Gropius House

GROPIUS HOUSE
FACTS :
 Location : Lincoln,Massachusetts.
 Area : 5.51 acres.
 Architect : Walter Gropius.
 Client : Walter Gropius.
 Designed : 1937.
 Built : 1938.
 Status : Museum.
(Currently)
The Gropius House.

LANDSCAPE
Situated on a grassy rise surrounded by stone retaining walls,amidst

wetlands and an aorchard of 90 apple trees.The lawn extended 20 feet
around the entire house with a perennial garden expanding in the south
by the porch.
Tree was transplanted from nearby forests.
ARTISTIC IMPRESSION
1ST FLOOR PLAN
2ND FLOOR PLAN
SPACES
Hallway and Staircase : The entry and hallway illustrate Gropius’
use of traditional New England forms and ideas.The central hall with doors at
both front and rear ensures cross ventilation.
To the left of the entrance door is an open space to hang coats,which was not
a typical feature in houses at that time.By eliminating the door,Gropius
incorporated the closet as a design element as a way to introduce color and
texture that would change with seasons.
Applications of unusual building materials like the floor is a resilent cork tile and
ceiling made of acoustical plaster.Both materials are sound
absorbing,durable,functional and elegant
The curved staircase faces away from the entry signifying the upstairs as
private space.the bent metal railing was fitted to match the climber’s stride.
Staircase(pic left)
Closet (pic right)

LIVING ROOM
Large windows frame the landscape and expand the interior spaces.To the west is a
view of the apple orchard,the south faces the private back yard. Both walls have
windows positioned for maximum light and heat. A projecting overhang on the southern
exposure blocks the sun in the summer and allows it to penetrate in winter. A glass door
on the south wall allows easy access to the patio for entertaining and for everyday use.
DINNING ROOM
. The living room and dining room appear as one coherent space but may be separated
by a curtain.
Yet they favored small, intimate dinner parties with close friends and designed their
dining room as a dramatic setting in which to entertain them. While they enjoyed
cocktails with their guests in the living room, the maid would be behind the drape quietly
preparing the table for the evening’s dinner. The drape would open and dinner would be
served. The overhead light, a fixture designed for use in an art museum to light a piece
of sculpture, created a dramatic scene as it illuminated to just the edge of the table. The
guests would be sitting in darkness while the crystal and tableware sparkled under the
soft light and reflected upward creating a flattering appearance for those seated. The
exterior lighting would illuminate the landscape, eliminating the glass wall and creating
the illusion of dining outside
KITCHEN
Gropius designed the kitchen and pantry with efficiency and function in mind.
He used new materials available at this time. The kitchen features a solid
stainless steel sink and counter top complete with garbage disposal. The
pantry contains a second smaller sink next to an automatic dishwasher. Both
garbage disposals and dishwashers were appliances not generally used in
1938 kitchens. These features, combined with the steel cabinets and marble
cutting board.
SCREENED PORCH
Walter and Ise Gropius considered the screened porch to be among the best practical New
England responses to the environment. They noted, however, that porches usually darkened
interior living spaces and were often placed at the front or side of a house. In past decades a
porch overlooking the road would be quite pleasant, with neighbors and infrequent slow-
moving vehicles passing by. However, modern living dictated that a porch should not force
the occupants of the house to endure the noise of the street. Gropius adapted the basic idea
to a private garden façade, placing the porch perpendicular to the house to capture every
available breeze, provide total privacy from the road, and darken only a service room.
MASTER BEDROOM SUITE
This room reflects Gropius’s economical use of space and contains many innovative design
details. A glass wall separates dressing room from sleeping area creating the illusion of a
larger space while solving a practical design problem. The wall separates two heating zones,
allowing the Gropiuses to sleep in a cold environment but dress in a warmer one. There is
also a curtain one could close for privacy and a door that could be closed to contain noise.
Wooden slats are attached to the wall’s surface to carry through the line of the windows while
preserving the plaster as they act as a durable surface on which the Gropiuses could attach
art work or other decoration.
GUEST BEDROOM
The beds, placed head to head, equal the length of the room. The dressing table plus night
table plus bed equals the width. While the room is small, the placement of the furniture gives
it a much larger feel.
ATI’S ROOM
Ati's room was the largest of the three bedrooms, with her own private entrance that included
a spiral wrought-iron staircase. Though Gropius could not give her the sand floor and glass
ceiling she requested, he did give her a private roof deck so that she could sleep under the
stars.
Ati’s room(pic left); Roof deck(pic right).
IMAGE GALLERY
A sketch of the Gropius house;View from the bedroom;Left façade;An outdoor shower.
(Pics from left to right respectivily).
THANK YOU

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GROPIUS HOUSE

The Gropius House.

Situated on a grassy rise surrounded by stone retaining walls,amidst

Closet (pic right)

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