Hannes Meyer – the architect of the people
As an architect, Hannes Meyer developped a collective vision of his job. © Muriel Gerber / EPFL 2016
Hannes Meyer was a staunch Marxist and the second director of the Bauhaus school of architecture, and his late-1920s architecture was meant to change the world. A two-site exhibition held at EPFL's Archizoom and the Lausanne Forum of Architecture sheds light on the career of this architect from Basel.
A feeling of the absolute hangs over each and every one of Hannes Meyer’s projects. Every material, curve and work method selected conveys his desire for architecture to serve the people. In his 1928 manifesto, Meyer affirmed his radical approach by rejecting the usual attitude towards his profession: "Architects? They used to be artists. Now they've become experts in organization!" Breaking with tradition and opting for modernism, Hannes Meyer developed a collaborative, cross-disciplinary and anonymous approach to architecture.
From 20 September to 15 October, EPFL's Archizoom exhibition space will feature his work on housing cooperatives and a certain realization of his Marxist ideas. Projects on display include the Freidorf estate in Basel Canton, which was designed exclusively for laborers and the middle class, a district of Mexico City, and the League of Nations building in Geneva in all its transparency.
Teamwork comes first
The exhibition also reveals Hannes Meyer's avant-garde approach to teaching, which he applied while director of the Bauhaus school. Art, intuition and the heart were placed on an even keel with science, intellect and the brain. "His legacy lives on, particularly here at EPFL – there is still a desire to mix art and teaching, narrow the distinction between architect and engineer, and encourage teamwork," said Cyril Veillon, the director of Archizoom.
The exhibition extends to the f’ar Forum of Architecture, where Hannes Meyer's political and cultural entourage and his minimalist furniture will be presented.
CUB – a collaborative approach
A strong advocate of the cross-disciplinary approach, Hannes Meyer is an ideal first subject for the newly created Fondation Culture du Bâti (CUB). This foundation aims to promote national projects relating to the art of building, landscape and construction, and EPFL is one of its many partners. Its founders chose to combine the launch of CUB with the exhibition's opening on 20 September – a perfect tribute to the architect's collaborative vision.
CO-OP: Hannes Meyer and the Concept of Collective Design, from 20 September to 15 October 2016.
