Erich Mendelsohn

      map of works

(b. Allenstein, East Prussia 1887; d. San Francisco, California 1953)

Erich Mendelsohn was born in Allenstein, East Prussia (now Poland) in 1887. He studied in Berlin and Munich where he became involved with Expressionism. These early experiences generated a personal philosophy of "Dynamism" that demonstrated an attitude that was both expressionistic and personal in nature.

Mendelsohn used no historical precedents in formulating his designs. As a result, his early buildings avoid the eclectic borrowing that mark so many of his contemporaries. Indeed, his architectural ideas were derived from expressionistic sketches and romantic symbolism which recognized that the qualities of modern building materials should dictate a new architecture. In later designs, Mendehlson moved away from his earlier expressionist architecture, designing a series of buildings in a more linear fashion.

In 1933, Mendehlson fled from Nazi Germany to England where he gained citizenship. He acted as a design partner with Serge Chermayeff until 1939 when he moved to Palestine. In 1941 he moved to the U.S. where he established a successful general practice. While practicing, he lectured to students and wrote articles for newspapers and magazines.

References
Dennis Sharp. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Architects and Architecture. New York: Quatro Publishing, 1991. ISBN 0-8230-2539-X. NA40.I45. p106-107.

"De La Warr Pavilion", by Terri Whitehead, ArchitectureWeek No. 313, 2006.1129. pC1.1.

"Erich Mendelsohn - Oriental from East Prussia", by Lili Eylon, ArchitectureWeek No. 35, 2001.0214, pC1.1.

  Find books about Erich Mendelsohn

Search the RIBA architecture library catalog for more references on Erich Mendelsohn
 

Erich Mendelsohn at Archiplanet — Find, add, and edit info at the all-buildings collaboration

   Search the web for Erich Mendelsohn

We appreciate your  suggestions  for links about Erich Mendelsohn.