Five recommendations for new architecture and design exhibitions opening in December 2016, featuring shows in Copenhagen, Weimar, Nürnberg, London and Munich 5 New Design Exhibitions for December 2016 2016 has been an awful year. As in proper awful. Which my explain the unusually high number of expressionist-esque art exhibitions opening globally in December 2016: the bright colours and supportive warmth and encouragement such works tend to radiate being just what we all need after a tough
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Dessau and Rotterdam may appear unlikely brothers in arms; however, an exploration of the towns' architectural connections helps explain International Modernism. Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau present The Simultaneity of Modernism The Bauhaus School building by Walter Gropius in Dessau is, arguably, the best known and most popular example of International Modernist architecture in Germany The Van Nelle factory by Johannes Brinkman and Leendert van der Vlugt in Rotterdam is, arguably, the best known
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Whereas April showers tend to make you wet, grumpy and late, May showers are much more agreeable - or more precisely, the Eta Aquarids meteor showers are much more agreeable: a celestial showcase which reach their peak in early May and which, and in a wonderful example of the democracy of nature, are visible from anywhere on the planet. For all who prefer to do their star gazing in the comfort of a museum or gallery, and without having to scan the evening sky for Aquarius, here our
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"The starting point for the chair was the problem of comfortable seating combined with a simple construction. A problem which led to the defining of the following requirements: a) Elastic seat and backrest, but no upholstery, which is heavy, expensive and gathers dust b) Inclination of the seat so as to support the upper leg along its full length without the pressure that arises with a flat seating surface c) An angled position for the upper body d) Freedom of the spine because each and very
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The end of design's summer hibernation is traditionally marked by the opening of the Vitra Design Museum's winter exhibition, which for 2015/16 is the fulminate The Bauhaus #itsalldesign Elsewhere September 2015 saw us discuss photographing Le Corbusier with Margret Hoppe, the challenges as young designer in Berlin with Gunnar Søren Petersen, how design can be used for social change with Pepe Heykoop ...... and become completely obsessed with a steel horse from Prague. Vitra Design Museum:
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The WA 24 table lamp by Wilhelm Wagenfeld is without question one of the most instantly recognisable pieces of Bauhaus design, so much so that it is often referred to as simply "the Bauhaus Lamp". Designed by Wilhelm Wagenfeld in 1923 the WA 24 was quickly followed by a series of variations on the theme, yet all maintaining the same pared-down grace and uncomplicated functional elegance of the original. Characteristics which can just as easily be applied to Bauhaus itself as to Wagenfeld's
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One of the biggest problems with Modernism is the name. It was unquestionably modern. Which is why it became known as "Modernism". However, having become Modernism, it remained Modernism, and consequently "Modernism" came to imply something static. Rather than something, well, modern. Nowhere is this problem more visible than in discussions around Bauhaus. Established in Weimar in 1919 Bauhaus would go on to play a central role in shaping those new ideas about art, architecture and design
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As old Mother Goose, allegedly, once claimed: Thirty days hath September, and the following five enticing new design and architecture exhibitions which are probably well worth checking out if you get the chance....... "Piet Mondrian. The Line" at the Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, Germany Just as those architects who were to lead the move to modernism in the first decades of the 20th century generally began working in more classic styles before being seduced by the reduced charm of modernism,
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Given that Bauhaus is often perceived as having been an incubator for the creative talents of the 1920s, it is perhaps fitting that windows salvaged from Bauhaus Dessau should have been upcycled into a greenhouse for the Bauhaus Archiv Berlin. Or at least into a greenhouse-esque structure for the Bauhaus Archiv Berlin. Conceived, planned and realised by Berlin architectural practice zukunftsgeraeusche GbR together with the Bauhaus Archiv Berlin, Technischen Universität Berlin and Wagner
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The biggest, and certainly highest budget, new architecture and design exhibition open in May 2015 is without question the World Expo 2015 in Milan which begins on May 1st. Staged under the central theme of "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life" Expo Milan 2015 will feature presentations from some 140 countries in an equal or greater number of pavilions by some of the world's leading architectural practices, and promises to present an unrivalled exploration of future strategies for feeding an
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The (hi)story of applied arts is, we believe it's not too impetuous to claim, very closely connected with that of all other visual artistic forms. Therefore it is only logical that the (hi)story of the Grassi Museum of Applied Arts in Leipzig is very closely connected with that of the town's Academy of Visual Arts - the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst, HGB And so to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the later the former has invited students and graduates of the HGB to disrupt the Museum
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Following the necessary disruption of their permanent exhibition to accommodate the recently ended exhibition Sensing the Future: László Moholy-Nagy, die Medien und die Künste, the Bauhaus Archiv Berlin have taken the opportunity afforded to redesign their exhibition concept. And in doing so have allowed a very welcome fresh wind to blow through their museum. Bauhaus Archiv Berlin: Sammlung Bauhaus Presented under the title Sammlung Bauhaus - The Bauhaus Collection - the new permanent
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Cold as February 2014 unquestionably was, we managed to warm ourselves with exhibitions looking at the 1920s medial representation of Bauhaus Dessau, the life and works of Marianne Brandt and the work of Berlin based designer Birgit Severin. And got all excited by some USM window fittings!
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Until February 8th 2015 the Deutsches Architektur Zentrum, DAZ, in Berlin is presenting the exhibition "The Urburb: patterns of contemporary living" Developed by Ori Scialom, Dr. Roy Brand and Keren Yaela Golan The Urburb was Israel's contribution to the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale and aims to place the current state of urban planning and architecture in Israel in context of historical developments. To this end The Urburb features four so-called sand printers - industrial plotting
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Just as it seems that the press conference ahead of the opening of the Martin-Gropius-Bau Berlin's new exhibition, "VKhUTEMAS – A Russian Laboratory of Modernity", is approaching its end, yet another, final, question is posed. Martin-Gropius-Bau Director Gereon Sievernich smiles warmly and responds with a very good natured "My, have you all got a lot of questions today!" Yes. Unsurprisingly. Exhibitions, or indeed any form of academic presentation, about the Russian art school VKhUTEMAS
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In his 1936 film "Modern Times" Charlie Chaplin is famously swallowed by the wheels of progress in a short yet cutting critique on the problems and challenges technological and social change were bringing for the common man. Over a decade earlier the Hungarian artist and author László Moholy-Nagy had also began to approach and study the problems and challenges of modernity, of increasing technological innovation and the associated flood of new sensory experiences, and in their winter 2014/15
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Although it is probably fair to say that today Bauhaus is best remembered for its architects and designers, art played a central role in the institution's programme. Albeit a central role which today is often over shadowed by the legacy of those artists who taught at Bauhaus. To rectify this situation the Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau are presenting "Bauhaus. The Art of the Student", an exhibition which explores both Bauhaus' importance as an art college and also looks beyond the likes of Lyonel
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"Herr Mies van der Rohe proposed to close Bauhaus. The proposition was unanimously approved".1 With this sober protocol dated July 20th 1933, but referring to a meeting held on July 19th 1933, the closing of Bauhaus Berlin, and so the end of the Bauhaus story, is formally confirmed. Present at the meeting on July 19th, and so unified in their responsibility for the decision were, in addition to Mies van der Rohe, Josef Albers, Ludwig Hilberseimer, Wassily Kandinsky, Walter Peterhans, Lilly
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Amid all the hype surrounding "Bauhaus Style", "Bauhaus Classic" and "Bauhaus Design" it is often forgotten that Bauhaus was a college. And whereas many, if not most, people can name half-a-dozen or so Bauhaus graduates; hundreads of students passed through Bauhaus. And it wasn't all just partying and theatre. They did also learn. But what did they learn? How did they learn? And what can we learn from how and what they learnt? In an attempt to answers such questions the Bauhaus Archiv
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Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of strolling with us through Potsdam will know our feelings on recreating exact replicas of long since lost buildings. Yet much as we get annoyed, dismayed, confused, upset, angry, depressed and downright cross by the unjustifiable, untenable decisions taken in Brandenburg, we do appreciate that often such decisions have to be made. Such as in Dessau in context of Walter Gropius and László Moholy-Nagy's Masters' Houses. One and a half of four near
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Herewith we inform the directors of the Hochschule für bildende Kunst that the Provisional Republican Government has approved the request to rename the unified Hochschule für bildende Kunst and Kunstgewerbeschule as "Staatliches Bauhaus in Weimar"1 With this succinct letter from the Office of the Hofmarschallamt in Weimar on 12th April 1919, Bauhaus formally existed. A succinct letter that ended four long years of negotiation and planning, and which - arguably, and depending on your position -
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Until June 10th the Bauhaus Archiv Berlin is presenting "New Architecture! Modern Architecture in Images and Books", an exhibition devoted to architecture photography and architecture publishing of the 1920s and 30s. And an exhibition that illustrates just how little the genres have evolved over the intervening decades. The central focus of New Architecture! is the life, work and archive of the architecture critic and art historian Walter Müller-Wulckow. In addition to his journalistic and
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The much discussed experiment Bauhaus reaches its first conclusion with the opening of its own institute in Dessau on December 4th 1926. The impact, if any, which this group of architects, to which Gropius belongs, will have on our building culture is something we can leave to history to decide. This new style, a style which a large percentage of our population is not accustomed to, and to which the majority wont take, doesn't offer any room for traditional architecture, but plenty of space for
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By way of an addendum to our addendum to our "5 New Design Exhibitions for February 2014" post...... Until June 8th 2014 the Villa Esche in Chemnitz is presenting a special exhibition devoted to the artist and industrial designer Marianne Brandt. Built in 1903 by Henry van de Velde for the Chemnitz textile magnate Herbert Eugen Esche, the Villa Esche is not only a wonderful example of Henry van de Velde's approach to architecture and his understanding of his responsibilities in context of the
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