Dear Axel. 99 Postcards from Alison and Peter Smithson

Unexpected insights into the long process of designing the Hexenhaus, one of the most iconic buildings of the late 20th century

Between 1985 and 2002, British New Brutalist architects Alison (1928–93) and Peter Smithson (1923–2003) transformed a modest vernacular cottage into one of the most remarkable residences of the late 20th century: the Hexenhaus. Hidden in the forests outside of Hessen, Germany, the "Witch's House" was the residence of Axel Bruchhäuser, owner of the furniture company Tecta, which had its factory nearby. The Smithsons completely redefined the relationship between the house and its surrounding landscape by means of more than 20 small additions, extractions, satellite buildings, furnishings and alternative routes. During this decades-long process, the couple kept close correspondence with Bruchhäuser, as evidenced by this collection of 99 handwritten postcards, collected here for the first time. Following Walther König's publication of Hexenhaus: A House for a Man and a Cat (2021), this publication offers a new, intimate perspective on this ambitious project.