The reform of Kunstgewerbeschule (applied art school) in Germany at the beginning of the 20^<th> century - on the activities and policies of Landesgewerbeamt of Prussian Department of Commerce

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Hermann Muthesius, who is known as one of the founders of the Deutscher Werkbund, was called on by the Prussian Department of Commerce, when he left England in 1903. He belonged to the Landesgewerbeamt, which was established in 1905, and was engaged in the reform of the Kunstgewerbeschulen (applied art schools) in Germany. This research aims to reveal the activities and policies of the Landesgewerbeamt and evaluate its significance in the history of modern architecture and design.Muthesius introduced new two educational methods into school curricula, workshops and drawing classes. By setting up educational workshops, he aimed to confer the technical and practical abilities to operate machines on the schools. On the other hand, drawing classes were instituted to develop new ways to design, which was fundamentally different to the historical ornaments.These two means were just the trigger that helped to change the design of not only products, but also architecture, reflecting the new concept of design that is objective, practical and economical. We can see in this process to reconstitute the schools in Germany, another way to modern functional design at the beginning of 20^<th> century, such as Bauhaus.Three points mentioned below are mainly dealt with1) transfusion of English reform movement of arts, crafts and architecture into Germany by the technical attach of German Embassy, Hermann Muthesius2) activities and polisies of the Landesgeserbeamt-the purpose and methods of the reform of Kunstgewerbeschule in Germany3) details of the reorganization of Dusserdorfer Kunstgewerbeschule by Peter Behrens.