Gropius Residence, Lincoln, Massachusetts, 1938 c. 1938

Curator: This photograph by Paul Davis captures Walter Gropius’ residence in Lincoln, Massachusetts, around 1938. What strikes you first? Editor: It's stark, isn't it? A box sitting so purposefully on that little rise, feels almost… defiant in its simplicity. I wonder about the labor in producing this. Curator: Knowing Gropius' Bauhaus background, it's all about function meeting form. The steel and concrete, probably sourced locally, speak to that. It's a testament to efficiency, but also a statement against ornamentation. Editor: Precisely! And the fence—mass-produced, uniform—it’s like the architecture dictating how we relate to the space. Still, the light through the windows, it’s almost hopeful, wouldn’t you say? Curator: I agree, there is a human element that shines. Looking at the photograph, I think about how Gropius was hoping to create a total work of art. Editor: Right, a social project of living. A kind of built utopia from locally sourced materials. It’s hard to look at this and not wonder about the dreams embedded in that design. Curator: A beautiful blend of the aspirational and the tangible.