The Prussian Royal Library construction project in Berlin, managed by Alexander Baerwald between 1908 and 1913, remains a distinct example of his early Neo-Baroque design work.
Early Career and Education
Baerwald attended the Technische Universität Berlin from 1897 to 1901, with a brief interruption for a summer semester at the Technical University of Munich in 1898. From 1903, he served the Prussian Construction and Financial Direction, eventually achieving the title of Royal Ministerial Construction Councillor. During this period in the German capital, his output included his personal villa in Berlin-Dahlem, completed in 1912.
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In 1912, Baerwald relocated to undertake work for the Hilfsverein der deutschen Juden. He spent over a decade designing the Technion campus in Haifa, a project spanning 1912 to 1924, and the adjacent Realgymnasium. As a professor at the Technion, he integrated Prussian-style design disciplines into the local academic environment. The original Technion structure currently houses the Israel National Museum of Science, Technology, and Space.
Final Projects and Death
After establishing permanent residency in 1925, Baerwald continued his practice. He designed the Anglo-Palestine Bank in Haifa in 1924, now serving as a Bank Leumi le-Israel branch, followed by the Central Hospital in Afula in 1928. His final completed project was the Philips House in Haifa, finished between 1929 and 1930. He died in Haifa on 27 October 1930 and was interred at the Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery in Jerusalem.
Fast facts
- Born: 1877, Berlin
- Died: 27 October 1930, Haifa
- Education: Technische Universität Berlin, Technical University of Munich
- Roles: Architect, painter, university teacher
- Key Project: Technion University campus, 1912-1924
- Final Project: Philips House, 1929-1930
- Burial: Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was Baerwald's primary contribution to architecture in Haifa?
He is primarily noted for designing the Technion University campus and the nearby Realgymnasium, while introducing German-style institutional architecture to the region.
Did Baerwald work only as an architect?
No, he also worked as a painter and a university teacher at the Technion, in addition to his career as a professional architect.
Achievements
- Trained at Technische Universität Berlin and Technical University of Munich
