Historic New England has announced a design competition to create a permanent public restroom facility for the Gropius House, the Lincoln, Massachusetts home of Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius. The competition aims to replace the current temporary bathroom solution that has served visitors since the historic site opened to the public in 1984.

For nearly four decades, visitors to this National Historic Landmark have been forced to use a portable toilet located outside the home's former garage, which has been converted into a welcome center. The temporary bathroom serves thousands of design enthusiasts who visit the site annually, making it one of Historic New England's most popular destinations. The house received its National Historic Landmark designation in 2000.

"An ugly Port-O-Let is the first thing people see," said Vin Cipolla, President and CEO of Historic New England. "Now a distinguished group of architects and journalists can interpret its forward-thinking design, they are cultivating new interest in an important modernist building." The current setup presents both logistical challenges and aesthetic problems that detract from the site's architectural significance.

The competition guidelines are straightforward: "Building a place that's a place to go, literally." The project scope will also include redesigning the current visitor center housed in the former garage. Historic New England hopes this initiative will foster new discourse that expands on Gropius's extensive design legacy and influence on contemporary architecture.

The organization has structured the competition as two parallel contests: one for practicing design professionals and another specifically for architecture and design students. This dual approach aims to capture perspectives from both established practitioners and emerging talent in the field.

An impressive jury panel will evaluate the submissions, including Antoine Picon, G. Ware Travelstead Professor of the History of Architecture and Technology at Harvard Graduate School of Design; Nader Tehrani, Founding Principal of NADAAA and faculty member and former dean at Cooper Union School of Architecture; Philip Kennicott, Pulitzer Prize-winning art and architecture critic for The Washington Post; Suzanne Stephens, writer, editor, and architecture critic and faculty member at Barnard College; and Tanja Hwang, curator in the Department of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art.

"We are launching this initiative as an exceptional opportunity to conduct a global survey of the Bauhaus's enduring influence – how its philosophy continues to shape contemporary design practice," said Allen Kolkowitz, a Trustee of Historic New England, in a press release.

The Gropius House, originally constructed in 1938, represents a pivotal moment in architectural history. At that time, Gropius's Bauhaus school had been forced to close by the Nazis, who considered its modern art "degenerate." Gropius was compelled to flee Germany and eventually found refuge in the United States, where he joined Harvard University.

His arrival at Harvard marked a significant shift for the institution, which had been deeply rooted in Beaux-Arts tradition. Both faculty and students initially saw little need for change from established architectural practices. However, progressive modernists at the university recognized this as a unique opportunity to bring a groundbreaking architect to Harvard's architecture program.

Architectural supporters helped Gropius establish his American presence by assisting him in finding the perfect location for his home and office. They settled on a 4-acre rural site approximately ten miles from the university. In designing the residence, Gropius envisioned it serving a dual purpose: functioning as both a private home and an educational tool to demonstrate Bauhaus principles to his future students.

The house was conceived as a living laboratory where Gropius could share his revolutionary design philosophy with a new generation of American architects. Through this new competition, his ambitious educational mission continues to inspire contemporary architects and designers.

"I can't wait to see what this talented group comes up with," said Cipolla, expressing enthusiasm for the creative solutions that participants will propose. The competition represents an opportunity to honor Gropius's legacy while addressing the practical needs of modern visitors to this important architectural site.