2G irtrocuccin viroston ‘Antonio Armest 2 wastecoy Profesor tarde roe a Ea detract de Ecaca, For mentee nor del gruoey de arevta 20 bubiado tos y areas tarcos Yorbos sere aautaca, te ‘Sera exposes En ‘Seocacon con ioe Mar ha tea ‘etnies fa eet fa Pres Pessoa Barcel Escuela de Aeutecars Howes foing merbet of he (gow adie pateaton 20 carlson arehfecye ang he tarot dpb ‘ty Ca are, as won To Brn rae orlock #9 fretcttad Tater de caritri on ia Bauhaus oe Wimar, 1923. ‘The uiture workchop ae ‘Noimar Bashaue, 1923 Quince casas americanas de Marcel Breuer (1938-1965). La refundacién del universo doméstico como propésito experimental Fifteen American Houses by Marcel Breuer (1938-1965). The Refounding of the Domestic Universe on Experimental Grounds Antonio Armesto ‘Me gusta pensar que a casa més lyjosa que yo haya construido haa sido un experimento para encontrar solucones de utidad general Marcel Breuer, Sun and shadow, p. 11. Marcel Breuer emigré a Estados Unidos en 1937, instal dose en Cambridge, Massachusetts ll se asocié con Welter Gropius, al tiempo que ambos ejercian como profesores en Hervard, Trabajo con Gropus hasta 1941 y abandond Harvard fen 1946, afio en que se trasladé a Nueva York, dande permanecié hasta el final de su vida, Desde Pécs, su cudad natal, en Hungria, Brever habia emprendido, alos 18 alos de ae | ike to thnk of the most lnurious house | have bult as an experiment to find solutions applicable for general use Marcel Breuer, Sun and Shadow, p. 11 ‘Marcel Breuer emigrated tothe United States in 1937 and settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, He associated timselt with Walter Gropius there and they were both givng classes at Harvard, He worked with Gropius unt 1941 and left Harvard in 1946, the year he moved to New York, where he would remain Unt the end of his fe. At the age of 18, Breuer would leave Pécs, his birthplace in Hungary, and begin an odyssey which would find him living in Vienna, Weimar, Pars, Dessau, Bern, Budapest, Zurich and London, before crossing the Atatic. He remained 35 years in Europe and 44 in America. He bulthis first chair atthe Baunausin 1921 and he reted in 1976, for heath reasons. He was active, then, for almost six decades. Inthe recently founded Bauhaus in Weimar, he lved closely together wit artists and craftsmen in an autodidacti, choral atmosphere. He left the Bauhaus in Dessau in 1928, at age 26 (ater 4 years as a Young Master inthe Furiture Labora tory), and opened his first office in Bern, By this time he had already earned an extr2ordinary reputation as a designer of furriture and interiors 2 Between the year he arrived in America and the 1956 publica tion of Marcel Breuer: Sun & Shadow. The Phiosophy ofan Ar chitect (a book which summarized Fis architectural work and thought), he had already attained celebrity from the mary single ‘amily houses he had bul As early as 1948 he had received recognition through a shaw dedicated to him atthe MoMA, In the mid1950s, however, he was very involved inthe big international projects ofthe UNESCO Building in Pars (1953- 1958); the De Bijenkort department stores in Rotterdam (1953-1957); St. John’s Benedictine Abbey and University in Minnesota (1953-1961); the United States Embassy in The Hague (1954-1958); Hunter College inthe Bronx (19551959); New York University (19561961), etc. These monumental Projects represent only a small part of his work up unt aedad, un perilo que le llevaria a resiir en Viena, Weimar, Paris, Dessau, Bern, Budapest, Zirich y Londres, antes de cruzar el Aténtco. En Europa permanecé 35 aos y en Ameri ca 44, Constr su primera sila enla Bauhaus en 1921 y se relird de la profesion, por motvos de salud, en 1976. Por lo tanto, estuvo en acto durante casi seis décadas." En a recién fundada Bauhaus de Weimar convivo estrecha mente con artistas y artesanos, en un ambiente de auto- didactsmo coral En 1928, alos 26 afios, después de cua ‘tro coma Joven Maestro del Laboratorio del Mueble, dejé la Bauhaus de Dessau para abrir su primer despacho en Belin Enese momento haba alcanzado ya una extraordiariarepu tacién como realizador de muebles e interiores? Entre el aio 1937, en que lega a América, y 1956, en que sale a la luz el libro Marcel Brever: Sun & Shadow. The Philosophy of an Architect, resumen de su obra y de su pense ‘mento arqutecténico,reaiza una buena cantidad de casas unifaniiares que le darén celebidad, como quedé reconocido ya por la exposicidn que el Molt le deicé en el aio 1948. Pero, a mediados de los cincuenta, lo que le mantiene inten ‘samente ocupado son los grandes proyectos de ambit in ternacional: la sede de la UNESCO en Paris (1953-1958!; los ‘almacenes De Bjenkort en Rotterdam (19531957) a aba. dia y universidad benedictinas de St. John, en Minnesota (1953-1961); la embajada de EEUU en La Haya (1954-1958); el Hunter College en el Bronx (1955-1959); la Universidad de Nueva York (19561961), etc. Estas obras, ciertamente mo rnumentales, son sblo una pequeia parte de las que realizaré hasta 1976, ao en que se retira de la profesién. Marcel Lajos Brever two una vida plenay alcanz6 tres veces la fama, por asi decir. Culind con éxito tres etapas de su vida: la europea, momento de su formacién con los abetos y la manualidad, y en la que produce la mayor parte de sus celebrados muebles e interiors; as dos primeras décadas americanas, dedicadas sobre todo a la construccién de ca 25; y los siguientes vente ios en que, sin abandonar los programas domestcos, se ocué de atender numerasos en cargos pablicos y rivados de gran magnitud, en varios con tinentes. Asipues, se podria hablar de la praduccién de Breuer como si se tratara de la obra de tres personajes dstntos, ero no porque entre una y otra fase haya incoherencia 0 iscontinudad, sino porque resultan claramente individu lzabls. Es frecuente que alguien, viendo su obra construda en las dos ttimas décadas, se sorprenda al darse cuenta de (que su autores el mismo que se hizo famaso por sus casas, muebles einterioes; 0 bien otros que, conociendo las casas americanas, tardan un tiempo en asocialas con el autor de las famosas silas Wassily 0 Cesca, et. Noes estala ocasidn para analiza criticamente y de mane- ra sistematica la produccion de sus tres etapas y su corre lacidn, pues queremas centraros en las casas y, ademas, aunque es une cuestion de gran interés, es una tarea exter say de gran dfcutad, teniendo en cuenta que la obra de Breuer abarca todas las vicisitudes de la arquitectura mo- dderna en el siglo XX. No fue un arqutecto infuido por la ‘modernidad, sino uno de sus mas activos protagonistas y, debido 2 su juventud y precocidad, pudo conwivir con os maestros y sobrevivirlos, convirtsndose asi, también, en tuna de los epiganas del movimiento moderna, Gao Carlo Argan, querendo dar una vision comprensiva de todas las facetas de su obra, mantenia, en 1955, que Brever oda representa "a tipo de atstay de técrico que la Bauhaus ‘2 propuso formar: la demostracién viiente de la bondad del miétodo didéctico que en aquela escuela sepractcaba. El hom al Marcel Lajos Brever had a full life and it could even be said that he was thre times famous. He successfully completed three periods in his if: the European one with his training with objects and craftsmanship, during which he produced most of his celebrated furniture and interiors; the frst two ‘American decades dedicated mostly to the building of houses; ‘and the last twenty years, in whic, in addition tothe domes: tic programs, he also participated in numerous large public, ‘and private commissions on various continents. So, Brever’s, production could be spoken of asf it were the work of three different individuals, ot because of any incoherence or dis- continuity between the phases, but more because of each ‘one's distinct character. When people see his work ofthe last two decades and realize that its author is also the very same ‘one famous for his houses, furniture and interiors, itis not uncommon for them to be surprised. It also happens that people familiar with Breuer's American houses do not readily associate him with the author ofthe famous Wassily or Cesca chairs. This is not the time to systematically and ertically analyze Breuers production and the correlation between his three periods. Here, we want to focus on his houses. The other issues, though of great interest, would be a major and ex- tensive task since Brever lived through virtual all the viciss tudes of 20"century moder architecture. He was not some- one influenced by modernity, but was one ofits most active protagonists and because of his youth and precociousness he was able to lve with the masters and then outive them, thus becoming one of the heirs tothe Modern Movement. Wanting to give a comorehensive overview ofall the facets of his work, Gio Cario Argan maintained in 1955 that Brever could represent "the type of atist and technical person that the Bauhaus intended to form: the ving demonstration ofthe .oodness of the didactical method which was practised at the school. The man of the method, a method which would alow fr the most pertinent response to the ifnite demands. ofa‘society ke the one the members ofthe Bauhaus hoped to see bom: the most differentiated and mobile, the most dialectical and functional social organization thatthe human mind has yet conceived fram the Enlightenment on.” Maybe Argan, who we admire for his rigor and critical sharpness, couldnot make out the seltrefiectve perspective which Breuer was introducing in these precise moments with his book Sun {& Shadow. Had he been abe to, he would have had to adit that together with the man of method ~the one who extracts, the works formal determination from the experience of do- ing there was aman who aspired towards system or theory. As we wish to show, Breuer ~from early on in his Iife- was, able to separate the idea or formal dimension from the mate ‘ial one and its execution. To approachhis workuwithout rej dices, it is fundamental to understand this point. In our opin. Introduccion troduction 2G. oie. are Brover atthe Dest ‘Bauhaus daring the mi 1920s, Mur con na mascara do (0 Sehiommer srt ons sia Wassty, 1926, ‘oman wt a maby (0, Schlemmer seated inthe assy cha, 1926, "Pando reutar cout latreve bog des pares rele, Es signet ave Aa Ata, clr esta Tren 1828, pad vee eniran dese Born ios mets de Beer 3 ‘una cespaco para Eos moots orate: pueden verse actoierts ene Mae ar Kato oe Js rng eset tree to stor bogray on pages 126127 ns sear ta when ae Ate moved Tors, he roc Se o roe ntireom ein or hs oc. These ran! Mato ase bay See Guo Cao ga: set Breuer Dseare ina © entra, Gotan 1957 Ths warns concoes 195, her Sever was avn Be Gen Prono Mierarenle La asc Cangasso vo, mie te, Mean Ivete a ret atop ‘ura. a arson wa ees a tnt ag pon ore “reed ar which bat ‘saree oan cs on2G rerovectn riodcton 2 veae: Guo Caro Aga: Mate! ‘ur Oseano rasa ‘sehen ore, Mn, 1957, ‘Elta fo coce en 1995, can ato de a enoga a Brover (flan rene teranonde (3 ‘nascent Conpaso ve ae ase ‘Enel et, Argan conse (catego ctea seein cal ‘ue sargun persona ue se abe deb ozerenca dct, ‘Eine qe chase colar rer bar la, ular poco (mat, pra essai Seemecoduges" om sebiscay “ conferecien i Unversd e ae, 3 de moj de 1958. Pade asatare en Pi ose, Wings Ove Lversty Pres, 1973 on version avai rtp Jason Esrtos Eaton Gusta Gt ceo 1981 * coneece a Yl Unies, May 1956. ean be ford Php Jomson ngs, nor Uvesty ose 1973 Sa de estar, casa Harsmacher, Wsboden, 1932. Ling oon, Harsmacher Howe, Wesboden, 1932. Casa Knfin Now Canaan, ‘com, 1949, Kofi House, New Canaan, ‘Coon, 1949, bre del método, de un método que permite responder del modo mds pertinent a la infnitas demandas de una sociedad” como la que fos miembros dela Bauhaus esperaban ver nacer: “la ‘més dferenciada y méul, lms daléctica y funciona organiza- ‘in social que mente human, desde el uminismo en adelan- te, haya jamés concebido"* Quiza Argan, @ quien admiramos, or su rigor y agudeza critica, no pudo prestaratencion a la perspectva autorrefiexiva que el propio Brever introduca, en ‘aquellos precisos momentos, con su lira Sun & Shadow. De haberlo hecho, hubiera ested en condiciones de adritr que junto al hombre de método, que extrae de la experiencia del hacer la determinacén formal de la obra, se halla el hombre ‘que aspira al sistema, @ la teora, Porque, como deseamos ‘mostra, Breuer fue capaz, desde una fase temprana de suvida, de separar la idea, es decir la dimension formal, de la materia y de la ejecucién. Comprender ésto resulta, a nvesto jicio, fundamental para acercarse a su obra sin precios. Desde nuestro punto de vista, Sun & Stadow quiere ser tanto tun balance de ls actividad desarolada hasta aquel momento como unareffexion de largo alcance que se tende entree asa 4o ye futuro. Por eso lo vemos como un cierto final de recorrt do y, ala vez, como un principio; un punto de infexsn que superpondria@ aquela divin en tres fases de la carrera de ‘Brever, otra partcin en dos mitades exacta: la primera abar- ccando desde 1920 a 1948, si tomamos la fecha de inicio de sus estudos ya dela exposicin del MoMA ~en la que su abra ¥ pensarrento han entrado en sazén- coma ites; la segun- a, desde 1948 hasta efinal de su eercicio profesional, en 1976. 1. De la modernizacién del ambiente doméstico ‘alla domesticacién de lo moderno Las casas americanas de Marcel Brever llegaron a repre- sentar, ene los afios cuarenta y los setenta, el canon de la modernidad confortable. No sélo para los arquitectos, sino también para el piblico, y no solo en Estados Uni- «dos, sino también en Europa y otros lugares, Resplandecian con una claridad y una transparencia que ahora, con cierta perspectiva, sabemos que eran vitudes derivadas de una Cualdad intelectual y no meras sensaciones. Hacianreferen- cia @ una aspiacion cutual; consegur formu la casa del hombre contemporsneo como sineetsmo de valores perma nentes: la conservacion de la vida y de la sald, la alegria del contacto con la naturale, la armona de as relaciones entre sus habitantes, ! dsrute de os avances técrcos, etc. Las casas denotaban economia, eficaca, arden y lmpieza,elegan cia sin afectacion,y transmitian la nocion de domestcidad sin necesidad de recur a anacronicas 0 cusisiconografias. A contempleras, se tenia la mpresion de que el universo domes tico hubiera sido reinaugurada de un modo fresco, geruino, ‘original en sentido etimoligico. Quiz ls muros de mamposte- ria dela casa Clark (1951), flotandoingrvidos sobre la hirba, ‘raduzcan con inmedate una de las claves de aque levedad sin igereza que es uno dels rasgos del hacer de Breuer. ¥ es ‘quelos efectos perceptvos y visuals de su obra estaban, como hemos insinuado, soportados por un profundo enramado cor ‘cepa, al que intentaremos aproximarnos en este escrito, La conexién con et pbico y la popuaridad que algunas de sus ‘casas alcanzaron podran hacer pensar que Breve fue un arque tecto empiricoy sensvo, que rabajé confando exclsivamen- te en la intuicdn. Este es uno de os lugares comunes mas ifundidos, y a € parece alucir Philp Johnson cuando, mafcio- ‘samente, lo define como “un aldeano manirista’.* Pero ef epteto de Jotnson contiene una oposicén de térinos: i, por un ado, parece reerirse auna supuesta incinacin natu: ‘on, Sun & Shadow seeks to represent both a balance of the ‘activity developed up uni that moment as well as a long reaching reflection wich wil out as a bridge between the ‘past and the future, Fr this reason, we see it as both an end ‘and a beginning; a point of inflection which would divide Brever's career in two exact haves and supernose itself upon the other three part division. The first ha would be between 1920 (the year he began his studies) and 1948, the year of the MoMA exhibition, by which time his work and thought had reached maturity. The second period would be from 1948 to 1976, which marks the end of his professional practice. 1. From the modernization of the domestic realm to the domestication of the modern one Between the 1940s and the 1970s Marcel Breuer’s Amer ican houses came to represent the canon of comfortable ‘modernity. Not only for architects but also for the general publi, and nat only inthe United States but also in Europe ‘and in ther places. They shone with a clarity and transpar tency which we know, with hindsight, does not have to do with mere sensations. Rather, they were virtues derived from an intellectual quality. They made reference to the cultural asp- iration of formulating contemporary man's house as a sy cretism of permanent values: the preservation of life and health, the joy of contact with nature, the harmonious rela tions among its inhabitants, the enjoyment of technological ‘advances, ete. The houses denoted economy, efficiency, of- dr and cleanliness, elegance without affectation, and they transmitted the notion of domesticity without having to re sort to the use of anachronicistic iconography. To contem- plate them, one had the impression that the domestic uni- verse had been reinaugurated in afresh, genuine and orignal (in the etymological sense) way. Perhaps the stone masonry walls in the Clark House (1951), floating gravityless above the grass, give immediate translation to that levity without lightness which is characteristic in Breue’s work. As we have insinuated, the perceptive and visual effects in his work were supported by a profound conceptual framework which we hope to begin to uncover inthis text. The connection with the pubic and the popularity that some of his houses attained could make one tink that Breuer was ‘an empirical and sensitive architect who based his work, at ‘most exclusively, on intuition. Ths idea is one ofthe most widely held and Philip Johnson appears to allude to it, malt ciously, when he defines him as “a peasant mannerst’.* But Johnson's epithet contains opposing terms. f, onthe one hand, it seems to refer to @ supposed naturalistic and local inclination, on the other, it recognizes the absolute dominion that Breuer had over the modern European inheritance. So Johnson's paradox can be fertile from a critical and descrip- tive point of view. Breuer uses a natural stone from Connect cut or cypress wood, but he also works with principles that distil, comprehend and deepen. Without these principles, the materials would be devoid of meaning. They would belong to nature and not to culture. In his sense Breuer, as an archi tect, could be considered not only wise as a peasant but also cutvated or mannerist ‘These dimensions could explain wt architects from all over the world saw simple schemes to imitate inthe floor plans ‘and photographs of Breuer’s American houses. The family ‘program appeared clear and ordered. it was a didactic archi- tecture which didnot hide the procedures used to enter oy way ofthe clarity of the elements and their composition) ito the spatial richness, the sumptuous relation with nature and