Iconic Architecture: 4 Modern Homes Influenced by the Bauhaus School

Bauhaus, a revolutionary Modernist movement that emerged from the chaos of World War I, transformed the art, design, crafts, and architecture of the 20th century. The style and spirit persist even today, from IKEA’s furniture all the way up to Mies van der Rohe’s Chicago skyscrapers. 

The Bauhaus (literally, “house of building”) school of art and design opened in Weimar, Germany, in 1919. Founded by architect Walter Gropius, its “preliminary course,” supervised by the revered artist-teacher Josef Albers, taught form and color theory, composition, life drawing, and visual analysis. Albers’ wife, Anni, (considered the greatest textile designer of the 20th century) taught weaving and design. More advanced art courses were led by Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, and the like. 

Cherished are Josef Hartwig’s wooden chess pieces and the Marianne Brandt half-spherical, shiny metal tea kettle. The iconic Bauhaus building itself, so radical for its day, well, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Along with the graphic design, paintings, lamps, lights, stacking tables, chairs, carpets, and tapestries that flowed from Bauhaus creators, its architecture was so profoundly transformative that we take it for granted today in our skyscrapers, public buildings, and homes. 

The Bauhaus architects embraced new construction techniques and materials. Rather than conceal a building’s structural components, they would showcase beam, truss, and rafter. They shunned the elaborate and merely decorative in favor of geometric rigor, minimalist simplicity and richness of material that delighted the eye.  

The Bauhaus would conquer the world in the 1950s and ‘60s. But the rise of the Nazi Party in the late ‘20s and early ‘30s put an end to the Bauhaus School. In 1933, the Bauhaus building in Dessau was shuttered. By 1945, it was a bombed-out ruin.  

Our function dictates our form. Thus, Luxury Defined simply cherishes these Bauhaus-inspired luxury homes. 

1. 39 Penny Lane in Scarsdale, New York 

This circa-1937 house revels in its wooded slope at 39 Penny Lane, Scarsdale, New York, designed by a student of the Bauhaus School, German-born architect Paul M. Doering. 

Thoughtful preservation followed the original vision with an eye toward modern luxuries. Yet the simplicity of the 1930s design remains perfectly, precisely intact: walls of glass block, industrial-grade steel and concrete, warmed by herringbone parquetry and wood flooring, mahogany accents and muted color schemes, sleek geometries, and steel-railed balconies, and an exterior stone stairway in dialog with the outdoors.  

Inside are 5,400 square feet of open-concept living space across three light-filled levels with distinctive 1930s design elements.   

The focal point of the sleek 1930s fireside lounge is a mahogany wall that glides on a brass track to create an intimate dining space. The gleaming, wide white kitchen’s L-shape adds a galley-style butler’s pantry.  

Eight bedrooms, four brand-new full baths and one partial bath are clad in Carrara marble. Other new touches include Marvin windows and doors, hand-laid herringbone oak floors, copper cladding and flashing, pointing, roof membrane, electrical and HVAC systems. 

The balconies and patio are resurfaced with bluestone. The original exterior stairway leads down to an acre of landscaped gardens. 

2. Modernist Villa in Munich, Germany 

The elegant geometries of this Bauhaus-inspired contemporary villa grace the wooded environs of The Herzogpark, Munich’s embassy belt. 

Its cubic design, white paint scheme, and monumental glass walls create a floating effect. The floor plan extends to 6,135 square feet across four levels linked by an elevator.  

The living and dining rooms, and the kitchen flow out to a dining terrace surrounded by verdant, tree-lined gardens. An airy lounge and bar with white walls and jewel-toned furniture is on the upper floor alongside a study and several bedrooms. The third floor is dedicated to the primary suite. 

The basement level houses the wellness suite with sauna and whirlpool tub. There’s also a two-room guest apartment, technical, utility, and storage rooms. A two-car garage and ample guest parking round out the amenities.  

3. The Lakehouse in Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales, Australia 

Sleek lines and rich materials exalt The Lakehouse, with its elevated lakeside setting on 36 pristine acres overlooking Lake Yarrunga and the Kangaroo Valley Escarpment in New South Wales. 

Masterfully designed by architect and singer-songwriter Alfie Arcuri (winner of the fifth season of The Voice Australia!), The Lakehouse great room’s large, north-facing windows capture all-day artist’s light. They open to an elevated terrace with a 12-meter infinity pool and spa with travertine-tiled surrounds above the irrigated lawns, sunken lounge, and formal gardens. 

A fireplace divider sets apart the vast, adjacent bespoke kitchen, executed in stone and blackbutt wood with a big butler’s pantry to serve two living rooms flanked by dual patios.  

There are four luxury bedrooms, each with an en suite bath and lake view. A private suite has a study, an oversized walk-in closet, and a deluxe en suite bathroom. A self-contained studio also has an en suite bathroom. 

The single-level floor plan offers high paneled ceilings, polished concrete floors, walls of glass and air conditioning throughout via underfloor and ceiling ducts. The property is 2 hours from Sydney and 2.5 hours from the capital, Canberra.  

4. Prince Edward Bay Estate in Ontario, Canada 

This contemporary dwelling is immersed within 43 forested acres on Lake Ontario’s northern shore.  

The two-story home is discreetly hidden upon approach. The views of the lake are revealed through glass-curtained walls in the entrance hall. 

Arranged over two levels, the interiors are zoned for quiet relaxation and elegant entertaining. The warm palette and natural materials are in harmony with the surroundings. Oversized windows and sliding doors throughout showcase the easterly views of the bay.  

The living room is the core of the house, doubling as an elegant entertaining space thanks to sliding doors through to the kitchen and private courtyard. The pool is oriented toward the waterscape—its invisible edge at one with the surface of the lake. Balconies and terraces throughout provide a quiet retreat to contemplate the views. 

Five bedrooms all have spa-inspired en suite bathrooms and water views. The primary suite is enclosed within a private wing with glass doors to the gardens. From there, a staircase leads to 400 feet of private waterfront with a dock. 

Seeking Bauhaus for your house? Begin here.