Theories of Architecture Lecture-10- Architecture after World War I

Expressionism

Prepared by Tara Azad Rauof

This lecture Context:

 The Origin  Characteristics of Expressionism  Expressionist Architecture  Characteristics of Expressionist Architecture  Approaches of Expressionism  Amsterdam School  Brick Expressionism  Famous Expressionist

Expressionism [The Origin]:

Expressionism was a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods or ideas. Expressionist artists sought to express the meaning of emotional experience rather than physical reality.

Expressionism was developed as an avant-garde style before the First World War. It remained popular particularly in Berlin. The style extended to a wide range of the arts, including expressionist architecture, painting, literature, theatre, dance, film and music.

The term is sometimes suggestive of angst. In a general sense

Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893, oil, tempera and pastel on cardboard, 91 x 73 cm, National Gallery of Norway. Characteristics of Expressionism:

* Artists sought to express emotional experience rather than physical reality.

* Focused on the sensual values and expressional influences of the architectural form, free from the plants ornament, or any other decorative element.

* Subjective interpretation, to express emotions, moods and ideas.

* Use of intense colors.

* A form of ‘self-expression’ that offer an individual voice in a world perceive as both insecure and hostile..

EXPRESSIONIST ARCHITECTURE:

Expressionist architecture is an architectural movement in Europe during the first decades of the 20th century in parallel with the expressionist visual and performing arts that especially developed and dominated in Germany. Brick Expressionism is a special variant of this movement in western and northern Germany and in The Netherlands (Amsterdam School). Expressionist architecture is one of the three dominant styles of Modern architecture (Constructivist architecture, Expressionist, and International Style)

* Expressionist architecture described the activity of the German, Dutch, Austrian, Czech and Danish Avant gards from 1910 until 1930.

* Political, economic and artistic shifts called Expressionist movement especially due to loss in war and depressions.

Characteristics of Expressionist Architecture:

1- Distorted form for emotional effect. 2- Architecture as a work of art- prime concept. 3- Profusion of works on paper, and models, with discovery and representations of concepts more important than pragmatic finished products. 4- Often hybrid solutions, irreducible to a single concept. 5- Themes of natural romantic phenomena, such as caves, mountains, lightning, crystal and rock formations. As such it is more mineral and elemental than florid and organic which characterized contemporary art nouveau. 6- Tendencies towards Gothic, Romanesque and Rococo styles.

Approaches of Expressionism:

Two basic approaches:

1- Their architectural forms characterized by art- nouveau properties. Example The Einstien tower, Potsdam 1917-1921 by Erich Mendelson.

This work is one of the first expressionist buildings. What he built was not merely a laboratory; it was a monument, which is one of the most brilliantly original buildings of the 20th century. He was highly influenced by Gaudi and it represents the good example for the axial arrangements and the functional hierarchy.

2- Encouraged the expressional power, and obvious architectural form, they reflected also the structure innovations. Example (Turbine factory) for (AEG) company, In Berlin 1908 -1909 by – Peter Behrens.

This work which reflect the expression attitudes is the industrial building. The Architecture feature for this building reflects the explicitly of architecture form, the functional nature of the structure was hidden by the decorative style used in the building.

Amsterdam School The Amsterdam School (Dutch: Amsterdamse School) is a style of architecture that arose from 1910 through about 1930 in the Netherlands. The Amsterdam School movement is part of international Expressionist architecture, sometimes linked to German Brick Expressionism.

Buildings of the Amsterdam School are characterized by brick construction with complicated masonry with a rounded or organic appearance, relatively traditional massing, and the integration of an elaborate scheme of building elements inside and out: decorative masonry, art glass, ironwork, spires or "ladder" windows (with horizontal bars), and integrated architectural sculpture. The aim was to create a total architectural experience, interior and exterior.

The Expressionist architecture of the Amsterdam School was the most successful style of the 1920s. For many foreign architects, Amsterdam was the "Mecca" for new town extensions. But the Traditionalist movement lasted longer, until the 1950s, thanks to the so-called Delft School, represented by Martinus Grampré Molière at the Delft University of Technology. The three leaders of the Amsterdam School Michel de Klerk, Johan van der Mey and Piet Kramer. In 1905 Amsterdam was the first city to establish a building code.

Projects:

1- Het Schip, in Amsterdam (1917-1920) designd by Michel de Klerk

The building vaguely resembles the outlines of a ship. Its appearance is very unconventional from all angles. Designed in 1919, the building contains 102 homes for the working class, a small meeting hall and a post office.

2- The Shipping House, in Amsterdam (1913-1916) designd by Johan van der Mey

The Shipping House (Dutch: Scheepvaarthuis) is a building on the western tip of the Waalseiland near Amsterdam harbor that is one of the top 100 Dutch heritage sites and generally regarded as the first true example of the Amsterdam School, a style characterised by expressive dynamism, lavish ornamentation and colourful decoration.

3- De Bijenkorf Store The Hague (1924-1926) designd by Piet Kramer.

Brick Expressionism

The term Brick Expressionism describes a specific variant of expressionist architecture that uses bricks, tiles or clinker bricks as the main visible building material. Buildings in the style were erected mostly in the 1920s, primarily in Germany and the Netherlands, where the style was created.

Brick Expressionism developed at the same time as the "New Objectivity" of Bauhaus architecture. But whereas the Bauhaus architects argued for the removal of all decorative elements, or ornaments, expressionist architects developed a distinctive form or ornamentation, often using rough, angular or pointy elements. They were meant to express the dynamic of the period, its intensity and tension.

Occasionally, elements from other architectural styles were referenced, translated into the brick repertoire of forms. Brick Expressionism also created its very own, often quite idiosyncratic forms, such as Parabola Churches.

Projects:

Chilehaus, Hamburg (finished in 1924), designed by Fritz Höger

Is a ten-story office building in Hamburg, Germany. It is an exceptional example of the 1920s Brick Expressionism style of architecture. This large angular building is located on a site of approximately 6,000m².

The Oberhausen, in Oberhausen, designed by Schwingel and Herrmann

Is a railway station in Oberhausen. The current station building was built between 1930 and 1934 in the modernist style. Oberhausen architect Schwingel and, Karl Herrmann, designed the current building in simple cubic forms.

Famous Expressionist: 1- Peter Behrens 2- Erich Mendelsohn 3- Rudolf Steiner 4- Michel de Klerk 5- Johan van der Mey 6- Piet Kramer 7- Fritz Höger