Kükelhaus was acutely concerned with questions of construction and living facilities. Since the early 1970s he has substantially criticized the tendencies of the architecture of those days, which was in great parts hostile to life, and developed the baselines of an organological construction, i.e. construction orientated towards the human senses and the human organism. For Kükelhaus building and designing that centered on human needs and measures was a concern throughout his life.
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Life and Oeuvre
1900Born in Essen on the 24th of March
father: Hugo Kükelhaus senior, writer, middleclass economic politician, co-organiser of the professional self-governing body of the German Craftsmanship; mother: Marie Kükelhaus, born in Hovestadt; two sisters, brothers Heinz and Herman: both writers
1919Abitur (A-Levels)
following apprentice years and its years of travel as carpenter and furniture maker
1925Master exam
studies in Heidelberg, Münster, Königsberg: focus on sociology, philosophy, mathematics (logic), physiology
1930Marriage to Emilie
née Scharpenack (1898 – 1986) from Kettwig/Ruhr;
1934 son Friedrich, 1937 daughter Barbaraseit 1930Interior decorator in Bochum (Fa. Dickerhoff)
beginning free decorating work and journalistic writing activities
1931Following his father’s death assumed control of the journal Das Tischlergewerk [The Carpenter Trade]
with interruptions, editor till 1943. 1948 till 1956 freelance contributor to the journal
1934Moved to Caputh near Potsdam
seit 1934Employee of the Alfred Metzner Verlag [publishing house] in Berlin
as editor of the series Schriften zur deutschen Handwerkskunst [Writings on the German Arts and Crafts] (1935 ff), Die deutsche Warenkunde [German Journal of product trade] (1939 ff) and as author of Urzahl und Gebärde [Primordial Number and Gesture] (1934), Werde Tischler [Become a carpenter] (1936). Lectures, seminars, organization of exhibitions; collaboration in the Deutsches Handwerks-Institut [German Institute of Crafts] and the Kunstdienst (Berlin)
1939Development of the Greiflinge Allbedeut
a multifunctional assortment of wooden toys for babies and toddlers
1939 - 1945Soldier
partly exempted for technical schooling and rehabilitation of disabled wounded. Member of the resistance with Fritz-Dietlof Graf von der Schulenburg.
1940 - 1941Curator of arts and crafts in Schlesien [Silesia] through the count’s mediation
by von der Schulenburg Landeshandwerkspfleger [Curator of arts and crafts] of Schlesien [Silesia] in Breslau
1948Move to western germany
1949 - 1954An apartment in Wamel-on-Möhnesee
House and graphics studio Kätelhön
1950 - 1953Teaching at the Werkschule Münster
(today Fachhochschule für Design [college of higher education for design]), Bildgeschichten vom Träumling [pictured stories of the dreamer] (1951/1952), Das Wort des Johannes [The Word of St. John] (1953)
1954Move to Soest, Bergenthalpark
seit 1954Exclusively occupied as a freelance writer (anthropology, cultural criticism, architecture, human physiology and therapy, pedagogy) and visual artist (paintings, sculptures, glass etc.)
lecturer for seminars. Contributed as a staff member to interior designs for numerous churches and public buildings.
1957Artistic design of Evangelical Erlöserkirche in Essen
including stained glass windows, coloring, interior decor
seit ca. 1960Intensified theoretical and experimental research into human sensory perception
created objects for experimental exploration
1966In cooperation with Fritz Kuhn he designed the steel wall in the foyer of the municipal theatre in Dortmund
1967Presented about twelve objects for experimental exploration at the World Exhibition in Montreal
and at the 2nd International School Exhibition in Dortmund
1973Coined the term “inhumane architecture”
consultant and artistic contributor in terms of organilogical architecture to build schools, kindergartens and industrial companies; e.g. from 1975 in several plants of the Schweisfurth company (HERTA KG), 1980/1981 at the Rodtegg/Lucerne school home for physically handicapped children (architect: Otto Schärli), 1980 in the redesign of the schoolyard of the Archigymnasium in Soest
1975First presentation of the “field of experience for the development of human senses”
at the international crafts exhibition 'EXEMPLA' in Munich
since then travelling exhibition in numerous German and Swiss cities
1977Founded the working group for an organological lifestyle Organismus und Technik e.V.
in Germany and Switzerland
1978Honoured with the Konrad-von-Soest Prize by the regional authority Westphalia-Lippe
1982Book project "Development of the Senses" together with Rudolf zur Lippe
1982 - 1984Planning and construction of the 'Graubner House' in Herrischried (southern Black Forest)
with Wolfram Graubner
1984Death on October 5
in Herrischried, grave in Mustin near Ratzeburg, his daughter's place of residence.