Bauhaus Dessau, (Dessau, Germany); 1926; Modern architecture

Bauhaus Dessau, located in Dessau, Germany. The building was commissioned by the city of Dessau, and designed by Walter Gropius, the founder of the Bauhaus. The construction was begun in autumn 1925, and signed off in December 1926. The total area of Bauhaus contains approximately 256,000sq-ft of floor space.

The time was after WW1. The Weimar Republic united the Germany. The Bauhaus had been developing by the government. There was a Bauhaus located in Weimar founded in 1919. The students produce their new designs and create exhibition in Bauhaus. Many purchasers form the west came to Bauhaus to order their designs. Sounds like the Bauhaus Weimar was very successful during the period. However, the school funding had cut off by the education department because of the political issue. The Bauhaus Weimar had closed in 1925. And the School were looking for alternative sources of funding for continue the school. Then they have moved to Dessau to continue their business.

The term of “Bauhaus” means School of Building in Germen. However, the building is not for architecture only. It contains all art series including painting, designing, literature, metal working, stage crafting, dancing, and weaving.

 Walter Gropius wanted to design a building with six conditions which are workshops, administrative department, collective area, studio commendation, housing, technical school. He used interlocking system with symmetric form to link these six conditions.

The materials of the Bauhaus Dessau are reinforced concrete skeleton and brick walls. Windows are sashes with steel frame and double weathering contacts. Sashes make the a good condition of natural light for the interior space. There are two kinds of roofs-one can be enter by students has covered by welded asphalt tiles on tortoleum insulated base. The other one can’t enter has covered by lacquered burlap over a tortoleum insulated base with concrete.

The complex consists of three parts-the wing of the ‘Technische Lehranstalten’, the auditorium, and the five level studio.

The ‘Technische Lehranstalten’ which is technical college including administration and classrooms, staff room, library, physics laboratory, model rooms, fully finished basement; the Bauhaus administration located on the first floor; and the architectural department in on second floor. It also has stage workshop, painting shop, dye-works, sculpture studio,packing and stock rooms, caretaker’s apartment and boiler room with coal cellar in basement.

The auditorium has set on the first level. It is intermediate wing to the studio building.The wing has contains the recreational facilities for the students. The stage interlock the auditorium and dining room.Stage wall can be open to let the spectators can sit in either side.

The studio building has set next to the auditorium. There are twenty-eight studio apartments for Bauhaus’ students. The units contain with a small balcony. The building also contains with Bathrooms, gymnasium, changing rooms and laundry are in basement.

The interior decoration of the school was produced by itself including light fixtures, and tubular steel furniture. That means the education level of the school was in the high level.

Sharp,Dennis.Bauhaus Dessau: Walter Gropius.Phaidon Press Inc.New York,1993.