Exploring the Bauhaus Idea in the Provinces

Avant garde is usually considered to be an urban phenomenon. This assertion may well be true for some protagonists – the architects, artists and designers. Their ideas take shape in stimulating, dynamic and highly-charged urban surroundings. But ideas alone do not change the world. Implementation, execution and practical experimentation are required. More often than not, the fertile soil for these aspects is found in the provinces. The people in these provincial regions enable the ideas dreamt up in large towns and cities to come to fruition. One such provincial region is the southern part of the Lower Saxony in Germany, between the Weser River and the Harz Mountains. With the creativity and courage found here, ideas become reality. This is what made it possible for Walter Gropius to implement his first industrial building: the FAGUS FACTORY in Alfeld upon Leine. The project marked the dawn of modernism in architecture. Without it, Bauhaus would probably never have been established in Weimar in 1919. The courage of the factory’s founder, Carl Benscheidt, was the crucial ingredient. The same kind of courage characterises the furniture manufacturer TECTA in Lauenförde – the most important curator of Bauhaus designs. It is also characteristic of the porcelain manufacturer FÜRSTENBERG, which has been dedicated to innovative porcelain design ever since working with Wilhelm Wagenfeld. This courage is also embodied by PS.Speicher in Einbeck, which not only preserves the automotive legacies of Gropius but also has an innovative way of communicating the ideas associated with human transportation.

Bauhaus artists continued to have an influence in many areas of the Fagus Factory, even after the building phase was completed. For example, the functionality of technical devices for producing shoe lasts was optimised. Bauhaus artists designed the office interiors, the signs on the doors, the company’s letterhead and business cards, the logo and the placement of the signage on the factory’s exterior. Bauhaus workshops designed and manufactured furniture for Fagus, for the company founder’s living quarters and for the company-owned accommodation.

Walter Gropius received a commission from the automotive manufacturer Adler in Frankfurt am Main. He war to refine the appearance of the new Standard 6 and 8 vehicles and modernise the marketing. The collaboration was not profitable. In terms of advertising, however, the partnership was a great success. The design of the vehicles – which featured six or eight cylinder engines, wide running boards and large Carl Zeiss headlights – attracted attention. Adler became a world-famous brand. The company´s logo was also re-designed by Gropius. From 1932 onwards, the martial eagle appeared on all vehicles, posters and brochures, as well as on the company’s letterhead. In the former Einbecker granary - today's PS Speicher - you will find more than a museum. Not only are over 400 vehicles on two, three and four wheels shown, but the objects are revived in an interactive exhibition. In the PS Speicher you can normally find this Adler.

Tecta, a family business in Lauenförde, is characterized by its love of quality and masterpieces. In that respect, the company is synonymous with Bauhaus – but Bauhaus reimagined. It sells around 30 products that carry the original Bauhaus signet, which proves that the items are faithful, licensed, re-editions. As such, Tecta is the world’s most comprehensive supplier of original Bauhaus models. The company is responsible for receiving and reviewing the best modern ideas and designs that originate from the Bauhaus sites in Weimar and Dessau. Furthermore, Tecta is motivated by the desire to push the boundaries of modernism. The company develops new approaches by using innovative materials and technologies, by keeping a close eye on the way that consumer requirements are changing over time and through strategic collaborations with contemporary designers and architects.