Berlin has plenty to offer Bauhaus fans: the colorful, curved Gropius building at Hansaviertel, the recently reopened Neue Nationalgalerie and – for a lucky few – the Marcel Breuer chair sitting at your dining table. Founded in Weimar by Walter Gropius in 1919, the Bauhaus school was forced by political events to Dessau, the city where it remains today. It is now home to a museum that’s accessible to the public and less than two hours from Berlin, making it ideal for a short break. The city itself is easily navigable on foot and has kept many of the original buildings that now stand as museums dedicated to the movement. The Bauhaus Museum is an elegant, contemporary 1500 sqm space that shows the school’s influence throughout architecture, photography, and textile, product and furniture design. Marianne Brandt’s self-portraits and László Moholy-Nagy’s light experiments are particular must-sees. From there, you can catch a glimpse of the city’s Employment office and Dessau-Törten Housing Estate, or dine at architect Carl Fieger’s Kornhaus, located right by the Elbe river.
Also worth a stop are the Master’s houses, which flaunt the cubic geometries that Bauhaus design is known for. The insides are plainly kept, with colored accents painted on the stairs and walls. And then there’s the Bauhaus school itself. No longer a design school, the building now houses a cafe, design shop, and exhibitions. Outside is the famous Bauhaus sign that corners the building’s windowed exterior. Our highlight was an overnight stay in the Atelierhaus, where guests can sleep in minimal rooms with shared bathroom facilities previously used by students. The building was constructed in 1926, and if you’re lucky you might even get a balcony room where you can recreate the iconic imagery made by world-famous designers as they huddled on their balconies many years ago.
Text & Photos: Savannah van der Niet
Bauhaus Dessau, Gropiusallee 38, 06846 Dessau–Roßlau; map
You can find out more about the Bauhaus Buildings in Dessau and staying overnight at the Bauhaus on the Bauhaus Dessau website.
Bauhaus Building and Masters’ Houses: Wed–Sun, 10–17h
Bauhaus Museum: Wed–Sun, 10–18h
