Do brick ornaments and glazed bricks catch your eye? You’re standing in front of the Architectural heritage group housing group Misburg. This site showcases architectural heritage. It reflects the Hanover School style.
Let’s discuss this unique style. The Hanover School of architecture became popular in Northern Germany. This occurred in the second half of the 19th century. It marked a shift away from classicism. It also moved away from neo-Baroque styles. The style is recognizable by its turn toward the neo-Gothic.
Conrad Wilhelm Hase founded this school. He designed about 80 new church buildings. He also designed over 60 civil buildings. Hase taught at the Polytechnic University in Hanover for 45 years. He trained around 1000 full-time architects. Many of them adopted his style.
Industrialization in 19th-century Germany aided the Hanover School’s rise. Urban areas saw rapid population growth. This increased the demand for new homes. There was a greater need for schools and hospitals.
The expanding railway network also played a role. It required new stations and company buildings. Emerging industrial corporations built factories. These factories reflected their economic importance.
Hanover saw construction boom. Numerous municipal churches were built. So too were schools, factories, and residences. This occurred between the 1850s and the early 20th century. These buildings had unplastered brick facades. The facades were seen as honest. The exterior shapes of factory buildings reflected their internal functions.
Stepped gables adorned the buildings. Finials decorated them. Carved stone added to the detail. Decoratively set bricks featured glazed surfaces. These details were inspired by medieval churches.
Most large German cities suffered heavy bombing during World War II. The remaining buildings garnered little interest in monument preservation. This was especially true in Hanover. Large-scale transformations occurred. Hanover converted into a car-friendly city. This led to numerous demolitions.
The term Hanover School of Architecture appeared around 1882. Theodor Unger likely coined it. At the time, the term also encompassed the Rundbogenstil. This translates to round-arched style. It also included buildings shaped by Hase’s influence. Later, only buildings designed by Hase’s teachings counted as classic Hanover School.
Hase’s design work became the driving force. His teaching position aided dissemination. From 1849 to 1894, he taught design. He also covered sacred architecture. Hase taught formal theories of medieval architecture and ornament.
Hase wanted to break from classicism. Georg Ludwig Friedrich Laves represented that style. He also wished to move away from neo-Baroque. He favored medieval forms. He thought they were stylistically pure. Friedrich von Gärtner influenced Hase. Gärtner believed unplastered stone should be used. It was to be the primary building material. This was called pure construction.
In his 45 years at the university, Hase taught many students. Around 1000 completed the architecture program. Hanoverian training gained recognition. Students came from Northern Germany. They also came from the Americas. They travelled from England, the Netherlands, and Norway.
Now you know about the Architectural heritage group housing group Misburg. It is an important part of Hanover’s architectural story. A story of innovation and resilience.