Marcel Breuer (1902-1981) is widely recognised as one of the most important Modern architects and designers of the 20th century. Born in Hungary, he was one of the most successful graduates of the famous Bauhaus in Germany, a radical school for the creative arts that is frequently referred to as the birthplace of Modernism. Breuer left Germany in the 1930s due to the rise of the Nazi party, moving to London for two years. In 1939 he was invited by his former teacher, Walter Gropius, to work at Harvard University. His illustrious pupils included Philip Johnson, Paul Rudolph and I.M. Pei. Professionally, Breuer initially practiced with Gropius before forming his own firm with offices in New York and Paris. His most important buildings include the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Sea Lane House (1936) is his only residential project undertaken in Britain.