Peter Behrens (1868-1940) was one of the most innovative architects and designers of the early 20th century. He is widely recognized as a pioneer of modern industrial design. Even today, his buildings and designs have an impact on our everyday lives. As head designer at AEG, Behrens created the company’s turbine hall in Berlin-Moabit. This construction ranks among the most famous buildings of industrial architecture in the world. But Behrens also developed AEG’s logo and corporate design – long before this concept was born. In addition, he was an accomplished typographer who designed trademarks that still exist, such as the iconic inscription “Dem deutschen Volke” (To the German People) above the portal of the Reichstag building in Berlin.

Published to celebrate the 150th birthday of Peter Behrens in 2018, this book showcases Behrens’ major achievements while also shining a light on lesser-known aspects of his creative genius. Each of the twelve individual booklets is dedicated to a particular topic, such as his early Art Nouveau objects or his essays, which are considered to be highly relevant to the theory of architecture of his time.