In 1899 Peter Behrens was invited to Darmstadt by Ernst Ludwig II, reigning Grand Duke of Hesse where he became the second member of the recently-inaugurated Darmstadt Artists' Colony. In the colony Behrens who was originally trained as a painter turned to architecture and built his first house. He conceived all the interiors including furniture, towels, paintings, pottery, etc. The house receiving widespread critical attention at the 1901 Darmstadt Exhibition for his furniture, fittings, and interiors which, although moving away from the more flowing Art Nouveau forms that had characterized much of his earlier design output, utilized expensive materials and finishes. Peter Behrens stayed in Darmstadt until 1903 and then moved to Dusseldorf where he was named director of the Kunstgewerbeschule.

Behrens' house was partly destroyed during the bombings of Darmstadt in WWII, but rebuilt thereafter.