The Bauhaus Archive in Berlin, home to the world's largest collection related to the history of the school, celebrated its centenary in 2019. For this significant event, the archive presented 100 new objects. Contemporary furniture for homes and offices looks quite different today, but let's go back in time and examine what the design was like in the 1920s and 1930s.
Creating real masterpieces
"Practicality, functionality, simplicity" - these words can be considered the unofficial motto of everything that was created at Bauhaus. The archive showcases everyday objects created under the influence of this philosophy: lighting fixtures, carpets, and furniture. The 1929 kitchen designed by Marcel Breuer is an excellent example of how, in an era when more women were pursuing professional careers, furniture was designed to save time on household duties.
When the Light Goes Out
The famous Wagenfeld lamp became the first lamp designed within the Bauhaus. As for the Bormann lamp, released in 1932, it was the last. It was designed and crafted in the Bauhaus workshop in Dessau. Features of this lamp include a cable cleverly hidden in a metal tube serving as a base and an adjustable lampshade for changing the brightness of the light.
Geometry in Toys
From architecture, we move on to toys. In 1923, Alma Buscher created this toy ship, using the design of blocks originally developed by Friedrich Froebel back in the 19th century. She was responsible for the design of the children's room in the residential house "Am Horn" in Weimar, which was a shining example of Bauhaus style. In the Bauhaus Archive in Berlin, you can see the original large toy from this house.
The Art of Architecture
"The ultimate goal of creative activity is construction," proclaimed the Bauhaus manifesto. In Weimar, the projects of architects like Farkas Molnar remained unrealized. However, when the school moved to Dessau in 1926, it established its own architecture department. The Bauhaus Archives have provided the exhibition with numerous drawings and sketches related to architecture.