Building Addition and Alterations, Philadelphia: Second Floor Plan - Walter Gropius

A technical blueprint for a Philadelphia building project, drafted by the office of Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius between 1944 and 1946.

This architectural document presents the second floor plan for a building addition and alteration project in Philadelphia, dated between 1944 and 1946. The work is attributed to the office of Walter Gropius, the German architect who founded the Bauhaus school and later relocated to the United States to teach at Harvard University.

As a blueprint, the image displays the technical precision characteristic of mid-century architectural practice. The white lines on a dark ground define the structural layout, including walls, room divisions, and spatial flow. The drawing adheres to a scale of one-eighth inch to one foot, a standard convention for communicating spatial relationships to contractors and engineers. The composition is functional, prioritising clarity and geometric order over aesthetic flourish.

This plan reflects the rationalist approach Gropius brought to his American projects. By the mid-1940s, his work focused on modularity and the efficient use of space. The document includes a title block in the lower right corner, which provides administrative details such as the project name, scale, and the architect's professional credentials. Such drawings offer a glimpse into the methodical process of architectural design during the post-war period. The stark contrast of the blueprint medium creates a graphic quality that appeals to those interested in the history of design and the development of modern construction techniques. It serves as a record of a specific commission, documenting the technical requirements of a mid-century building project.