Expressionist Architecture: Bruno Taut

Every generation past throughout this century exemplifies expressionism within its own
bearing. Defining expressionist architecture is difficult. This style was describe to be adopted
from trending innovations inspired by biomorphic forms and was developed more by the existing
new technology (Jencks, 1986). As Iain Boyd Whyte has studied, the style has usually been
defined in terms of what it is not rather that what it is, and there is some truth in the opinion that
Expressionism is a tendency in stepping up to modern architecture . Expressionist architecture
was developed in Europe during the first decades of the 20th century as an architectural
movement (Stallybrass and Bullock, 1988).
Many expressionist architects fought in World War I and their experiences, combined
with the political turmoil and social upheaval that followed the German Revolution of 1919,
resulted in a utopian outlook and a romantic socialist agenda (Jencks, 1986). Many of the
expressionist works was not been implemented or constructed because of the economic
conditions present at that time, an example was Bruno Tauts Alpine Architecture. Tautts project
remained as a creative work on paper between the year 1914 and the middle of 1920s (Pehnt,
1973).
Expressionist architect penetrate their work with a political, economic and artistic values
which provided the manifestation of expressionist architecture (Sharp, 1966). Expressionist
architects were influenced by the rooting innovations offered by emerging new technology. As a
result, revolutionary creations were introduced by the expressionism style. Expressionism origin
was within European culture so the idea of expressionist architecture was easily spread
throughout the places within Europe. Bruno Julius Florian Taut was a German architect classified

as an Expressionist. Bruno Taut was a leading architect associated with the Berlin wing of the
Expressionist movement (Colquhoun, 2002).
Bruno Tauts Glass Pavilion was his best known constructed building that was in
Cologne Deutscher Werkbund Exhibition built in 1994 (Weston, 2004). The structure was
constructed using glass and concrete and possessed Tauts motif in color he was using in his
entire career state (Weston, 2004).Tauts purpose in constructing such building was to describe
the potential of using glass in architecture. Glass Pavilion was a project at the era where
expressionism was popular in Germany so it was said to be classified as an example of a
expressionist architecture (Watkin, 2005).
Bruno Tauts Glass Pavilion was a very good examples of expressionist architecture. The
form used in the building was somewhat near to be distorted, distortion of shape or form was a
characteristic present to an expressionist architecture. Tauts idea of the building was an original
visualization of his own, an evidence of a work of a expressionist. The Glass Pavilion of Tauts
appears to be a pineapple-shaped building. Themes of natural biomorphic form found to be a
recurring works in expressionist architecture. The said statements are an evidence that Bruno
Taut as an architect was a expressionist artist and his best known building Glass Pavilion was a
product of expressionism.
Taut advocate expressionism movement which he seen to be describe as a type of
architecture that an individual uses to express his feelings by the use of arts. Tauts work
included creative types of structures such as housing, offices, etc. Taut is a unique European
architect in his devotion to color (Kirch, 1989). How to use color was one of the unique features

of Bruno Taut that he continued to practice throughout his architectural career (Colquhoun,
2002).
Bruno Taut is best known for his ideal work, logical writings and the buildings he
designed (Colquhoun, 2002). As a expressionist architect, Tauts original ideas introduce the
style of expressionism.

References
Colquhoun, Alan (2002). Modern Architecture. New York, US: Oxford University Press.
Jenks, Charles (1986). Modern Movements in Architecture. Second Edition. Penguin.
Pehnt, Wolfgang (1973). Expressionist Architecture. Thames and Hudson.
Sharp, Dennis (1966). Modern Architecture and Expressionism. George Braziller: New York.
Stallybrass, O., & Bullock, A. (1988). The Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought (Paperback).
Fontana press. P. 918
Weston, Richard (2004). Plans, Sections and Elevations: Key Buildings of the twentieth Century.
Laurence King Publishing
Whyte, Iain Boyd ed. (1985). Crystal Chain Letters: Architectural Fantasies by Bruno Taut and
His Circle. The MIT Press.