The style of expressionism can be considered one of the most emotional and bound to nature. The representatives of this style can be found throughout the world as it had spread widely all over the world; numerous countries can claim that expressionism-influenced buildings can be found on their territory. As the style was widely spread, it is necessary to indicate its main features in order to be able to differentiate between this one and other styles and movements that existed in approximately the same time period in the United States and Europe. The most well-known peculiar features of the expressionism as a style are fantastic shapes and images that develop a single unity with the environment, phantasmagorical pictures and unusual themes can be also attributed to this style in architectures. Thus, this paper is aimed at arguing about the functionality of expressionist buildings despite their fanciful and sometimes bizarre design and construction.
As we cannot indicate the pure features that can be attributed to a single style or movement in architecture as they all have been mutually influenced by each other, it is possible to focus on features that can be attributed to expressionism and related styles and movements. For example, we could include discussion of early modernism as it was influenced by expressionism and architects that used to create buildings in expressionist style became representatives of the modern architectural style. It can be also called the urban style, as it was supposed to serve as the main concept for reconstruction of the post-war Europe, whereas it had to be convenient, simple, and related to the piece habitation.
The style has numerous representatives that can be also discussed within the bounds of other styles and movements as they all are interconnected. The four architects whose projects can be more or less attributed to the expressionism in architecture and its influence on other styles and movements are Erich Mendelsohn, Walter Gropius, Hans Scharoun, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. As argued by Alan Colquhoun (89), “Expressionism is a permanent and recurrent tendency in modern architecture.” Thus, the tendencies typical of expressionism can be traced in other successive styles and movements in modern architecture.
The value of expressionism in architecture for contemporaries is great as it was aimed at building houses for people after the war seen by Europe. As “… the expressionists were torn between a Utopian view of modern technology and a Romantic nostalgia for the Volk (people or nation)…” (Colquhoun 87), it is clear why the forms of expressionist buildings are full of fantastical influence and the materials are not typical of that architectural era. We can see the unusual and unexpected materials in architectural projects of expressionist style, futurism which existed in Italy in the same period, Modernism which is supposed to be a style following the expressionism. So, some peculiarities established by expressionists were later used by modernists. The expressionism in architecture has influenced the development of contemporary architecture as well as successive movements and styles in architecture and arts.
The first architectural project that should be analysed is the Einstein Tower by Erich Mendelsohn. It can be considered a purely expressionist architectural project as the curvaceous, streamlined forms of the building which served as a laboratory and an observatory of Albert Einstein were made with the help of bearing masonry and concrete over brick. The initial project was supposed to be built out of reinforced concrete which would perform the main function of the skeleton frame of the building and the final version was fulfilled with the help of bricks covered with concrete because of insufficient finance due to the post-war reconstruction and shortage of materials, financial support, and need to build unusual houses.
This building is the genuine representation of the unreal and even fantastic forms which resemble a woman’s figure and cannot be clearly described. The Einstein Tower made Mendelsohn famous as well as his work. The successive projects of the authors influenced by the design and construction of the Mendelsohn’s building were less artificial but did not lack original approach and the inspiration. Though only separate features and details of the expressionism can be traced in the projects of the modern architecture, it is worth mentioning that the idea of creating a functional building which would be convenient inside and recognisable from outside was the predominant one in the projects influenced by expressionism, suchlike modern campuses of the Bauhaus in Dessau by Walter Gropius, the Scharoun Residence by Hans Scharoun, and Barcelona Pavilion by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
The next architectural project that seems to bear the features of expressionism is the Bauhaus Building in Dessau created by Walter Gropius. It is natural that this project found its place in the niche of historically remarkable objects of the modern architecture. The Bauhaus Building can be considered the embodiment of energy, original thoughts, and practical application. The main purpose of the building was the art and architecture school with transparent walls and asymmetric construction which was used to divide the working space with the help of light but effective massing. The people acquired a unique opportunity to live and work within the specific building which is aimed at giving as much light for the working process as possible, though it managed to conceal the part of the class in order to hide the students from the outer world. It is natural that the artistic environment predisposes to create and invent. All techniques were used to make the place as convenient and functional as it may be. As a rule, the Modern Movement is considered to be an embodiment of functionality and usefulness.
All the rough materials which were used in the construction were not expected to be concealed. Every detail could be observed and it was aimed at inspiring the students of the school of arts. Walls were painted in unusual colours which were not typical of studios and workshops; this was done in order to emphasize the asymmetry of walls and construction as a whole. The place was another concept which was the basis for the project design as it was chosen not to limit the building in its form and structure. The landscape presupposed that the industrial town should acquire an artistic feature. Though the first impression of people was exciting, the authorities did not happen to support the progressive movement. The innovations introduced by Walter Gropius in his major architectural work the Bauhaus Building in Dessau influenced the major part of the world in terms of architectural movement which rooted from progressive ideas.
The next project that should be discussed with the framework of the expressionism in architecture is the Scharoun Residence by Hans Scharoun which continued the tendency of using modern and unusual materials in the ordinary buildings. However, the case of the Residence turned out to be even closer to the use of special organisation in ordinary buildings to divide parts with different purposes within the building and to preserve its monolithic outer presentation. In the Residence created by Hans Scharoun, the whole house is represented as a single unit, though we as independent observers can claim that there are numerous spaces within the house serving different purposes.
This architectural project can be considered one of the most effective expressionist buildings of the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries because it incorporates all distinctive features of expressionism and successfully combines them with modern ones, suchlike the flat roof which is the most spread feature which can be traced even in the architectural projects of the late twentieth century where the postmodern architectural style prevails. The relations between this residence and other architectural objects of the same period and style are obvious as in this case the style progresses with regard to implication of the architectural style which is not typical of ordinary dwellings in the houses of common people.
The last in the list of our discussions is the Barcelona Pavilion by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe which can be considered a successful combination of ascetic forms and modern materials. As visual lightness of the architectural projects is very important for expressionism as well as for its successive style Modernism, the author of the Barcelona Pavilion has contributed greatly to the development of both styles and their influence of other styles and movements in architecture and arts. One of the most distinctive features of this architectural project is the steel frame, while Mendelsohn, as you remember, used the reinforced concrete and bricks – because of insufficient finance – with glass and polished stones.
This project can be dubbed as an embodiment of the modernism influenced by expressionist style. It is clear that the flat roof is the expression of the modernist style in architecture. In this case, we can see the progress of the style; the initial concepts of expressionism were forms and materials, whereas the later projects retain only the material side of the expressionist style in architecture.
The urban style was characterized by combination of simple methods in order to create an overall impression of monolithic building, symmetry and hierarchy were rejected and replaced by original cascades of parts of the same building. The concept consisted in making the building many-sided and multi-purpose; it had to be observed fro different angles because a façade of one part could not persuade an observer in its magnificence. The necessity of developing new forms was not a burning issue of the contemporaries of Erich Mendelsohn and Walter Gropius, though the modern materials which could be not very massive and light, fail-safe and delicate contributed greatly to the development and progress of the expressionist style in architecture and its influence of successive styles and movements.
Thus, the Einstein Tower was one of the first examples of the expressionist style in architecture. It included unusual forms, delicate structure, and modern materials which were very important for developing impressions of monolithic construction. It was aimed at serving as a laboratory and an observatory, while the later projects were created as an educational institution (Bauhaus Building), the residence (by Hans Scharoun), and a project for an exhibition (Barcelona Pavilion). As the purposes of the buildings have been changed, the construction and design were changed as well.
All the techniques and traits that can be traced in the design of the inner and outer space of the Bauhaus Building can be attributed to all architectural projects which are claimed to belong to the Modern Movement in architecture. The flat roof, asymmetric construction, multiple facades made of glass (curtain wall facade which is used in order to make the outer walls non-structural ones) all these and other features can be treated as the mixture of the functional design. As the combination of artificial forms and modern materials was the first representation of the expressionism in architecture, the flat roof and all features that can be attributed to the modernism and other successive styles and movements can be considered the last demonstrations of expressionism in modern architecture.
The influence of the expressionism can be traced in the modern style and in all early architectural projects created by architects of the same architectural school as the authors considered in this paper. The most interesting thing is that the chronological representation of the architectural projects allowed demonstrating the abandoning of one traits and techniques and establishment of others which were more relevant and appropriate for use in successive projects. The incorporation of expressionism into house-building was significant in terms of modern materials which were used to make the constructions lighter and more transparent.
Works Cited
Scharoun, Hans. “Stuttgart-Weissenhof, Germany, house by Hans Scharoun, 1927. International style.” 2001. Web.
Rohe, Ludwig Mies van der. “Barcelona Pavilion, Spain.” 11 november 2008. Online image. Wikipedia. Web.
Mendelsohn, Erich. “Einstein Tower in Potsdam, Germany.” 2003. Online image. Wikipedia. Web.
Gropius, Walter. “Bauhaus Dessau.” 2009. Online image. Wikipedia. Web.
Colquhoun, Alan. Modern Architecture. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.