Edited by Ulrich Conrads

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_J>_rograms and manifestoes on 20th-century architectur!__

Translated by Michael Bullock

The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts

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 o~ renewal, that of brmgmg about a revIS1on of values, a revision of the con-
stituent elements of the house.
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society today depends_ up_on it. Architect?~e has for its first duty, in this period
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I921 Bruno Taut:
Frilhlicht (Daybreak)
Mass-production is based on analysis and experiment.
Industry on the grand scale must occupy itself with building and establish the In July 1920 Bruno Taut had to end the first series of his Fruh/icht articles. The
elements of the house on a mass-production basis. editor of Stadtbaukunst considered these contributions no longer tolerable.
We must create the mass-production spirit. In 1921 Taut went as municipal architect to Magdeburg and from there, from
The spirit of constructing mass-production houses. autumn 1921 on, he was able to continue the publication as a quarterly
The spirit of living in mass-production houses. periodical. Once again the friends of The Glass Chain had a chance to speak.
Once again Taut prefaced the first publication with a piece of expressive,
The spirit of conceiving mass-production houses. hymn-like prose. But in the ensuing issues it became clear that new ideas and
If we eliminate from our hearts and minds all dead concepts in regard to the forces were finding expression, new ideas and forces more closely related to
house, and ~ook at the question from a critical and objective point of view reality. And new names: Oud, Machler, Mies van der Rohe.
we shall arnve at the 'House-Machine~Jli_? 1nass~11roduction house, health;
~~nd_m~_i:ally so_ too) and75eauttlufiffThe S<lllle way that the working tools and
mstruments which apco~Qa.11y_our existen~__b-~tiful, •• •- - · HOW DAY WILL EVENTUALLY BREAK-WHO KNOWS? BUT WE
Beautifur alsowffh all the animation that the artist's sensibility can add to CAN FEEL THE MORNING. WE ARE NO LONGER MOONSTRUCK
st;.vere 11nd pure functioning-ereme·n:rs:-·- •• •
WANDERERS ROAMING DREAMILY IN THE PALE LIGHT OF
Architecture or revolution (excerpt) HISTORY. A COOL EARLY MORNING WIND IS BLOWING AROUND
: •• In building and c~nstruction, mass-production has already been begun• US; HE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO SHIVER MUST STRIDE OUT.
~n face of new economic needs, mass-production units have been created both AND WE AND ALL THOSE STRIDING WITH US SEE IN THE DIS-
~n mass and ~etail; and definite results have been achieved both in detail and TANCE THE EARLY LIGHT OF THE AWAKENING MORNING!
m mass. If this fact be set ~gainst the past, then you have revolution, both in WHERE ARE ALL THE NOCTURNAL SPECTRES! GLASSY AND
JI the metho~ employed and ~n the large scale on whi_ch it has been carried out. BRIGHT A NEW WORLD SHINES OUT IN THE EARLY LIGHT, IT IS
••• Our mmds have consc10usly or unconsciously apprehended these events SENDING OUT ITS FIRST RAYS. A FIRST GLEAM OF JUBILANT
and new n~eds have ari~en, consciously or unconsciously.
DAWN. DECADES, GENERATIONS - AND THE GREAT SUN OF
The _mac~mery o~ Society, profoundly out of gear, oscillates between an
amelio:ation: o~ his!orical importance, and a catastrophe. ARCHITECTURE, OF ART IN GENERAL WILL BEGIN ITS VIC-
The pn~ordial mstmct of every human being is to assure himself of a shelter. TORIOUS COURSE./THE IDEA OF THE EARLY LIGHT IS NOT
The vanous :lasses of ":'orkers in society today no longer have dwellings MIRRORED IN THIS SERIES FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT WAS AND IS
adapted to their needs; neither the artisan nor the intellectual GOOD TO MAINTAIN OUR VIEW OF THE HORIZON WITH UN-
It is a question of building which is at the root of the sociai unrest of today· DIMMED IMAGINATION. TESTS OF THE REALIZATION OF THE
architecture or revolution. • NEW IDEA ALREADY EXIST IN MATERIAL, AND THESE PAGES
ARE INTENDED FIRST AND FOREMOST TO SERVE THIS REALIZA-
TION, STARTING FROM THE ACTIVITIES OF A TOWN COUNCIL
THAT DELIGHTS IN THE FUTURE. THEY ARE INTENDED TO HELP
OUR COMRADES IN GERMANY STRIDE FORWARD MORE JOY-
FULLY WITH US, AND OUR PATHS WILL MEET THOSE WHO ARE
OUR BROTHERS IN SPIRIT BEYOND OUR FRONTIERS./ WE DO
NOT BELIEVE IN PARALLELS BETWEEN MATERIAL AND SPIRIT-
UAL FLOWERING. THE FULL STOMACH DOES NOT LIKE IDEAS,
THE OVERFULL HATES THEM, IT WANTS PEACE. TODAY MORE
THAN EVER WE BELIEVE IN OUR WILL, WHICH CREATES FOR US
THE ONLY LIFE VALUE. AND THIS VALUE IS: EVERLASTING
CHANGE.
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