, this site proved a challenge where north was rotated from the angle of the structure. By turning the face of the glass North, the whole scoop activates in a different way that carries a more dynamic feel than it would orthagonally.

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