HÜBSCH, Heinrich
After studies in Heidelberg (1813–15) and at Weinbrenner’s school of architecture in Karlsruhe (1815–17) he traveled extensively in Greece and Italy (1817–24). He succeeded Weinbrenner as Baurat (Building Inspector) at Karlsruhe, Baden, in 1827. In 1831 he was appointed Oberbaurat. He designed many churches and other public buildings, mainly in the Grand Duchy of Baden. His best work of architecture is arguably the elegant Trinkhalle (Spa Pump Room), Baden-Baden (1837–40), with its segmental arcades.
Hübsch is also known for his writings. He is credited with creating the Rundbogenstil architectural style. In his book In welchem Style sollen wir bauen? (In which style should we build?, 1828) he distanced himself from Weinbrenner’s Neoclassical style. This book created a climate of opinion antagonistic to the Neoclassicism dominant in Baden and Prussia. Prompted by rational French arguments, Hübsch argued that style should be derived from carefully considered structural methods and a realistic approach to cost. His plumping for Byzantine Romanesque round-arched forms was based less on style than on the qualities of brick as a building material.
His other publication Die altchristlichen Kirchen (Karlsruhe, 1862) is a work on basilican architecture, published also in French as Monuments de l’architecture chrétienne.
