What was the Bauhaus Dessau building complex?

The Bauhaus Dessau building complex, designed by Walter Gropius and constructed between 1925 and 1926, served as a school building for the famous art and design institution. It is celebrated as a pinnacle of pre-war modern design and an icon of European modernism. Over the decades, the building suffered war damage and alterations before undergoing extensive historical restorations, eventually becoming part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What we know

• The Bauhaus Dessau building complex was constructed between 1925 and 1926 based on plans by Walter Gropius. [2]
• The building was designed to serve as a school for the Bauhaus School of Art, Design and Architecture following its dissolution in Weimar. [2]
• War-damaged and structurally altered sections of the complex were largely reconstructed starting in 1965 and later meticulously restored between 1996 and 2006. [2]
• The complex has been recognized as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, which includes other sites in Weimar, Dessau, and Bernau. [2, 3]

Where to go next

• whoWho was Walter Gropius?
• whereWhere are the other Bauhaus World Heritage sites?
• what caused itWhy did the Bauhaus school close down?
• a case in pointWhat are the Masters' Houses in Dessau?
• what followedHow did the Bauhaus influence modern design?
• an unexpected connectionHow is Tel Aviv connected to the Bauhaus movement?Jewish Bauhaus architects emigrated to Tel Aviv, resulting in the city having the highest concentration of the school's international architecture in the world.

Sources

• [1]Bauhaus Dessau (Wikidata Q516770) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Bauhaus Dessau · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Bauhaus · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Bauhaus University of Weimar · CC BY-SA 4.0