the folly

Competition entry concept design of a new bathroom and arrival sequence for the historic Gropius House, located in Lincoln, MA and designed by Walter Gropius, founder of The Bauhaus. The Folly offers dignity to ordinary human needs of movement, relief, waiting, and access. Ascending to the Gropius House atop a wooded hill offers guests an experience of anticipation; the Folly builds upon that anticipation, offering a mechanism for ascent that is delightful, accessible, and universal.

Located at a mid-point between the garage and the house, it is set back into the tree canopy to maintain views between the two celebrated historic structures. The Folly is a composite of three parts - the authaus, the core, and the bridge - each serving a mundane human need in a spirit of harmony and celebration.

authaus

The authaus offers two inclusive all-gender restrooms cut into the earth, accessed through a simple stone path. Situated between a stone retaining wall and covered by the bridge above, the rooms offer the privacy required, yet connect to the natural context through high, translucent clerestories that bring in the naturally dappled light. While embedded in nature, the authaus embraces modernity, clad inside and out with Gropius Pink tile to celebrate the intervention within the earth, and hearken back to a legacy of materiality and place.

core

The heart of the folly is its core - a sculptural metal stair spiraling around a mechanical lift. As the primary element for accessibly navigating the 11’ vertical distance, the lift is similarly clad in the signature pink tile to stand alongside the authaus. Surrounding the lift is a plate-metal stair that brings the guest to an upper viewing platform, which offers a protected gathering space from above and below.

bridge

The final piece of the arrival sequence is the bridge, which leads guests directly into the ground level of the Gropius House. Intentionally minimal and light-touch, the bridge is a simple composition of a lifted walkway of plate metal with glass and chrome railings, which has been proportioned to reflect the House’s historic canopy.