Publisher: Walther König, ISBN: 9783753309002, Author: Alison Smithson, Format: Hardback, 26.7 x 20.3 cm, 220 pp
Between 1985 and 2002, British New Brutalist architects Alison and Peter Smithson transformed a vernacular cottage into one of the most remarkable residences of the late 20th century: the Hexenhaus. During this period, the couple kept close correspondence with Bruchhäuser, evidenced by the 99 handwritten postcards collected here for the first time. Following 'Hexenhaus: A House for a Man and a Cat' (2021), this book offers a new, intimate perspective on this ambitious project.
Hidden in the forests outside of Hessen, Germany, the “Witch’s House” (Hexenhaus) was the residence of Axel Bruchhäuser, owner of the furniture company Tecta, which had its factory nearby. The Smithsons completely redefined the relationship between the house and its surrounding landscape by means of more than 20 small additions, extractions, satellite buildings, furnishings and alternative routes.