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Workshop One
with Werner Aisslinger, Berlin
Documentation June 07th - 12th, 2010 during DMY Design Festival
with Marisa Bender Rocio Cifuentes Albeza Klaus Hiendlmayer Zeljka Kavran Alix Petit
Giulia Petrolati Agata Ruchlewicz-Dzianach Nina Ruthe-Klein Szwajcer & Close Chengyu Xu
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introduction to the bauhaus live workshop documentation by dr. annemarie jaeggi 6 my visionary bauhaus by werner aisslinger
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the workshop in brief
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about sustainability by burkhardt remmers / wilkhahn
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the participants
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project: marisa bender, israel
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project: rocio cifuentes albeza, spain
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project: klaus hiendlmayer, germany
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project: zeljka kavran, croatia
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project: alix petit, france
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content
project: giulia petrolati, italy
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project: agata ruchlewicz-dzianach, poland
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project: nina ruthe-klein, germany
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project: swajzer & close, belgium
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project: chengyu xu, china
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impressions of the workshop
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presentation at bauhaus archive
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workshops at the bauhaus archive introduction to the bauhaus live workshop documentation by dr. annemarie jaeggi, director of the bauhaus archive
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I am very pleased by the successful execution of the first BAUHAUS LIVE WORKSHOP, initiated by Gruppe 09, which aims to support the Bauhaus Archive as a partner, and to create new perspectives for our globally unique institution. That an international group of young designers so enthusiastically embraces the basic tenets of the Bauhaus demonstrates how modern and relevant its concepts remain to this day. Similar to the students at the Bauhaus, the participants engaged with a broad spectrum of issues. Using new technologies and modern methods, they chose very different perspectives that – and this is where I see a structural parallel to the Bauhaus – nevertheless remain rooted in contemporary discourse. The success of this first event helps us to promote the Bauhaus as a timeless, future-focused school of thought, founded on an open process.
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my visionary bauhaus by werner aisslinger
Based upon the inspirational vision manifested in the Bauhaus movement, the workshop pushed the boundaries of the participants’ idea of contemporary design. Engaging in the visions of the Bauhaus avant-garde, the participants were challenged to come up with similarly revolutionary concepts today. In an intense five-day programme of conceptual and hands-on design work, the workshop invited the participants to look towards the future and create new products and concepts whilst following the process-oriented, interdisciplinary example of the Bauhaus philosophy. After a comparative introduction to the utopian concepts of future habitats as examplified in Italian and British design in the 60s, the participants were challenged to apply their own visions of the future to our modern civilisation, and create truly innovative concepts and products. The goal of the workshop was not the creation of a perfect, production-ready design or prototype, but rather to engage in an experimental creative process. Playful exploration of innovative concepts was the central focus of this intense programme, which was rounded off by lectures, discussion and direct feedback sessions with the workshop host and the organisers.
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The Bauhaus Archive Berlin is celebrating the key ideas of the Bauhaus movement and their relevance to modern design by hosting a new series of interdisciplinary design workshops. The first workshop of the programme, from June 7th until June 12th, 2010, was held by the Berlin based designerWerner Aisslinger, and run in conjunction with the DMY Design Festival Berlin. The workshop was initiated by Ingo Strobel, and is executed in cooperation between the Bauhaus Archive, Hidden Fortress and Faces of Design. In this documention you find all information about the achievements during the workshop as well as the results of the international participants.
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the workshop The starting point of the workshop was the interdisciplinary vision of the Bauhaus movement. An international group of eleven participants from ten different countries and diverse backgrounds challenged themselves to develop concepts and products that apply the avant-garde thinking of the Bauhaus movement to today’s challenges. After an introduction by Werner Aisslinger, a guided tour of the Bauhaus Archive and an inspirational speech by furniture manufacturer Wilkhahn’s Head of Communication Burkhard Remmers, the participants got started on their projects, and quickly found common ground: sustainability has almost become a hygiene factor within the design industry, and heavy criticism of today’s consumerism in its various shapes and forms became apparent in many discussions. Some concepts were strongly led by controversial economic considerations, and an early starting point for discussion was “Forget about the money!”, a slogan coined at the very start of the workshop: expressing a concern that all too often, designers are caught up in the immediate desire to pay their bills - and end up producing endless, marginal variations of existing products. Instead, the participants chose to focus on fundamental, almost universal needs. Nonetheless, Werner and the participants agreed that a modern take on the Bauhaus should not be Utopian - defined as promoting an abstract, prescriptive social ideal. Indeed, the participants questioned the right of designers - in fact, anyone - to make such prescriptions. In this, the participants broke with the elitist selfimage of the compound, so prevalent in the history of the Bauhaus movement. The modern designer, as represented in the workshop, does not consider himself a messianic figure; instead, he sees himself as a problem solver, applying his creative talents to address concrete issues of our time. Having chosen their challenges, the participants developed products and concepts to help “build” their vision, to demonstrate how it could be made into reality. This approach in itself expresses a freedom to design anything - from products to services, housing concepts and even business models. These are rooted in major challenges and opportunities of our time, including mobility (ComeAlong, Co-Nomad and TD Box), demographic change
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(Mixus) and sustainable regional development (Coalesce); but also a major nation’s rapid economic growth and profound cultural heritage (FACE); and the opportunities for expressing individuality in novel production concepts, driven by increasing demand for individualised consumption (YOUNIT). The approach of the Bauhaus movement naturally reflected the manufacturing processes and materials available at the time, just as much as social conditions. The participants’ designs, on the other hand, incorporate modern technologies such as the internet and telecommunications; indeed, some designs will require great further technological innovation. What the workshop illustrates is that the core values of the Bauhaus movement, such as the accessibility of design, interdisciplinarity, its international spirit and the integration of crafts, remain as relevant today as they were at the beginning; however, what has changed is the nature of the issues to be addressed, and the technologies available to tackle them. We were thrilled to see that so many established professionals decided to take part in the workshop, and we realised quickly that this fact gave the entire programme a drive that neither of us had expected. There were almost some initial ideas of a “new” Bauhaus manifesto shaped, challenging designers to question the widespread notion of their profession: * To apply social considerations to design, bridging societal gaps and connecting communities; * to abandon design for styling and marketing’s sake, but to put real and actual needs at the heart of product creation instead; * to challenge preconceived notions of consumption patterns and materialism.
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the wilkhahn conference
A thought that unifies the Deutsche Werkstätten, the Werkbund, the Bauhaus movement and the Ulm School of Design is the idea that a holistic and thus sustainable understanding of design is intrinsically linked with design education. To quote the exposé celebrating the founding of the German Werkbund in 1907: „the only thing that matters is to bring out the dormant skills of the student, so he can continue to thrive almost effortlessly in the ever-changing challenges of professional practice later in life.“ In the face of the latest educational studies and the dynamic environment presented by globalisation, it is hard to bring the challenges of modern educational politics more to the point. On the foundation laid by modernism, Wilkhahn dedicated itself as early as the 1950s to blend improved functional quality, timeless design and sustainability into a unique, recognisable design language. Long before buzzwords like design and corporate identity found their way into common marketing strategies, Wilkhahn developed, together with architects and designers of the famous Ulmer Hochschule für Gestaltung (Ulm School of Design), a holistic company culture that encompasses products, buildings and external appearances, as well as fairness and ecological responsibility. To Wilkhahn, the context of design and sustainability intrinsically links design to six areas: Economy; Product Development; Internal Relations; External Relations; Ecology; and Responsibility for Society.
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To this day, the most important conclusions are that: • consistent design is an exceptional instrument for a lasting positioning in a global market; • longevity in form, function and material is the key to sustainable, lasting design; • sustainable design encompasses not only aesthetic and functional facets, but also economic, ecological and social aspects; • a holistic understanding of design supports higher credibility and more confident decisionmaking, because complex knock-on effects have already been considered in the development process; • thus „design“ describes products, processes and the shaping of relationships. Design is one of the few areas through which we can influence the behaviour, the lives and the cohabitation of people. „Reshape the environment; don´t try to reshape men.“ (Buckminster Fuller) – this shows us opportunities for creating a better living environment, but also our responsibility for nature and the human race.
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the participants
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Marisa Bender Israel
ComeAlong is a modular storage system based on a series of shelves, aluminium joints and metal wire that allows you to ‘play’ with different combinations in order to suit the changing needs of a lifetime. Its main aim is to allow a maximum of flexibility, so it can remain in a person’s life indefinitely despite a need to frequently move apartments, or a need to upscale or
“I was interested in our personal environments and how moving flats can affect our lives; at the same time I wanted to create a design that takes The customisable joints of the shelving system allow for a personal into consideration issues of sustaintouch, so the owner can feel that they ability (through a long product life are bringing something of themselves and high degree of adaptability) and the functional design language to a new space every time. of the Bauhaus: an adaptable, easy to assemble, long-lasting storage solution.” downscale the person’s personal living environment.
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wherever life may take you
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Rocio Cifuentes Albeza Spain
ID Box is a concept for a machine that allows us to connect with members of our personal virtual communities on a more sensory level. ID Box scans flavours, scents and textures, and imprints them on a (fictional) material from which it then creates an empty box.
The material of this box contains the sensations the sender would like to share, and allows two people to enjoy a moment of shared sensations no matter how far they are apart.
So we have a strong desire to be close to each other.
ID Box was created to help us stay more connected even when we are far apart: using ID Box, we would “I wanted to help bridge the distance be able to arrange virtual meetings in which we could share sensations between people when they live like the scent and taste of a special too far apart to share sensations. In Spain, most families are connected dish, and maybe even the touch of another person’s skin.” as strong communities in which members stay close together.
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members id.
IDBOX
situation id.
habitat id.
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Klaus Hiendlmayer Germany
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Social design
SOCIAL DESIGN
Reflecting on the Bauhaus idea of design (being adressed to anyone) in the face of theidea modern societytoand economy... Reflecting on the Bauhaus of design adressed anyone in the face of
OBSERVAtION
the modern society and economy.
only a small elite to which design is adressed to
tendency for products which enhance differentiation and separation --> cocooning --> barriers --> individualism
why
LImItED ACCESSIBILIty
aversion <--
LACk Of NEED
differentiating and classifiing products ultimately lead to communication and interaction barriers between people
(affordability)
only needs adressed are selfactualisation und esteem
UNIfORmIty vs. INDIVIDUALIty
ideal design thinking of developping products that help in satisfying all human needs
Showing unity and uniformity people meet at a even level and therefore are given the possibility to communicate better.
tHESIS
Though the need for identification, and the use of signals to help in communicating and evaluating between advantageous or harmfull situations, the ideal of a peacefull society should still be a value to illustrate.
enhancing communication
Design should translate this asumption and create an environment, that enhances communiction.
availible to anyone fullfilling our needs useable by anyone sustainable, etc.
mEANS Of BRIDGING tHE DIStANCE
fORmAL AEStHEtICS
- micro credits - concentrating on local markets - open source technology - community knowledge base - internet trading - flexible pricing / donation systems - product diversification - cooperative developement - user integration - production networks - increasing public awareness - efficiency
- transparent - open - visible connections - equal parts - absolut validity of composition - no emotional evaluation - no customisation
circle closing back to Bauhaus principles
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Zeljka Kavran Croatia
YOUNIT is a business model derived from a growing trend towards mass customisation. Different market situations and a growing demand for variations require flexibility and fast adaptation from companies. YOUNIT applies the concept of mass customisation to the modern
workspace in order to achieve greater Dividing these worker units into three basic categories this could help flexibility. increase productivity; units would be recruited and organised according to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Any structure fighting for a market day-to-day market situations. could be organised in small independent units, similar to clusters or networks, which could be organised The basic categorisation is - in this case - based upon the Bauhaus based on similar personalities and theory of vision.â&#x20AC;? skillsets.
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Alix Petit France/Germany
COALESCE is a web platform that allows designers and craftspeople to connect and share information and resources. COALESCE's main aim is to help develop the concept of 'local design': using local materials/resources and reducing long-distance transportation of materials and finished products helps reduce a product's
carbon footprint whilst helping keep costs low and traditional craftsmanship alive. COALESCE sets up regional sub-networks that allow end users to connect directly with craftspeople in their local area. "Most products come from far away, creating a strain on the environment and increasing costs. At the same
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time, know-how of the Crafts is disappearing, and the user looses quality and durability of a product ... I hope COALESCE can be developed into a feasible business model to support local craftspeople and protect the environment, encouraging people to consume less but better products."
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Giulia Petrolati Italy
The project’s main aim is to create a new sensitivity in consumers about the difference between real innovaAdaptable to any product type, RealD tion and products that simply invites consumers to ‘build’ a product package an old technology in a new style. from its components like a puzzle and find out more about the product, RealD aims to help consumers its technology and production understand the essence of an object methods along the way. RealD is an online game that teaches consumers about a product.
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and thus bring more transparency and knowledge to the market for design products, reducing unnecessary consumption along the way. “Same shit, different name?”
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Agata Ruchlewicz-Dzianach Poland
Co-Nomad is a concept for a modular living unit, allowing modern nomads to connect in clusters. Permanent structures allow the nomads to connect their personal, flexible units to shared spaces for communities, providing them with the necessary resources and communal infrastructures in an urban environment.
“Even if we may live like nomads, we still have a desire to connect and share, and to live in communities. Co-Nomad allows us to remain flexible without having to become isolated by a nomadic lifestyle. Even living like nomads, it’s not necessary to rent accommodation when you wish to work and live with
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others; instead you are able to live in your own ‘layered’ habitat, which you can match to your personal needs by using the first layer to create your furniture. Which means you can always feel at home.”
CO-NOMAD
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Nina Ruthe-Klein Germany
MIXUS`main aim is to foster the dialogue between generations.
“In only a few years, my generation will be the ‘older``generation.
Combining products for different age groups creates symbolic or hybrid products that help bring old and young together.
I wanted to create products for us, yet didn´t want to just look at senior citizens.
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I believe the dialogue between all people of different ages needs fostering, and my product ideas might help bridge the generation gap, enable a mix of their needs, and create real communities across all age groups.”
MIXUS by: NIRUK alias nina ruthe-klein at BAUHAUS WORKSHOP
MIXus: it´s our LIFE
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Szwajcer & Close Belgium
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szwajcer_close_poster_01.pdf
11.06.2010
14:15:04 Uhr
THE DESIGNER
szwajcer / close
YOU CREATE? WHAT? WHY? YOU PRODUCE? WHAT? WHY? YOU SELL?
WHAT? WHY?
YOU SHOUT ABOUT WHAT? WHY? YOU SPEAK ABOUT WHAT? WHY? YOU DREAM ABOUT WHAT? WHY?
YOU LOVE ABOUT
WHAT? WHY?
YOU SAY ABOUT THINGS WHAT? WHY?
YOU TOUCH
WHY?
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WHAT?
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Chengyu Xu China/UK
The aim of this project is to create a new direction to help Chinese men´s fashion reposition itself in the global marketplace.
branded manufacturing to other low-cost countries, and is thus facing similar challenges to a large number of Western countries.
Due to increasing wages, China has recently started to experience a switch of internationally outsourced
A new unique character has to be identified in order to help the Chinese fashion industry position
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itself successfully in the global marketplace. Taking into account the Bauhaus principles of ‘form following function’ and the resulting natural simplicity, the goal is to achieve a new perception and appreciation of the “Made in China” Trademark.
FACE
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The presentation
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WE Cordially thank the following supporters and Partners for making this workshop possible:
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