Heinrich Tessenow

Heinrich Tessenow (1876-1950) is considered one of the most significant German architects of the first half of the 20th century. A new monograph now celebrates his entire body of work, exploring the relevance of his buildings, writings, and drawings today. Zurich architect, architecture professor, and author Martin Boesch presents a new perspective on Tessenow through meticulous research into his written and built works, challenging the common association of Tessenow with small residential houses for workers, craftsmen, and the petite bourgeoisie. Boesch demonstrates in his publication that Tessenow was equally adept at large-scale projects as he was at smaller ones, proving his capability to plan for the metropolis. The book particularly honors Tessenow's iconic buildings, such as the Böhler House in St. Moritz, the girls' school in Kassel, the state school in Klotzsche near Dresden, the renovation of the Neue Wache in Berlin, and the colonnade on the beach at Prora. For the monograph and the exhibition he curated at the Accademia di architettura in Mendrisio, Martin Boesch conducted research in the remaining archives (Tessenow's archive was destroyed in World War II), as well as field research and even applied archaeological methods. He organizes his findings around three thematic areas: "Building in the Landscape," "Projects for the City," and "The Large House and the Small House," with commentary from 33 authors spread across Europe, from Kent to Bari to Prague.