mogens lassen, systemhuset housing, ordrup 1937

I came across this classic in Danish modernist housing, mogens lassen's experiment in concrete construction, systemhuset, from 1937, while cycling around gentofte looking at arne jacobsen villas.

lassen and his engineer, ernst ishøy, expressed the minimal concrete skeleton with refined lightweight infill facades. if I tell you that the two surrounding brick houses are contemporary - 1930's on the right and 1940's on the left - maybe you can imagine just how exceptional it was at the time.

lassen's use of colour was inspired by le corbusier's claviers de couleurs which he adapted for the nordic light. in fact, throughout the 1930's lassen was le corbusier's most faithful proponent in denmark, making it all the more surprising that he had turned down a job offer from the swiss master on a visit to his office.

later in his career, as his works became more traditionalist, lassen insisted he had been a romantic in love with the mediterranean rather than a modernist. the almost constructivist systemhuset begs to differ.

crisp, light, and transparent - I like everything about it. but it is the parent generation of every endless "system house" of the sixties and seventies. maybe all nightmares begin as poetry.

remarkably, the house appears untouched since 1937 with the original cast glass, perforated steel balconies, and window details in faded colours. the slender concrete construction is sagging, but so will you be at 73 :)

this photo was uploaded with a CC license and may be used free of charge and in any way you see fit.
if possible, please name photographer "SEIER+SEIER". if not, don't.

Thumbnail by seier+seier