Location

Lincoln, MA

Services

Conditions Assessment

Materials Analysis

Field & Lab Testing

Materials Sourcing

Materials

Glass

Plaster

Wood

Gropius House was built in 1938 by Walter Gropius, the influential Modernist architect and a founder of the Bauhaus design school in Germany, as his family home. The house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2000 and is open to the public as a museum operated by Historic New England.

In designing the home, Gropius primarily made use of standard materials available through architectural trade catalogs. These materials were selected for reasons of economy, but also because Gropius wanted to demonstrate that readily available industrial products could be used to create elegant modern design solutions.  The use of these products is evidenced in the glazing and acoustical plaster materials selected for the house. Gropius also drew from the palette of traditional New England architecture in selecting wooden siding for the house, turning it vertically to create the illusion of height.

JBC was retained to assess the condition, analyze materials, and develop a treatment plan for the exterior architectural glass and wood siding. In addition, we were tasked with analyzing and developing treatments for the acoustical plaster located on interior walls. The project presented several challenges that are unique to the conservation of 20th century heritage and required sensitivity to the active museum environment and the clients’ maintenance program.

Following our initial assessment, JBC was tasked with sourcing replacements for damaged glass blocks located prominently at the home’s front entrance. We were able to locate similar fluted pattern blocks and tested methods to modify them to create matching replacements. After years of searching, we also located blocks that are identical to the originals, providing the museum staff with multiple options for repairs.