HANS FISCHLI | Peter, Gina & Fredi Fischli

In this new episode of bauhaus faces, we dive into the life and work of Hans Fischli. Often overlooked in broader Bauhaus stories, Fischli worked across architecture, painting, sculpture, and teaching—leaving a mark that’s still felt today.

To get a sense of his impact, I spoke with the people who knew him best: his son, the artist Peter Fischli; his grandson, curator Fredi Fischli, who is currently preparing an exhibition on Hans Fischli at Zentrum Paul Klee in Berne; and his granddaughter, the artist Gina Fischli. Together, they share personal stories and reflections on their (grand-)father’s architectural and artistic work.

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SHOW NOTES bauhausfaces.com | @bauhausfacespodcast | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

EXHIBITION OF HANS FISCHLI'S WORK JAN 24 2026 bis APRIL 26, 2026 AT ZENTRUM PAUL KLEE

GLOSSARY "Schlehstud" – name for Fischli’s first house, built in 1933 Reihenhaus – town house, terraced house Goldküste – gold coast Bauzonen – building zones Baugrube – building pit Filetstück – filet piece (which means the best piece of them all) Verkehrswege – traffic paths (the ways that you use to move around in a building) Gesinnung – state of mind, mindset Maßanzug anziehen – to put on a tailor-made suit Siedlung – estate, settlement Landesausstellung „Landi“ – National exhibition Chef-Adjutant – chief assistant Rekrutenschule – recruit training Planungsstab – planning department Heimatstil – local, folklore style Gartenbauausstellung – Gardening exhibition geistiger Widerstand – intellectual resistance Unaufgeregte Moderne – unagitated modernity Kunstgewerbeschule – School of Applied Arts, Zurich Wettbewerb – competition

LITERATURE ABOUT HANS FISCHLI Christa Zeller: „"Die Zeit der Baukünstler ist vorbei’: Zum architektonischen Werk von Hans Fischli“, in: Werk, Bauen + Wohnen, issue 76, No. 6, 1989, https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?pid=wbw-004:1989:76::1748#646

Karl Jost: Hans Fischli. Architekt, Maler, Bildhauer, Zürich: gta, 1992

Hans Fischli. Meilen, Ortsmuseum Meilen, 1990

Hans Fischli: Rapport bebildert, Zürich, 1978

TV INTERNIEWS WITH HANS FISCHLI Karussell, 22 Sep 1981, SRF

Das Monatsmagazin, „Die drei Berufe des Hans Fischli“, 17 Oct 1979, SRF,

WORKS AND LETTERS BY HANS FISCHLI https://www.sik-isea.ch/de-ch/Über-uns

COVER PHOTO Portrait of Hans Fischli, https://www.baukultur-waedenswil.ch/fischli-hans.html

CHAPTER IMAGES 01/02 Portrait of Hans Fischli, https://www.baukultur-waedenswil.ch/fischli-hans.html 03 Hans Fischli: Zellengebilde, 1929, https://teojakob.ch/de/aktuell/hans-fischli/ 04 Neubühl housing estate, Zurich, 1932, Stadt Zürich, public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1607352 05 Hans Fischli: „Schlehstud“ House, Obermeilen, 1933, by Port(uo)s, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28060617 06 Hans Fischli: Workers’ settlement „Gwad“, Wädenswil, 1943, https://www.baukultur-waedenswil.ch/anhang-architektenlexikon-der-schweiz-1998-2077.html 07 Hans Fischli: Zig zag north facade of the Feller AG, 1953, by Port(uo)s, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28060617 08 Landi, 1939, Stadt Zürich, public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1607352 09 Hans Fischli in his studio, 1944, Schweizerisches Kunstarchiv, https://www.sik-isea.ch/it-ch/Archivio-darte-Biblioteca/Archivio-darte/Fondi-archivistici/Vetrina-virtuale/Details/content/2475 10 Hans Fischli and employees of his office, ca. 1940, Schweizerisches Kunstarchiv, https://www.sik-isea.ch/it-ch/Archivio-darte-Biblioteca/Archivio-darte/Fondi-archivistici/Vetrina-virtuale/Details/content/2475