Gropius Seeks "Unbiased, Original, Elastic" Approach to Architecture

Neither to introduce a modern European style nor a fixed idea of "Gropius" architecture but to "teach an attitude towards the problems of our generation which is unbiased, original and elastic," has Europe's leading "modern" architect come to America and to Harvard.

Writing in the May number of the Architectural Record, Walter Gropius, newly chosen professor of Architecture, explains his outlook on his first return to these shores since 1928.

Holding himself still in the ranks of the student, Gropius says that he is here "to study the extraordinary building organization, which is at present unsurpassed in the world," and "which has provided an instrument of such wonderful perfection that I think any architect would feel inspired and eager to take part in the task of developing the American architecture of the future."

This American architecture of the future; perhaps his appointment and his work may be a further proof of its strength through the past, its "ability to reconcile and amaigamate the most diverse types of people to create a new form of life of typically American stamp."

If he can play his part, his intention is most of all to introduce a method of approach which allows the tackling of a problem according to its peculiar conditions. "What I do want is to make the young people realize how inexhaustible the means of creation are if they make use of the innumerable modern products of our age."

"The satisfaction of the human soul" "in a new spatial vision." he holds to be more important than structural economy and functional perfection. "More than ever before it is in the hands of us architects to help our contemporaries to lead a natural and sensible life instead of paying tribute to the false gods of make believe."

And above all "it should be our highest aim to produce the type of men who are able to visualize an entity rather than let themselves get absorbed too early in the narrow channels of specialization. Our century has produced the expert types in millions. Let us make way now for the men of vision.

Gropius, considered one of the world's most brilliant designers of industrial units and housing projects, came from Germany to join the Faculty of the Architectural School a mouth age.