This thesis is concerned with the artists Tora Vega Holmström and Adolf Hölzel. Hölzel taught students in painting in the Dachau art colony, where TVH attended his classes in 1903. A thorough investigation of her notes provides us with novel information concerning his teaching and his theoretical outlook on art.
Their correspondence extended 30 years past her stay in Dachau and over the years their relationship evolved into a cordial friendship between two likeminded colleagues. Tora Vega Holmström often came to visit Adolf Hölzel in Stuttgart, where he had come to teach at the art academy. She became a member of the group of avant-garde artists known as the Hölzel circle („Hölzel-Kreis“). 
On a visit to Sweden in 1911, Adolf Hölzel came into contact with the Swedish progressive educational movement at the community college ”Hvilan” in Scania, which was led by Tora Vega Holmströms father. We establish that through Hölzel, there was an indirect influence from this institution on the methods of teaching employed in the early Bauhaus in Weimar. Throughout the 1920s, Tora Vega Holmström spent time in France and became a intermediary between the cubists in Paris and the Hölzel circle in Stuttgart. Through a brief analysis of some of her works we show how firmly her style of painting is grounded in Hölzel’s formalism and his theories of colour.

[EN] Small dwelling and urban form. German modern city bases. Small dwelling and urban form are the main concepts in which this research is based. The intention is to determine the characteristics of the German city where the modern architecture of Neues Bauen is developed. The small dwelling, as a new type lacking in an immediate historical precedent, arises from the need to house a new class of the industrial proletariat. The urban form as a different configuration which the city acquires. This is a result of the transformations that its growth demands in order to adapt to a new social reality. In Germany, as in the rest of Europe, the origin of the small dwelling came from the need to improve the living conditions of the worker. A reaction that was produced mainly from philanthropy but also as a guarantee in keeping some established social conditions. The movement for housing reform, set out by private initiatives, effectively solves new forms for a small, hygienic and functional dwelling that was accessible to a part of the working masses, establishing solid and functional criteria that would be maintained as the principles of a typology in the configuration of the modern dwelling at the beginning of the 20th century. The great German city, represented mainly by Berlin in this research, outlines its expansion through an imported urban idea that has, as its main interest, the monumental expression of the urban space. With a system originated in the interior reform processes of the French city, it outlines the exterior expansion of the German city as a continued imposing construction, in which the small dwelling only constitutes a dense internal filling. This "petrous sea", as Muthesius defines a city that extends concentrated to its limits, would be seen as incompatible with the small dwelling that was needed. Once this inconsistency was recognized and with a new scientific approach to the construction of the city, a transformation process was begun towards a new urban model that took into consideration the need for a small and healthy dwelling and returns to the citizen the contact with nature, a sense that is a deeply ingrained in German people. From the ideas and actions of the leading figures in this process, gathered in original documents, the research advances in the recognition of the typical and essential characteristics of a German city, that, at the start of the third decade of the 20th century, bases its modern quality in common criteria relative to the separation of urban functions, the insertion of green in the city and the value of public space. On this modern German city of first post-war Europe, the specific solution of the architecture of Neues Bauen will be built. / [ES] Vivienda pequeña y forma urbana. Fundamentos de la ciudad moderna alemana. Vivienda pequeña y forma urbana son los conceptos sobre los que se fundamenta esta investigación que quiere determinar las características de la ciudad alemana en la que se desarrolla la arquitectura moderna del Neues Bauen. La vivienda pequeña como un nuevo tipo carente de un antecedente histórico inmediato, que surge de la necesidad de alojar a la nueva clase del proletariado industrial. La forma urbana como la distinta configuración que adquiere la ciudad, consecuencia de las transformaciones que exige su crecimiento para adecuarse a una nueva realidad social. En Alemania, como en el resto de los países de Europa, la vivienda pequeña tiene su origen al reconocerse la necesidad de mejora de las condiciones de vida del trabajador. Una reacción que se produce desde la filantropía principalmente, pero también como garantía del mantenimiento de unas condiciones sociales establecidas. El movimiento para la reforma de la vivienda, planteado desde iniciativas particulares, resuelve de manera eficaz nuevas formas para una vivienda pequeña, higiénica, funcional y accesible a una parte de esta masa obrera, estableciendo sólidos criterios funcionales que se mantienen como principios de una tipología en la configuración de la vivienda moderna en los comienzos del siglo XX. La gran ciudad alemana, representada en esta investigación por Berlín principalmente, plantea su expansión sobre una idea urbana importada, que tiene en la expresión monumental del espacio urbano su mayor interés. Con un sistema originado en los procesos de reforma interior de la ciudad francesa, se traza la ampliación exterior de la ciudad alemana como un continuo edificado imponente, en el que la vivienda pequeña sólo constituye un relleno interior denso. Este "mar pétreo", como define Muthesius a una ciudad que se extiende concentrada hasta su límite, se mostrará incompatible con la vivienda pequeña que se necesita. Desde el reconocimiento de esta incoherencia y con una nueva aproximación científica a la construcción de la ciudad, se inicia el proceso de transformación hacia un nuevo modelo urbano que considere la necesidad de la vivienda pequeña saludable y retorne al ciudadano el contacto con la naturaleza, un sentimiento vernáculo de gran arraigo en el pueblo alemán. A partir del estudio de las ideas y actuaciones de los protagonistas de este proceso, recogidas en documentos originales, la investigación avanza en el reconocimiento de las características propias y fundamentales de una ciudad alemana que, en el comienzo de la tercera década del siglo XX, basa su cualidad de moderna en criterios comunes relativos a la separación de las funciones urbanas, la inserción del verde en la ciudad y el valor del espacio público. Sobre esta ciudad moderna alemana de la primera posguerra europea se construirá la específica solución de la arquitectura del Neues Bauen. / [CA] Habitatge petit i forma urbana. Fonaments de la ciutat moderna alemanya. Habitatge petit i forma urbana són els conceptes sobre els quals es fonamenta aquest treball de recerca, que vol determinar les característiques de la ciutat alemanya en la qual es desenvolupa l'arquitectura moderna del Neues Bauen. L'habitatge petit com un nou tipus mancat d'un antecedent històric immediat, que sorgeix de la necessitat d'allotjar la nova classe del proletariat industrial. La forma urbana com la diferent configuració que adquireix la ciutat, conseqüència de les transformacions que exigeix el creixement d'aquesta per a adequar-se a una nova realitat social. A Alemanya, com a la resta dels països d'Europa, l'habitatge petit té l'origen en el reconeixement de la necessitat de millora de les condicions de vida dels treballadors. Una reacció que es produeix principalment des de la filantropia, però també com a garantia del manteniment d'unes condicions socials establides. El moviment per a la reforma de l'habitatge, plantejat des d'iniciatives particulars, resol de manera eficaç noves formes per a un habitatge petit, higiènic, funcional i accessible a una part d'aquesta massa obrera, i estableix uns criteris funcionals sòlids que es mantenen com a principis d'una tipologia en la configuració de l'habitatge modern en els inicis del segle xx. La gran ciutat alemanya, representada en aquest treball per Berlín principalment, es planteja l'expansió sobre una idea urbana importada que té el major interès en l'expressió monumental de l'espai urbà. Amb un sistema originat en els processos de reforma interior de la ciutat francesa, l'ampliació exterior de la ciutat alemanya es traça com un contínuum edificat imposant, en el qual l'habitatge petit només constitueix un farciment interior dens. Aquesta "mar pètria", com Muthesius defineix una ciutat que s'estén concentrada fins al límit, es mostrarà incompatible amb l'habitatge petit que es necessita. Des del reconeixement d'aquesta incoherència i amb una nova aproximació científica a la construcció de la ciutat, s'inicia el procés de transformació cap a un nou model urbà que considere la necessitat de l'habitatge petit saludable i retorne al ciutadà el contacte amb la natura, un sentiment vernacle de gran arrelament en el poble alemany. A partir de l'estudi de les idees i actuacions dels protagonistes d'aquest procés, recollides en documents originals, la recerca avança en el reconeixement de les característiques pròpies i fonamentals d'una ciutat alemanya que, al començament de la tercera dècada del segle xx, basa la seua qualitat de moderna en criteris comuns relatius a la separació de les funcions urbanes, la inserció del verd a la ciutat i el valor de l'espai públic. Sobre aquesta ciutat moderna alemanya de la primera postguerra europea es construirà la solució específica de l'arquitectura del Neues Bauen. / Bosch Abarca, J. (2016). Vivienda pequeña y forma urbana. Fundamentos de la ciudad moderna alemana [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/61453

The ambitious late Gothic vaults created in the 15th and 16th centuries with their complex shape and complicated meshes of ribs soaring along spatial curves, were extremely demanding in their geometric design. This regards both the design of the whole structure, as also the design specifications for the single stone elements which were prefabricated and fit together on the building site with astonishing precision. In consequence, the particular character of these structures and their geometric features are intrinsically linked to the design routines and the geometric concepts used by the Master Builders. At present, these procedures and methods are not well understood, because they are not documented in original drawings, and because they differ in principle from the modern practice. In consequence, necessary works of repairing and restoring cannot recur to any information related to the original design. Moreover, understanding the characteristics of information transfer from the design to the execution, would cast a light on the information society in which these constructions were created. In several case studies, the geometric concepts of the intricate spatial curve systems of late Gothic vaults have been clarified on the basis of detailed surveys and geometrical analyses carried out on the built objects. On this background, also the existing sources such as historical design treatises could be re-interpreted. In a collaboration between the research group working on the design principles of late Gothic vaults at the Technische Universität Dresden, and expert stone masons specialized on historical working techniques and practical stereotomy at the Cathedral Workshop Œuvre Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, the phases of the design process, such as full-scale drawings on the tracing floor and the production of full-scale models and samples of ribs and keystones, are currently investigated in practical experiments. As result, we propose a complete picture of the design process from the general concept to the setting-out of the single stone elements. Further, we are able to drive general considerations on the Late Medieval and Early Modern design practice for stone structures and trace a new interpretation of the early treatises of stereotomy.

The ambitious late Gothic vaults created in the 15th and 16th centuries with their complex shape and complicated meshes of ribs soaring along spatial curves, were extremely demanding in their geometric design. This regards both the design of the whole structure, as also the design specifications for the single stone elements which were prefabricated and fit together on the building site with astonishing precision. In consequence, the particular character of these structures and their geometric features are intrinsically linked to the design routines and the geometric concepts used by the Master Builders. At present, these procedures and methods are not well understood, because they are not documented in original drawings, and because they differ in principle from the modern practice. In consequence, necessary works of repairing and restoring cannot recur to any information related to the original design. Moreover, understanding the characteristics of information transfer from the design to the execution, would cast a light on the information society in which these constructions were created. In several case studies, the geometric concepts of the intricate spatial curve systems of late Gothic vaults have been clarified on the basis of detailed surveys and geometrical analyses carried out on the built objects. On this background, also the existing sources such as historical design treatises could be re-interpreted. In a collaboration between the research group working on the design principles of late Gothic vaults at the Technische Universität Dresden, and expert stone masons specialized on historical working techniques and practical stereotomy at the Cathedral Workshop Œuvre Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, the phases of the design process, such as full-scale drawings on the tracing floor and the production of full-scale models and samples of ribs and keystones, are currently investigated in practical experiments. As result, we propose a complete picture of the design process from the general concept to the setting-out of the single stone elements. Further, we are able to drive general considerations on the Late Medieval and Early Modern design practice for stone structures and trace a new interpretation of the early treatises of stereotomy.