“A legend of creative home-feeling” That’s how the Prellerhaus is described. Right here before you stands this remarkable building. The Fakultät Architektur und Urbanistik Prellerhaus. It’s more than just brick and mortar. It breathes history.
Built in 1870 the Prellerhaus was initially an atelier building. It served as a crucial space for the Großherzoglich-Sächsische Kunstschule Weimar. This art school desperately needed more studio space. The building’s original owner Louis Preller a landscape painter only used the tower’s atelier and adjacent rooms. The rest were rented to students.
Henry van de Velde a significant figure transformed the Prellerhaus in 1902. He remodeled the main floor creating a large atelier space with archways. From this very spot he planned and built many of the university’s buildings. Buildings that are now World Heritage sites.
The Prellerhaus served as a hub for the arts and crafts. It housed workshops and provided advice and support to artisans and manufacturers. It became an essential stop for companies in the Grand Duchy and a renowned cultural institution.
During the Bauhaus era students even lived in the Prellerhaus. They combined work and living arrangements in the ateliers. This unique concept was so successful Walter Gropius replicated it in the new Bauhaus complex in Dessau. He even called the new building Prellerhaus. Gunta Stölzl designed a special bed cover the Prellerdecke for the students there in 1926.
After years of vacancy the Prellerhaus underwent a complete reconstruction in 2007-2008. This was a public-private partnership. The state couldn’t fully finance the project. A contract was signed between the university and the construction company Züblin AG. The Deutsche Kreditbank provided initial funding. The university paid it off over twenty years.
Today the Prellerhaus stands proudly. It is a testament to its rich history. It houses the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism. It continues to inspire future generations of architects and urban planners. The Prellerhaus is a living legacy a beacon of creativity. A true gem of Weimar’s architectural heritage.