Mid 1900s: Bauhaus origins: Weimar, Dessau, and Berlin
Bauhaus was founded in Weimar in 1919 as a school addressing the principles of art and technology. Under Bauhaus’ first director Walter Gropius, the school became the center of the modernist movement. In 1924 funding for the Weimar school was cut and forced Bauhaus to relocate to Dessau from 1926 to 1932. Dessau was a desirable city for Bauhaus due to its reputation as a mechanical engineering center filled with industry, yet was suffering from a housing crisis. Dessau’s eagerness to host Bauhaus was a perfect match for Gropius who designed the Torten Estate on the outskirts of Dessau to accommodate the housing shortage. Gropius resigned as the school director in 1928 and was succeeded by Swiss architect Hannes Meyer. Only a year later, Meyer’s Marxist connections were regarded as problematic to the Dessau city council and forced him to resign. Under Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the school was able to gain a stronghold in art, architecture, and design studios. Students like Hubert Hoffmann were able to aid the town in innovative designs, such as modular row homes. When the Nazi regime gained the stronghold in Dessau’s 1932 election, Bauhaus was again forced to relocate. After moving to Berlin in September of 1932, the school ultimately closed in 1933 due to pressure from the Nazis. [1] To read more about the Bauhaus legacy, click the button below:
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Above: Bauhaus exterior view [2]
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Above: Bauhaus interior [3]
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Above: Walter Gropius' designs for Bauhaus [4]
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