• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.15 no.5 s.58
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• pp.12-19
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• 2006

The artistic features of German Expressionism in the early twentieth century are often recognized for its abstract and emotional representation in art and architecture. Expressionism departed from the paintings, notably the works of Der Blaue Reiter and the Bruck, but the architectural works with curve and organic features were also taken as expressive. German architects Hans Scharoun (1893-1972) and Hugo Haring (1882-1958), in this regard, have long been regarded as Expressionist architects, but recent studies suggest that their architectural designs include a profound idea of modem functional building. Scharoun and Haring held a socialist utopian vision as other modernists have also had, but their inherent view upon modern architecture was function which was mistakenly viewed as Expressionism in earlier documents. This paper intends to exemplify how Expressionism is inappropriate to represent the expressive presentations of Scharoun and Haring. Despite the fact that their designs possess certain expressionist elements, their works can also be constructed as an advanced functionalism. Many young architects in Germany were not given chances to build due to economic hardship after the First World War, and they were naturally led to imagery sketch designs for future architecture. Abstract Idea was freely exposed in its preliminary visual form, and it is also uneasy to draw a borderline between expressive presentation and the Expressionism itself.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.14 no.4 s.51
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• pp.3-10
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• 2005

German architect Hans Scharoun (1893-1972) has long been known as an Expressionist Architect, but recent scholarships reveal that his architectural pieces represent a profound idea of modern functional building. In this context, his architectural tendency can be constructed as an advanced functionalism. In the early twentieth century Germany, many young architects were not given chances to build due to economic hardship after World War I, and they were naturally led to imagery sketch designs for future architecture. Scharoun began with utopian fantasies as one might easily notice through his watercolor paintings in the Glass Chain period, but further developed his vision into a more concrete idea on organic building which he believed to be a modem functionalism. This paper intends to exemplify Scharoun's modern functionalism through a detailed analysis of his design of Weissenhofhaus presented at Stuttgart Deutscher Werkbund Exhibition in 1927. Weissenhofhaus is often rebuked for its expressionist qualifies by famous critics such as Sigfried Giedion and Nikolaus Pevsner, but the house also suggests other possibilities within the Modern Movement in Architecture. In particular, Weissenhofhaus is chosen for its historical importance linking two world war eras in German modern architecture.