A Design Sets a Precedent.

Description

At Peterskirchplatz in Basel stands a light blue school building, built in 1928/29 by architect Hans Mähly. It could have turned out differently. In the running was a competition entry that was to make architectural history: the design for the Petersschule by architects Hannes Meyer (1889–1954) and Hans Wittwer (1894–1952). Hannes Meyer built the pioneering cooperative settlement Freidorf in Muttenz from 1919-1924 and was appointed director of the Bauhaus Dessau in 1928 as successor to Walter Gropius. Dismissed there for political reasons, he emigrated to the Soviet Union in 1930. The revised design of the Petersschule was one of the boldest concepts of new school building in the 1920s. The unusual shape of the school building, a skeleton system made of steel and concrete, and its internal organization represented the dawning new era with architectural means. The architects sought a design solution that would serve the educational ideal of a well-rounded youth. The exhibition shows the life and work of Hannes Meyer: from his childhood and youth in Basel through his study trips, the time in Dessau, in the Soviet Union and in Mexico to his last years spent in Ticino. The centerpiece of the exhibition is the model of the Petersschule Basel, built for the exhibition on the occasion of his hundredth birthday “Hannes Meyer - 1898-1954 - architect urbanist teacher.” Book launch with panel discussion featuring authors Tatiana Efrussi, Lukas Gruntz, Ernst Spycher, and Martin Viehhauser, moderated by Noah Regenass.

Highlights

• Book launch with panel discussion
• Authors: Tatiana Efrussi, Lukas Gruntz, Ernst Spycher, Martin Viehhauser
• Location: University Library Basel

General Information

The event is dedicated to the life and work of architect Hannes Meyer and his designs, especially the Petersschule in Basel. The book launch is accompanied by a panel discussion that highlights various perspectives on Meyer's influence on architecture and education.

Location

Schönbeinstrasse 18/20, 4056 Basel, Switzerland

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