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Bruno TautGerman architect and urban planner
Date of Birth: 04.05.1880
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Biography of Bruno Taut
Bruno Taut, a German architect and urban planner, was born on May 4, 1880, in Königsberg, into a merchant family. After completing his local gymnasium, Bruno continued his education at the Königsberg Construction School in 1897. Within three semesters, he successfully completed his studies.
From 1902, Taut worked in various architectural offices in Hamburg and Wiesbaden. Later, he had the opportunity to work in the architectural office of the renowned Berlin architect, Bruno Möhring. It was here that he first encountered the modern style and other new architectural trends.
From 1904 to 1908, Taut worked in Stuttgart under the guidance of Professor Theodore Fischer, where he gained experience in urban planning. In 1906, thanks to Fischer's recommendation, Taut received his first commission to restore a rural church in Unterrücksingen near Ludwigsburg.
In 1909, Taut opened his own architectural office in Berlin. In 1911, he was involved in the restoration of a small ancient church in Nidden in Uckermark, where the murals he had done with Hamburg artist Franz Mückenbecher still remain to this day.
However, Taut gained fame through his designed residential complexes in Berlin, such as the Hufeisensiedlung in the Britz district and the Uncle Tom's Cabin in the Zehlendorf district.
In 1932, he traveled to Moscow, where he was offered a job as an architect. Taut's hopes were not fulfilled, and he returned to Germany in early 1933. The Nazis, who had come to power, intended to arrest the architect, but he was warned in time and managed to flee to Switzerland. From there, he moved to Japan, where he lived and worked until 1936. Taut then taught at the Turkish Academy of Fine Arts. He passed away in Ankara in 1938.
Bruno Taut had a significant influence on architecture in the 20th century. His ideas about colorful or painted architecture were of great importance to subsequent generations. Equally important were his contributions to the planning of social housing complexes, known as "Siedlung" or "Zuidlung," which aimed to solve the problems of overpopulation in large cities.