House Schulenburg Gera

About

When textile factory owner Paul Schulenburg was looking for someone to buid his mansion, he turned to Belgian multi-talented designer, and director of the Grand Ducal School of Arts and Crafts in Weima, Henry van de Velde. He wished for it to be a “Gesamtkunstwerk”, a complete work of art. Meaning van de Velde didn't just design the proto-modern red brick structure, he also planned every aspect of the interior and gardens. From the impressive staircase carved from elm to the print of the wallpaper, the sprawling gardens with greenhouse, gardener’s residence, water lily pond, and cascading fountain, everything was meant to work together harmoniously. This approach would later inspire the Bauhaus Movement of architecture and is rightly venerated as a German national monument. The house's importance is further expanded by the Van-De-Velde Museum, which showcases the designer's book designs, original furniture, fabric patterns and other works.