“Can forms speak from the spiritual world?” Rudolf Steiner’s Goetheanum and the Search for New Artistic Forms in the Early 20th Century

This article presents an examination of the architectural theory and practice of Rudolf Steiner. This concept is exemplified by two buildings of the Goetheanum and the architectural style of the Anthroposophical community in the Swiss village of Dornach. Steiner’s architectural theory was predicated on the spiritualization of forms, as he himself put it, on what he termed the “enchanted” (hinzaubert) wall. In this regard, the construction of the First Goetheanum was not merely a matter of building; rather, it was a process of sculpting wood by the members of the community, who imprinted their creative and spiritual efforts upon the building. In his explanation, Steiner stated that the shapes of the interior should be concave and graphic, while those of the exterior should be swollen and convex. This was done to demonstrate the spiritual pressure coming from within. In the concrete Second Goetheanum, constructed in 1922, a counterpoint of images is evident: an elongated hall within and vertical pillars supporting the dome without. Consequently, the concept of a “spiritual skull” and pairs of “spiritual legs,” which Steiner incorporated into the interior of the initial structure, is reflected on the façades of the Second Goetheanum. Steiner’s architectural theory and practice occupy a significant position in the history of architecture during its transition from Art Nouveau to the avant-garde. His contributions assist in elucidating the genesis of Expressionist architecture. Steiner’s ideas exhibit parallels with the works of the literary visionary Paul Scheerbart, Bruno Taut and the Crystal Chain group, as well as with the late architecture of Antoni Gaudí. The construction of the Goetheanum, which bore resemblance to Nikolai Fedorov’s Philosophy of Common Deed, had a profound influence on the Russian participants (Maria Sievers, Andrei Bely, Asya Turgeneva, Margarita Voloshina), altering the course of their lives and inspiring the creation of invaluable memoirs.