Der “Geist des Archimedes”

Abstract

English abstract: Although Peter Behrens only made one project for a building in the Netherlands – a project for the family Kröller-Müller that was never build – his contacts with Dutch culture was not limited to this singular event. In fact in 1922 he gave a lecture in both Rotterdam and Amsterdam. He used this as an opportunity to visit many buildings on which he shortly after gave a lecture in Munich. A correspondence that developed with J.J.P. Oud is especially interesting because it touched on many colour problems that were intensively debated in those days. This article seeks to trace the relational lines between the Netherlands and this seminal figure of the international architectural scene.