Scharoun consistently referred to Hugo Haering's theories when describing the basics of his own architecture. He was a protectionist of "Organform" (form of an organ - originally from Greece "organon" = definable instrument or tool. Modern interpretation: an integral part of a living being) and he wrote in 1925: "Now, we have discovered both, first that many things of pure attainment of an aim had already got a shape which entirely complied with our claims for a concept. Secondly, many things originally designed to purely attain an aim, then complied with our claims for a concept the more, the better they fitted to those of a pure attainment of an aim."
According to this, "Organic" construction "entails" a design which allows for the development of human individual power and to disclose such a power in the designing procedure itself. The character of an organ is attributed to a building. This comparison is based on the assumption that processes happen both, inside a building and so comparably in a natural organ. Rooms which are designed according to the Organic principle shall follow their functions in a building. Living rooms shall get design from their user's habits; thus, rooms shall belong to and take part in their users' lives. So, rooms become essential and there is a strong relationship which arises between the building and the human. In this way, the building would find its effective destination, free of preconception.
The construction of the Haus Schminke was based on the theory of organic, functional building. While establishing working titles "Landhaus" (country house) for his planning, Scharoun referred to a type of house which provided a strong connection between modern cultivation and the taste in home décor of the wealthy middle classes before World War I - the "Landhaus" (also: the English Arts and Crafts) movement and its most important propagandist, the architect Hermann Muthesius.
The Haus Schminke is a prime example of how a building can be used to connect man with nature. The house has been positioned with the factory to its South-West. Traveling along the driveway from the factory to the house you pass the farm yard and the administration wing of the house, with its tall yellow brick chimney, white enclosed walls and red painted windows. In contrast, to the North-West, the house seems to dissolve and grow together with the garden and following landscape via the floor to ceiling glass partitions which slide in part, allowing access to its terraces and stairs.
Consideration was given to the amount of light and heat generated throughout the day from the sun, particularly via the southern windows. The internal temperature of the house was controlled by
Installing wooden roller shutters, curtains and ventilation flaps which allowed the owners to control the amount of sunlight and heat entering through each window, at anytime of the day.
The true experience of the Haus Schminke can only be gained from moving freely throughout the property. As you move from room to room you will see and feel the house's impressions change with each step: On one hand, it is about the flexibility of sliding walls, curtains, doors and windows that make it possible to adopt rooms according to different needs, on the other hand it's the changing light that fills and inspirits the space, pulling shadows through it either by changing sunlight or electric light by night. As a result, the architecture of the Haus Schminke can be described as "dynamic architecture" as it comes alive on movement which is only possible to experience by moving freely through it.