Design Intervention for Historic New England Extends Gropius Legacy

This winter, Andre Architecture and Oracol Design collaborated on the Historic New England Design Competition, developing a proposal to enhance the visitor experience at the Gropius House. The project expands the facility grounds and visitor center through the adaptive reuse and redesign of the original garage structure. Grounded in shared research and a commitment to design clarity, the team approached the project by honoring Bauhaus principles, prioritizing legibility, function, and the integration of form, visual communication, and user experience.

The collaboration began through a connection between Andre Gomez and Jonathan Posnett, who met while serving on an architecture jury at Parsons School of Design in New York City. Their shared interest in design as a comprehensive discipline—where architecture, graphics, and user experience converge—formed the foundation of the partnership. Posnett, a graphic designer with more than 30 years of experience in experiential design and wayfinding, brought expertise that reinforces intuitive navigation, visual coherence, and accessibility throughout the proposal.

Together, Andre Architecture and Oracol Design developed a scheme that bridges historic preservation and adaptive reuse. The proposal positions architecture and wayfinding as integrated forms of visual communication, creating a cohesive visitor experience that respects the original structures while introducing a contemporary framework to extend the Bauhaus legacy across the historic site.

View the entire design proposal, including drawings and renderings.