gropius house

Glad I made the effort to find this hidden gem of a house built in 1938 and still relevant for today. As as architect it was a treat and even for my host, a local and not into modern architecture, it was an unexpected surprise. Great insight by the guide in our 1 hour tour and incredible to see the home in its original state as if the Gropius's had just stepped out for the day. Well worth the detour for those keen to see something other than the typical New England Colonial homes.

We visited this house over the recent holiday weekend. There is parking by the ticket office/gift shop (in the former garage) and also up by the house. The house tour was wonderful, led by a very knowledgeable gentleman (Robert?) who was a great guide, very patient and responsive to all questions. The house is complete with family possessions that remain in the house as if they had just stepped out for a moment but will be back. The tour includes Gropius' office, living room/dining room, kitchen (complete with shower curtain hung in the doorway so that dinner guests would be spared the sights and smells of cooking!), three upstairs bedrooms. Practicality of form and function over ostentatious decor are the stunners here. A visit should be on the list of any Bauhaus or mid-century modern design fans. Since it had snowed, we were not able to view the deck or the rear gardens, but will have to return in warmer weather. Make a day of it and visit the DeCordova Museum across the street and lunch or brunch at the delicious AKA Bistro in the town center.

The Gropius House is a very unusual place. You should definitely visit it if you have any interest in the Bauhaus style of architecture, or if you just want to see an example of something not at all common in this area.I can't say that the Bauhaus style fits my taste. I especially find that the color scheme, in which virtually everything inside the house is either black, white, or stainless steel, is a bit too stark for me. But as an architectural and environmental achievement, the structure is to be admired.Because it is one of those houses in which the family preserved all the original belongings, it's also one of those houses in which you can't touch anything or take photographs. In fact, we even had to wear booties over our shoes while we were in the house. However, you are allowed to walk around inside the rooms; it's not one of those places in which you are only allowed to peek into each room from the doorway.The house is not very accessible to the handicapped. The halls and doorways are narrow, and there is a high, curving staircase to be negotiated in order to get to the second floor. They do offer a stool to those who would have trouble standing for the whole visit.The tour was very well done; our tour guide was highly prepared and thorough. In fact, our tour ran well over the estimated hour it was expected to take. Keep in mind that much of the tour takes place outside, so if the weather on the day you visit is at all inhospitable, make sure you dress accordingly.I did find it ironic that for a house which was built with four bathrooms for only three full-time residents, the only restroom facility available to visitors is a port-a-potty outside the visitors' center.The Gropius House definitely makes an impression on its visitors. My wife and I still found ourselves discussing its features for some time after our visit had taken place.

I took a tour of the house last weekend; a terrific use of time! Beautiful home, amazing design. The tour guide was great. If you're interested in Bauhaus, definitely worth a trip. Walden Pond is also very close by to combine with your visit.

The Gropius House is, in and of itself, a really nice spot to be. Located on farmland in Lincoln, with an orchard in front, and big, beautiful trees out back, it is a bit of an oasis. One of the major innovators in modern design created and lived in the house. For New England, the architecture certainly stands out. But as you walk through the house (go for the guided tour-really interesting), at first it doesn't strike you as all that unusual. Then you realize that is because those designs, lines, concepts were so thoroughly adopted, that we live with them today. Very cool. And they knew fascinating people, and had great houseguests who broght artwork as gifts!! As interesting biographically as it is historically in terms of design impact.

Lately we've seen so many museums and old historical places that the Gropius House was truly a breath of fresh air! Maybe because I was an art history major and an architectural writer for national magazines back in the day- but I found that I was just soaking in all the details of how and why the house was designed (the docent was excellent providing information and answering our questions) and loved looking at all their possessions, artwork- seeing their design aesthetic continuing etc.CAVEATS- the only caveats are that the restroom is a portapotty- a clean one though and the signage to find the place is almost nonexistent. Our GPS got us pretty close, but stopped a little short. You can see the house up on the hill. We arrived right when it opened and the tour started almost right away.

A must for architecture buffs. Tour guides are terrific, as is usually the case at all Historic New England properties. FYI, on this last visit the only bathroom facility was a port-a-potty, and the house is not wheelchair accessible as far as I could see. On holiday weekends, be sure to get there at least 15 minutes before your desired tour time (tours are all on the hour). If you like this place, try to see the Frelinghuysen-Morris house in Lenox, MA, which has a similar feel. (Unfortunately about 2 hrs. away!) If you've never been to the Lincoln, MA area, it is RICH in art, culture, natural beauty and history. The DeCordova Museum is only about 2 minutes' drive from Gropius, and the Codman estate maybe 5-10 min. Plan to have lunch at one of the many good restaurants in Lexington, tour the battle sites, or go to Concord to shop, antique, or visit the many museums and historic sites THEY have.

From the outside this house does not look like much. It is set nicely on a hill in Lincoln and there is a iron staircase on the outside but not until you get inside do you get to see the awesomeness that is bauhaus. The details are amazing. They have not changed the furnishings since he died so it is a time piece from the 70's but the design elements will amaze you. In the dinning room there is a round table and a glass wall that leads out to the screened in porch but then you realize there is no visible light source. The light source is actually a tiny hole in the ceiling that lights up just the table leaving the guests in a beautiful light. If it is night it gives the feeling as if you are eating outside. The visual effect is pretty amazing and seems so simple yet we all have huge lighting fixtures that are not necessarily making anyone look lovely at dinner. Go and take the tour, totally worth it and much cheaper than going to Germany.

My daughter and I visited for one of her university assignments. I was apprehensive, wondering if I'd find it worth my time and money but, wow! It's a small house but you walk through each room and find imaginative, genius-really, ideas. This architect, who founded the Bauhaus movement, thought of everything! The tour guide was quite passionate and ran over by 30 minutes! It is a beautiful monument to a great man and his ideas.

Cool house out in the country by a famous German architect, Gropius. You get to visit almost every room of this small yet architecturally interesting home. He lead the way to modern ideas mostly in factories and then applied them to his home. Worth your time.

It's always fun to see where and how a famous person lived. People flock to the homes of movie stars, Presidents, sports and music greats. But even more intriguing and revealing is the private home of an architect. We know what he designed for others, but what does an architect design and build for himself?The architect in question is none other than Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus School and a dominant influence on modern, post-war architecture characterized by the precept that form follows function.Gropius, with his second wife, Ilse, having left Nazi Germany in 1934 for England, emigrated to the United States in 1937 to teach at Harvard. He settled in Lincoln, MA where he built the home now called the Gropius House.Constructed by local craftsmen from commonly available materials -- many of which were used in office and industrial, not residential design -- the Gropius House is clean, elegant, functional and timeless. If you saw it today in a suburban neighborhood, you would characterize it as "modern." It will probably look fresh and modern well into the next century.The house today still contains the Gropius' furnishings, including many pieces of furniture designed by fellow Bauhaus architect and furniture designer Marcel Breuer. Gropius' home office, which he shared with Ilse, who helped him with his business and correspondence, is simple and lacks the tables and tools of his trade. That's because Gropius couldn't draw, but depended on collaborators and partners to illustrate his ideas!The Gropius House is a must for people interested in art, architecture, and history, but is not a general interest tourist destination. It's open only to tour groups, with tours given on the hour. It's open 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Wednesday – Sunday, June 1 - October 15; Saturday and Sunday, October 16 - May 31.We've toured the house several times with different docents and broadened our prospective each time. Tours are limited to 10-12 people because the house is small, so make a reservation if you don't want to be disappointed: 781-259-8098. The house is not wheelchair accessible, with no ramps or elevators. There is a mobile toilet outside the small visitor's center, but no facilities available in the house during the approximately 1-hour tour. Parking, at the visitor's center and the house combined, is sufficient for about 20 vehicles.Weather permitting, the Gropius House, which includes charmingly idiosyncratic grounds, makes a delightful day's outing when combined with the nearby DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, and Thoreau's Walden Pond and cabin.

When one of the pioneers of modern architecture builds a house for himself, you know it will be worth visiting. Walter Gropius built this house in 1938 but it is just as modern and contemporary today. The Gropius family were the only occupants and the house is still as it was when they lived in it, with many of their belongings on display. The one hour tour was very interesting and our guide was extremely knowlegable. We are planning to steal some of his architectural ideas for use in our own home. A young girl on our tour was very engaged and asked lots of great questions but - parents please note - the rooms are small and touching is not allowed so this is best visited with older children. I would highly recommend this tour.

Exit 14 off of the Massachusetts Turnpike, West of 128 (I95) and East of 495, the Gropius House is well worth the detour for those heading North or South through Massachusetts. What a treat! Blissfully, we were shown around by a wonderful art history professor. He shared a variety of information that allowed all to connect with and enjoy the tour, the house, its architecture, some of Gropius' contemporaries, and local history. Other reviewers have detailed some of the intriguing aspects of the home's architecture. We were so glad that we stopped. Inspired, we plan to find similar "detours" on our travels.

I visited the Gropius house with a group of friends. We had lovely weather and so, taking photos was just wonderful. The house combines the traditional elements of New England architecture—wood, brick, and fieldstone—with innovative materials rarely used in domestic settings at that time, including glass block, acoustical plaster, chrome banisters, and the latest technology in fixtures. The house, the garden and all the environment is very photogenic. Our guide was great. too. Everything in the house is very "Gropius", and so, special. It is very well looked after... the garden too.

If you are staying in this area, visiting the Gropius House is a must, it is a masterpiece and still amazing and modern, even almost after a century.