Transformative Art & Architecture

The Transformative Art & Architecture (TAA) Professional Development Initiative was founded by Johannes Schuster in 2017, after running seminars on “The Architecture of Universal Beauty” (AUB) from 2011 – 2016 in Australia, Switzerland (at the Goetheanum in  2015 and 2016), Malaysia, China and Argentina.

In 2017 his wife Sue Schuster joined the initiative. Since then they have been working together, with Johannes focusing on the theoretic content and Sue bringing her artistic skills and experience to the course. Beginning in 2017, Johannes and Sue have taught the TAA Course to numbers of different cohorts of Chinese audiences, switching over to online teaching from 2020. (an article about our China experience appeared in late 2021 in the Pacific Journal and the Australian Anthroposophical newsletter. )

The aim of this initiative is to develop and promote an Anthroposophically inspired Theory of Transformative Art & Architecture, which is based on the spiritual view of the human being and universe taught by Rudolf Steiner. The methodology arising from this theory is known as Biosculptural Architecture.

The vision of TAA is for the forms of Art & Architecture to become forces for “Goodness, Truth and Beauty” in the world. This vision takes its inspiration from Rudolf Steiner himself, who in one of his lectures to the workers at the first Goetheanum, spoke the following words about the forms of Art & Architecture of the future:

“…the turning of evil into good, will in future depend upon whether true art

is able to pour a spiritual fluid into the hearts and souls of human beings.”

Rudolf Steiner, “Ways to a new style in Architecture”, 1914,

TAA Course Structure

The full TAA course consists of eight 6-day modules focussed on the following four themes.

Each theme/module is taught at an introductory and an advanced level:

Module I/Process I: CREATIVE PROCESS 
The Spiritual Architecture of the Creative Process

 Module II/Language of Form I: NATURE
The Four Ethers and the Architecture of Universal Beauty 

Module III/Language of Form II: THE HUMAN BEING 
Hierarchy of Form and the Human Being as the Measure of All Things

Module IV/Process II: PRACTICUM
Practical Project work

Who is it for? 

Course participants in the past have come from a wide range of professions

• from architects, designers and artists to teachers, lecturers and entrepreneurs,
• as well as farmers, Goethean scientists and generally students of spirituality interested in exploring  life, form and design through a spiritual paradigm.
• many have come with a background in Anthroposophy, others without it.

For newcomers the course offers a birds eye view of Anthroposophy, for those with an Anthroposophical background it offers an opportunity to reconnect the dots between familiar perspectives, combining them into a larger, integrated whole.

Upcoming courses

The Spiritual Architecture of the Creative Process

three consecutive weekends:

part 1:   30-31 October 2021
part 2:   6-7 November 2021
part 3:   13-14 November 2021

Enrolment form here.

For past years go to:

2019  Course Document and Dates

2019  Course Document in Chinese Translation