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Comment/Impressions |
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Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland |
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![]() Transformer House on the way to the Goetheanum |
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I have come into contact with anthroposophic concepts every now and then for the last 25 years. As with every belief system/science some concepts make sense straight away, some take time to get used to and some will never get there. Eurithmy and certain therapy concepts utilising painting and sculpting made instant sense to me. The Waldorf School concept is growing on me whereas certain life-style concepts and the overall 'cosmic justification' of anthroposophy remains suspect to me. With respect to the built environment, however, I have a lot of respect for 'anthroposophic' products. Whilst there have always been individual figures experimenting with the design of alternative geometries: Antoni Gaudi, Imre Makovecz, Bruno Taut etc., architecture based on anthroposophic concepts seem to be the only movement that has argued and produced built environments that avoid the right angle for more than 80 years. As Herr Remund pointed out it is not strictly correct that Steiner or anthroposophic architects avoid the right angle - it's more a case of balancing the use of it. Thus the Goetheanum does have its fair share of right angles, but the box-like north-eastern part gradually becomes more and more sculptural towards the south-western end. A static part of the building balanced by a dynamic part - a hybrid between a box and freeform sculpture - between the average city office block and Le Corbusiers's Notre Dame du Haut a Ronchamp. The Goetheanum in Dornach, near Basel, Switzerland, functions as the 'headquarters' of the Anthroposophic Society. As such it is different to other landmark buildings which can be seen when taking a walk through the neighbouring suburbs. |
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![]() Door to the toilets, Kaffee und Speisehaus |
![]() Light cluster and window in the library foyer, Goetheanum |
| Horst Kiechle |
Subliminal Structures
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Index of Site Visits
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Goetheanum
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