Functional diagrams and economic programs served as the primary instruments for Hannes Meyer, a Swiss architect whose tenure as the second director of the Bauhaus from 1928 to 1930 challenged the movement’s aesthetic foundations. Operating between Switzerland, Germany, the Soviet Union, and Mexico, he prioritized social utility and low-cost construction over stylistic concerns throughout his professional life.
Architectural Philosophy and Early Projects
Born in Basel in 1889, Meyer trained as a mason before practicing architecture across Switzerland, Belgium, and Germany. His early career included planning the Freidorf housing estate near Basel between 1919 and 1921. In 1923, he co-founded the architectural journal ABC Beiträge zum Bauen. By 1926, his collaboration with Hans Wittwer produced designs for the Basel Petersschule and the Geneva League of Nations Building, both utilizing structural steel and prioritizing natural light and ventilation, though neither reached completion.
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Walter Gropius appointed Meyer to lead the Bauhaus architecture department in April 1927, eventually selecting him as his successor as school director on 1 April 1928. Meyer introduced a radical functionalist approach termed Die neue Baulehre, emphasizing serial production and mass-market affordability. Under his direction, the school produced the Laubenganghäuser apartments in Dessau and the ADGB Trade Union School in Bernau bei Berlin. Political tensions concerning student organizations led to his dismissal by Mayor Hesse on 1 August 1930.
Soviet Period and Personal Tragedy
Moving to the Soviet Union in 1930, Meyer taught at the WASI academy and provided urban planning consultation for Moscow’s redevelopment. He also drafted master plans for Birobidzhan, the capital of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast. Amidst the rise of Stalinist purges, he departed for Switzerland in 1936. His partner, Margarete Mengel, remained in Moscow and was executed by firing squad in 1938. Their son, Johannes, was later raised in a state reformatory.
Later Career in Mexico and Final Years
In 1939, Meyer emigrated to Mexico City, where he directed the Instituto del Urbanismo y Planificación until 1941. He subsequently led Estampa Mexicana, the publishing house for the Taller de Gráfica Popular. He returned to Switzerland in 1949 and remained there until his death in 1954.
Fast facts
- Born: 1889, Basel
- Died: 1954, Lugano
- Bauhaus Directorship: 1928–1930
- Nationality: Swiss
- Occupations: Architect, urban planner, photographer
- Primary Movement: Modernism
- Major Works: ADGB Trade Union School, Laubenganghäuser
- Mexican Roles: Instituto del Urbanismo y Planificación, Estampa Mexicana
Questions readers ask
Why was Hannes Meyer dismissed from the Bauhaus?
Dessau Mayor Hesse dismissed him in 1930 due to allegations that he permitted a Communist student organization to influence the school, which the city administration believed threatened the institution's survival.
What were the determining principles of Meyer's architecture?
Meyer argued that buildings should be designed based on the functional diagrams and economic programs derived from daily routines, such as sleeping, hygiene, and heating, rather than aesthetic choices.
Achievements
- Worked as architect, photographer and urban planner
