Fagus

The Fagus shoe factory in Alfred, Germany is a seminal building in the history of modern architecture. Designed by Walter Gropius and Adolf Meyer in 1911, this three-story factory was the first large structure to use a steel frame, allowing the facade to be made almost entirely of glass. This revolutionary technique set new standards for industrial construction and is still used in the building of every skyscraper. Fagus traces the history of the building from 1911, when it was designed and built, through the late 1920s, the period of final collaboration between Gropius/Meyer and factory management. It also emphasizes the Bauhaus idea of industrial culture, in which architecture, interior design, graphic design, and photography were interrelated with the business philosophy of the company. This title contains the results of research in the Fagus factory archives, including blueprints, archival images, and printed ephemera such as stationery. The photographs extensively document the Fagus building from the 1920s through the 1950s.