Deutsche Werkbund

The German Werkbund was basically an association of scientists which raised reforms in architecture, social aspects, design and industry. It paved the way to the era of Modernism and endorsed many designers, architects and artists which later had contributed to design history such as Walter Gropius and Peter Behrens.

Peter Behrens had also contributed to Jugendstil with close connection to the Arts and Crafts. Like Morris, he had the idea of reforming society. In fact, he was one of the leaders of architectural reforms and became a prominent designer of buildings and factories. He used mainly brick, steel and glass as materials. Late in 1907, he joined Hoffman, Riemerschmid, and Joseph Maria Olbrich and formed the German Werkbund together with other companies. This was an organization with principles of the Arts and Crafts but given a twist. The aim was to standardize and rationalize forms for machines, produce machine made good quality products similar to that of Craftsmen and enhance the level of taste in German academies. Later became an artistic advisor for the AEG (general electric company) where he taught Ludwig Mies Van der Roche, Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier.

Walter Gropius who is a very well known architect, who is also the founder of the Bauhaus school, had also designed the Fagus shoe factory in Alfeld together with Adolf Meyer. This building is a clear example of the outbreak of modernism mainly because of its cubical form and the extensive windows which bring the exterior in the interior. The materials used were mainly bricks, glass and steel. The design is clean, flat and simple with geometric lines and shapes without any ornament or decoration.

  

Fagus factory by Walter Gropius and Adolf Meyer in 1911

In fact, the Deutsche Werkbund had been organizing a number of exhibitions to promote these ideas in order to rationalize the style of architecture especially after World War 1.

Just to mention a few, ‘Modern Factory’ and ‘Form without Ornamnet’ where made by Walter Gropius in Berlin of the 1924. During the 1933, there was a debate where the national socialists decided to suspend this organization. It had contributed much to design development and later influenced the Bauhaus as Walter Gropius itself was one of its founders as said above.

In today’s design and architecture, much of this was absorbed. We are still endorsing the ideas of the extensive windows for lighting and design purposes. Some geometric shapes are still visible in architecture but today many designers seek to build higher extravagant, dynamic architecture challenging the extremes and exploring different ways of how to minimize space consumption but still being comfortable enough for the user and in the mean time sustaining the environment.

The impact of the German Werkbund on contemporary architecture

References

Fiell, C. and Fiell, P. (1999). Design of the 20th century. Ko¨ln: Taschen.

WOKA. 2015, Deutscher Werkbund – Design.  [ONLINE] Available at: <http://www.woka.com/en/design/designer/deutscher-werkbund/>. [Accessed 22 January 2015].

Architectuul, 2015. Architectuul. [ONLINE] Available at: <http://architectuul.com/architecture/fagus-factory>. [Accessed 22 January 2015].

Ketterer Kunst, 2007. Deutscher Werkbund (German Work Federation). [ONLINE] Available at: <http://www.kettererkunst.com/dict/deutscher-werkbund-german-work-federation.php.> [Accessed 22 January 2015].