Text by Simon Smithson, Maddalena Scimemi, Ana Ábalos Ramos.
An ethereal late work by the Smithsons, hidden in a German forest
In 1984, German furniture-maker Axel Bruchhäuser reached out to architectural duo Alison (1928–93) and Peter Smithson (1923–2003) with a playful letter ostensibly written by his cat and addressed to theirs. The letter between cats inquired about commissioning the Smithsons to build several lookouts on Bruchhäuser’s home, known locally as the “Hexenhaus” (the “Witches’ House”—a common name in the area where the Brothers Grimm wrote their fairy tales). Started in 1986 and completed in 2001, and located in a dense forest in Hessen, the renovation that the Smithsons undertook constituted an example of what they called “law of the conglomerate.” Step by step, the house was expanded and opened to admit the light as well the trees, which became part of the interior. The house’s primary materials are wood and glass, providing a poetic example of latticework and a stunning use of natural light.
Featured image is reproduced from 'Alison & Peter Smithson: Hexenhaus'.
PRAISE AND REVIEWS
Archidose
John Hill
Aiding the reader's spatial understanding of the project is the 2020 floor plan (above), which lists each of the 31 labeled interventions and keys them to the documentation in chapters eight and nine. This sort of cross-referencing is frustrating when omitted in books but helpful when included — especially here, with a project that cannot be captured in one "overall" photograph and that entails numerous media and means of documentation to fully explain.
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FORMAT: Pbk, 8.75 x 11.25 in. / 272 pgs / 168 color / 44 b&w. LIST PRICE: U.S. $59.95 LIST PRICE: CANADA $81.95 ISBN: 9783960989325 PUBLISHER: Walther König, Köln AVAILABLE: 11/9/2021 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: FLAT40 PUBLISHING STATUS: Active AVAILABILITY: In stock TERRITORY: NA LA ASIA AU/NZ AFR
Alison & Peter Smithson: Hexenhaus A House for a Man and a Cat
Published by Walther König, Köln. Text by Simon Smithson, Maddalena Scimemi, Ana Ábalos Ramos.
An ethereal late work by the Smithsons, hidden in a German forest
In 1984, German furniture-maker Axel Bruchhäuser reached out to architectural duo Alison (1928–93) and Peter Smithson (1923–2003) with a playful letter ostensibly written by his cat and addressed to theirs. The letter between cats inquired about commissioning the Smithsons to build several lookouts on Bruchhäuser’s home, known locally as the “Hexenhaus” (the “Witches’ House”—a common name in the area where the Brothers Grimm wrote their fairy tales). Started in 1986 and completed in 2001, and located in a dense forest in Hessen, the renovation that the Smithsons undertook constituted an example of what they called “law of the conglomerate.” Step by step, the house was expanded and opened to admit the light as well the trees, which became part of the interior. The house’s primary materials are wood and glass, providing a poetic example of latticework and a stunning use of natural light.
