SikkensFoundation
Publications
BRUNO TAUT, 1978 — Bruno Taut was the architect of the glass pavilion at the Werkbund exhibition in Cologne (1914), a symbol of ex- pressionism. Although the German architect initially crea- ted very utopian and expressionist designs, he later swit- ched to rationalism. He was one of the founders of the Novembergruppe, Arbeitsrat für Kunst and Der Ring. In addition, Taut is known for many large housing projects in Berlin, so-called Siedlungen of which the Hoefjzer (horseshoe) district is one example. Taut, who trained at the Baugewerkeschule of Konings- bergen, worked successively for Bruno Möhring and The- odor Fischer from 1903 to 1908. In 1912 he became the advisory architect for the Deutsche Gartenstadtgesell- schaft. In that capacity he designed the Reform garden cities (Maagdenburg, 1914 and 1921) and Am Falken- berg (Berlin, 1914). His reputation was established by his contribution to the Werkbund exhibition of 1914. His glass pavilion was the stimulus for what became known as “Taut’s mythology of glass”.Back to index
Inside he achieved breathtaking lighting effects with the use of colored glass and prisms. In his books Alpine Architektur (1919), Die Stadtkrohne (1919) and Die Aufösung der Stadte (1920) he revealed his imagination to an even greater extent. In these works he described a network of glass domes and grottos which symbolized the aspirations of society. Taut opted for rationalism as long ago as 1920. Shortly after this rapid change, he worked as the city architect of Maagdenburg and later again as the advisory architect for a building firm. In this GEHAG (Gemeinnützige Heimstätten-, Spar- und Bau-Aktiengesellschaft) he was given the opportunity to put his functional architecture in- to practice. Districts such as Britz (the Hoefjzer District, 1930) and Zehlendorf (1931) in Berlin are seen as the high points in mass residential development. From 1930 up his enforced emigration in 1933 (when the Nazis ca- me into power in Germany) he worked as a professor of architecture at the Technische Hochschule of Berlin- Charlottenburg and was a member of the Prussian Aca- demy of Arts. Taut spent the last five years of his life suc- cessively in Japan and Turkey, where he designed several other buildings. In 1978, the Foundation made financial contributions to the publication about Bruno Taut, written by Rudy Uyten- haak, included in the Forum journal. Uytenhaak won se- veral prizes with his architectural agency, and was the editor of the Forum journal for a long time. He lectured at the Academy of Architecture and the Technical University of Eindhoven. Download text as pdf