History

Bauhaus – A revolutionary Design Movement

Published: 03.05.2022

Blog > History > Bauhaus – A revolutionary Design Movement

Bauhaus - a well-known educational department, one building with many legendary influencers and a powerful movement. The term literally translates as "construction house“. The Bauhaus, operated as an influential school in Germany between 1919 and 1933 . It continues to live on as a kind of aesthetic movement, while having its strong associations with visual work that includes textiles, graphic and industrial design but mainly architecture. In 2019, Germany will celebrate an important anniversary. The Bauhaus school of design and building will turn 100 years old. (Bauhaus cover image by Ade Imran)

Walter Gropius - Bauhaus Architect

Walter Gropius – Director of the Bauhaus

Walter Gropius became the director of the Staatliches Bauhaus which was a fairly new institution back in 1919. The Bauhaus combined the former Grand Ducal School of Arts and Crafts with the Weimar Academy of Fine Art. Although Walter Gropius was mainly an architect, the school of design included an architecture department in 1927. Gropius was in favor of the idea that design had to serve the community and broke the barrier between craftsman and artist.

Form Follows Function

The key essential principle of the Bauhaus movement was "form follows function." According to this idea, simple but elegant geometric shapes were designed based on the intended function or purpose of a building or an object. Bauhaus is also associated with minimalist design. Some of you might have also heard about their interest in surreal costumes and performances. Another principle of the Bauhaus movement was the interdisciplinary approach which was lived by the professors as well as students. It combined visual arts, architecture, graphic design as well as product and furniture design all together. The idas was to adapt to a modern world. The concept of the "Gesamtkunstwerk," or complete work of art was born.

Design by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe 1927

Bauhaus Book

Legendary names formed by the Bauhaus

The school’s lecturers were all together major artists and influencers, some of them up to this day. To name the most important ones, Bauhaus counted: Josef Albers, Hinnerk Scheper, Georg Muche, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Herbert Bayer, Joost Schmidt, Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Lyonel Feininger, Gunta Stölzl and Oskar Schlemmer. Hannes Meyer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe were also directors of the school.

The Bauhaus legacy

Up to this day, Bauhaus is an era and movement with major influence on many designers and modern products. Bauhaus stands for true classic and design culture. We at Only/Once feel very influenced by the Bauhaus as well. We collect many beautiful design vintage products and are amazed & feel inspired by Mies van de Rohes architecture. Walter Gropius for example has designed some iconic AEG industrial fans which you can find in our shop.