Bauhaus Building, Dessau, 1925-1926: View from southwest 1926 - 1927

Curator: In this photograph by Klaus Hertig, we see the Bauhaus Building in Dessau, taken sometime between 1925 and 1926. Editor: My immediate impression is one of stark functionality. The building presents itself as a series of geometric shapes, almost like a child’s building blocks scaled to an enormous size. Curator: Indeed. The Bauhaus aesthetic aimed to strip away ornamentation in favor of clean lines and functional design, representing a break from earlier architectural styles. The symbolism here is of progress, efficiency, and a new social order. Editor: It also reminds us of the Bauhaus' complicated history. It aimed for utopian goals but was ultimately affected by the tumultuous political climate of the time, being closed in 1933 by the Nazis. This building, therefore, is a potent symbol of the interwar period. Curator: Absolutely, and its influence reverberates even today. This image captures not just a building, but a moment of radical artistic and social possibility. Editor: A powerful testament to how architecture can reflect our aspirations and anxieties.