Breuer Houses

The Hungarian-born architect Marcel Breuer (1902-81) rose to prominence as a student under Walter Gropius at the Bauhaus, and became a master as head of the furniture workshop. He emigrated to the United States in 1937, where he taught at Harvard University, influencing a generation of practitioners. As the head of his own firm, Breuer became known for designs as diverse and powerful as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and the iconic 'Wassily' chair - the first chair to use tubular steel, which revolutionized the furniture industry. Breuer, like many architects who work simultaneously on small- and large-scale commissions, used residential architecture as a laboratory for all of his design ideas. Not only is the quality and quantity of Breuer's residential output impressive, but when it is seen in sequence one can perceive a development of his spatial mastery and expertise. Because of their interplay of spaces and daring juxtaposition of materials, Breuer's houses have had a profound influence on residential architecture around the world and upon generations of young designers. This monograph is a comprehensive study of Breuer's house designs from 1923 to 1973. Richly illustrated with drawings, plans and archival photography, the book provides insight to the working methods of a key architectural figure of the twentieth century.