Bauhaus New England - Portraits of an Architectural Legacy

Bauhaus New England – Portraits of an Architectural Legacy

A museum-quality photobook featuring 27 rarely seen Bauhaus-influenced homes in New England. Most remain privately owned, and many are preserved in their original architectural condition. Photographed over eight years with special access to private residences, the project reveals a quieter side of modernism, where precise geometry interacts with forest, light, and landscape.

First-edition hardcover · Museum-quality duotone printing · Secure your copy today

About the Book

• Size: 26.5 x 26.5 cm (10.44 x 10.44 inches)
• 224 pages · 218 duotone photographs
• 27 houses · 16 architects 
• Paper: Magno Volume 170 g/m²
• Hardcover case-bound edition
• Published by Munich-based art publisher Hirmer Verlag, one of Europe’s leading publishers of museum-quality photography and architecture titles.
• Foreword and essays by Christine Cipriani, Amy Finstein, and Erika Pfammatter (granddaughter of Walter Gropius), Mark Römisch, and Gary van Zante, reflecting on the legacy and transatlantic influence of Bauhaus architecture.

Printing and Materials

• Images are printed on Magno Volume 170 gsm fine art paper for a natural feel and substantial weight. Endpapers use an innovative apple fiber paper, nodding to the landscape around the Gropius House in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Photographs are reproduced with a custom duotone Pantone process for richer shadows, nuanced midtones, and sharper architectural detail closer to a traditional darkroom print.

Reward Overview

• Signed first-edition hardcover photobook
• Personal invitation to the book launch at the Goethe-Institut Boston
• Limited Kickstarter-exclusive prints
• Corporate patron opportunities
• Private masterclass at the historic Gropius House in Lincoln Massachusetts  (limited to 5 participants)

This first edition will not be reprinted in the same form, ensuring long-term collectibility and archival value. 

Historical Context and Transatlantic Exchange

In 1919, Walter Gropius founded the Bauhaus in Weimar, changing the landscape of modern architecture. After emigrating to the United States in 1937, he helped shape American modernism, along with figures such as Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. 

While their public buildings became icons, it is in their residential work that the core of Bauhaus philosophy becomes most tangible: clarity of form, functional logic, and a close relationship between architecture, landscape, and daily life.

In New England, these ideas found a new setting. Forests, coastlines, and regional building traditions did not simply adopt modernism; they reshaped it. Thoughtfully situated and using local wood and stone, these homes grounded Bauhaus principles in their surroundings, creating a distinct dialogue between European ideals and the American vernacular.

The houses in this book are the result of that exchange. Not monuments, but lived spaces — quiet, precise, and deeply connected to their surroundings. Enduring symbols of cultural migration and shared architectural vision across the Atlantic.

Featured Architects

Quincy Adams · Lawrence B. Anderson · Martin Bloom · Walter F. Bogner · Marcel Breuer · Luther Crowell · Walter Gropius · Cecil Hall · Jack Hall · Louis A. McMillen · Zena Nemetz · Richard Morehouse · Ralph Rapson · Nathaniel Saltonstall · Hayden Walling · Paul Weidlinger · Charlie Zehnder · The Architects Collaborative

Personal Approach

My connection to this subject is personal. I was raised in a Bauhaus-inspired home in Germany. What began as documentation gradually became an exploration of atmosphere and place. 

While photographing the Kugel/Gips House on Cape Cod, I experienced what in German is called Waldeinsamkeit — loosely translated as "solitude of the forest." The term describes a particular stillness found in wooded landscapes, a concept deeply rooted in German poetry. 

I started to notice a similar sensibility in these houses: a balance between geometric precision and the landscape, rational structure and lyrical quiet. The residences in this book are not shown as isolated design objects but as environments where architecture and nature stay in deliberate conversation. 

This perspective shapes the visual language of the entire book.

About the Author and Contributors

Mark Römisch is a German-born photographer, author, and educator whose work explores architectural modernism, cultural landscapes, and visual storytelling. Raised in a modernist home in Germany, he brings a lifelong connection to Bauhaus principles and spatial perception to his photography.

He currently teaches German language and culture at Harvard University and previously taught at MIT, where he received the MIT Levitan Award for Excellence in Teaching in SHASS (2025), supporting the development of Bauhaus New England. His work bridges architecture, language, and visual culture, connecting German cultural history with contemporary photographic practice.

Römisch’s photography has been exhibited and published internationally. He is author of FORM and LANDSCAPE – Bauhaus in New England (2019). He has received grants and awards from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, ArtsWestchester/New York Community Trust, Harvard University, and the Vermont Studio Center.

• Websites: bauhausnewengland.com · markroemisch.com
• Instagram: @bauhaus.new.england · @markroemisch

Contributors

• Christine Cipriani – Journalist and author of Cape Cod Modern, specializing in art and cultural history. Foreword contributor.
• Amy Finstein – Architectural historian and Associate Professor at the College of the Holy Cross.
• Erika Pfammatter – Granddaughter of Walter Gropius and contributor to the volume.
• Gary van Zante – Curator and historian of architecture and photography; curator at the MIT Museum for 23 years until his retirement in 2024.

Origins of the Project

The project began in 2018 when the Goethe-Institut commissioned a photographic essay to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus. Supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, the project resulted in an exhibition in Boston and an accompanying publication. That initial commission sparked an eight-year photographic journey exploring Bauhaus-influenced homes across New England.

Why This Book Matters Today

As sustainability, material honesty, and human-scaled design regain prominence in architectural conversations, these houses feel remarkably current. This book helps preserve and share this chapter of transatlantic architectural history with a wider audience.

Most of these houses are privately owned and rarely accessible to the public. Several have never been professionally photographed. In some cases, these photographs preserve architectural details that may gradually disappear through renovation or alteration. In others, they may be the last record of the original architecture.

Institutional Recognition & Cultural Support

The project has gained recognition from prominent cultural and preservation organizations on both sides of the Atlantic, reflecting its scholarly and cultural significance. It has received support from the German Federal Foreign Office and the Goethe-Institut, and was awarded a 2025 Massachusetts Cultural Council Creative Individuals Grant. Its 2025 exhibition at ArtsWestchester was supported in part by The New York Community Trust Westchester. The publication is supported through an MIT teaching award and endorsed by Historic New England.

Exhibition History

The project has been exhibited at multiple institutions, most recently in 2025 at ArtsWestchester, NY. Earlier iterations were presented in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut and the German Consulate Boston. 

Limited Edition Prints

A limited set of eight signed, numbered giclée prints is available through the campaign, including several Kickstarter-exclusive editions, four presented here as new additions, expanding the visual narrative of Bauhaus New England beyond the printed volume.

Printed to museum standards on archival Hahnemühle Photo Rag Ultra Smooth (305gsm) paper, the prints emphasize the architecture with refined tonal depth, accuracy, and long-lasting archival quality. Each print is documented with its title, year, dimensions, paper type, and edition size.

Available Prints

• a) The Breuer Cottage by Marcel Breuer (2019)
• b) The Kohlberg House by Luther Crowell (2019)                                                
• c) The Kugel/Gips House by Charlie Zehnder (2019) - KS Exclusive (Additions to the book)
• d) The Hatch Cottage by Jack Hall (2020)
• e) The Weidlinger House by Paul Weidlinger (2021)                                                       
• f) The Gropius House by Walter Gropius (2023) - KS Exclusive (Additions to the book) 
• g) The Hatch Cottage by Jack Hall (2020) - KS Exclusive  (Additions to the book)  
• h) The Kugel/Gips House by Charlie Zehnder (2019) - KS Exclusive (Additions to the book)

Image selection takes place after the campaign. Availability assigned by order of support.

Open Edition Custom Prints (Your Choice)

Own your favorite image from the book as an open-edition print on Moab Entrada Rag (290 gsm) in a smaller format. Choose the image that resonates most with you by October 30 (excluding the four images reserved for the limited-edition prints). 

By contrast, limited-edition prints are larger, signed and numbered, and produced to fine art collector standards.

Shipping for all prints charged after campaign via pledge manager.

Photography Masterclass at the Gropius House

A limited photography masterclass at the historic Gropius House in Lincoln, Massachusetts offers a rare opportunity to work on-site at one of the most significant Bauhaus buildings in the United States. Led by photographer Mark Römisch, the session focuses on architectural composition, natural light, and the translation of Bauhaus principles into photographic language, followed by a collaborative postproduction group review.

• Photography masterclass at the Gropius House (5 participants per session)
• Architectural composition, natural light, and spatial rhythm
• Guided on-site photography session and group critique
• Follow-up digital post-production review session
• Signed copy of Bauhaus New England included
• Two Saturday sessions available (August or September 2026)

Masterclass dates are selected after the campaign concludes. Availability is assigned in order of support.

Corporate Patron Opportunities

Support Bauhaus New England as a Corporate Patron and help bring this museum-quality publication into the world while engaging your organization with a refined cultural project. 

Corporate Patrons receive 

• visibility in the book, at exhibitions, and project channels (website, newsletter, social media)
• the opportunity to host a private talk connected to the Bauhaus New England project

A limited number of Corporate Patron partnerships are available and can be tailored to institutional or corporate needs upon request. 

Why Kickstarter

This campaign enables Bauhaus New England to be produced to full museum and archival standards, without compromising materials or print quality. Reaching the funding goal ensures that the duotone printing process, premium paper, and specialized binding are executed exactly as designed.

At this stage, collective support turns a completed project into a published book. By backing the campaign, you help bring this architectural legacy into print and ensure that it is realized with the care, precision, and material quality it deserves.

Funding Goal Usage

Funds raised through this campaign will support:

• Duotone printing and color calibration
• Premium Magno Volume paper
• Hardcover case binding
• Prepress and production preparation
• Shipping and fulfillment logistics
• Editing, design, and the first print run in collaboration with Hirmer Verlag.
• Kickstarter fees (10% of funding goal)

Every contribution directly supports the production of this first-edition volume to museum-quality standards.

Shipping & Taxes

Shipping will be charged after the campaign via a pledge manager to ensure secure address collection, accurate international rates, and reduced costs for backers. We ship internationally and partner with professional fulfillment partners to ensure safe, reliable delivery.

• United States - U.S. orders are shipped from Massachusetts. Sales tax may apply at checkout depending on state regulations.
• European Union - EU orders ship from Germany. VAT is calculated at checkout based on the destination country and local tax regulations.
• Rest of the World - International backers outside the EU and the U.S. may be subject to import duties, VAT, GST/HST, or customs fees upon delivery. These charges are determined by local authorities and are the backer's responsibility.

Shipping costs are calculated at checkout. All items are securely packaged, with extra care for fine art prints. 

Project Status

This campaign supports final production and printing — not speculative development.

• Photography complete and fully edited
• Publisher contract signed
• Book design finalized in collaboration with the publisher
• Essays commissioned and delivered
• International distribution arranged

Timeline

• April 15: Kickstarter launch
• May 15: Campaign concludes
• April–June: Final production preparation
• July 27: Printing
• August/September: Backer delivery
• November: Retail availability worldwide

Final Invitation

By backing Bauhaus New England, you help preserve a significant chapter of modern architectural history and secure a first-edition volume produced to the highest standards of photographic reproduction.

A limited number of exclusive experiences, including the masterclass at the Gropius House, are available only during this campaign.

This is a time-limited campaign, and I invite you to be part of it.

I am grateful for your support.

LINKS

Follow us on Instagram: @bauhaus.new.england 
Project Website: bauhausnewengland.com.