Fagus Factory

Alfeld (Leine), Germany

Fagus Factory in Alfeld is a 10-building complex - began around 1910 to the design of Walter Gropius, which is a landmark in the development of modern architecture and industrial design. It was constructed between 1911 and 1913, with additions and interiors completed in 1925. Serving all stages of manufacture, storage and dispatch of lasts used by the shoe industry, the complex, which is still operational today, is situated in Alfeld an der Leine in Lower Saxony. With its groundbreaking vast expanses of glass panels and functionalist aesthetics, the complex foreshadowed the work of the Bauhaus school and is a landmark in the development of architecture in Europe and North America.

The Fagus factory in Alfeld establishes several major fundamental aspects of modern functionalist architecture of the 20th century, in particular the curtain wall. It constitutes a homogeneous, territorial and built complex, rationally and completely designed to serve an industrial project. It expresses great architectural unity. The scheme is at once architectural, aesthetic and social, and bears witness to a determination to achieve humanist control of the social and aesthetic changes linked to industrialisation. The interior decorative and functional elements are attuned with the architecture and the social project. They represent one of the first consummate manifestations of industrial design.

Fagus Factory has been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 1910
Category: Industrial sites in Germany
Historical period: German Empire (Germany)

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Marques (2 years ago)
I was left a bit disappointed by my visit. There is too much content in the museum (over 5 floors), and I would say the story could be curated better. It felt like a lot was repeated across different information boards, display cabinets and videos. There is also the UNESCO welcome centre, which seemed a bit pointless to me. The audio guide tour of the campus was okay, but again, it sort of repeats what is inside the museum, so of limited interest. I was told there are a few buildings I could go inside during my weekday visit, but it was pretty unclear on the ground. Given it’s still an active workplace, I decided not to just start opening random doors. The canteen also stops serving food a while before closing time. Saying all of this, the buildings remain stunning. I’m glad I finally visited them, but I hope they refresh the exhibition in the coming years.
Jens Baumgarten (3 years ago)
Amazing architecture of Gropius, and still functioning as enterprise. Unfortunately the museum was closed when I visited it because of Christmas holidays.
Mathieu Provost (4 years ago)
The visit of the exterior of the factory is highly recommended for its Bauhaus architecture. The site also offer the possibly to access an exhibition space explaining the industry which Fagus is dedicated to. However, don’t bother spending a ticket for the exhibition if you don’t speak German: scarce explanations are provided in English
Chang Huiwen (4 years ago)
Nice designs and get much knowledge, stay 2hours there
Richard Ashcroft (5 years ago)
The Fagus factory in Alfeld earned its UNESCO cultural heritage site status as a trailblazing work of modernist architecture and the first major commission of Walter Gropius, founder of Bauhaus. The shoe factory also has a notorious connection with inhumane shoe-testing experiments conducted on prisoners at Sachsenhausen. The museum unfortunately concentrates on shoe production. There is not enough context to illuminate the importance of Gropius’ work here, and there’s a shortage of Bauhaus-related material. The NS era is treated very cursorily. Instead there are whole rooms filled with group photos of factory employees or about trees and forests. Despite these shortcomings, the museum is interesting and well worth a visit.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Argos Theater

The ancient Argos Theater was built in 320 BC. and is located in Argos, Greece against Larissa Hill. Nearby from this site is Agora, Roman Odeon, and the Baths of Argos. The theater is one of the largest architectural developments in Greece and was renovated in ca 120 AD.

The Hellenistic theater at Argos is cut into the hillside of the Larisa, with 90 steps up a steep incline, forming a narrow rectilinear cavea. Among the largest theaters in Greece, it held about 20,000 spectators and is divided by two landings into three horizontal sections. Staircases further divide the cavea into four cunei, corresponding to the tribes of Argos A high wall was erected to prevent unauthorized access into the theatron and may have helped the acoustics, but it is said the sound quality is still very good today.

Around 120 CE, both theaters were renovated in the Roman style.