To mark the Bauhaus centennial Tecta has launched an experiment – »BauhausNowhaus«. The initiative impressively demonstrates that the concepts, ideas and furniture of the Bauhaus era have lost nothing of their fascination and functionality of almost 100 years ago. Tecta thus brings the vitality and enthusiasm of the past forward into the present. As a tangible expression of this fascination, a group of ambitious designers around Tecta are now personally rethinking the classics. Be it icons such as Walter Gropius F51 armchair, Erich Brendel's M10 tea table or Marcel Breuer's D4 club chair. New accents, proportions, plus contemporary and poetic impulses link the concepts of the young designers. With respect and playfulness, they boldly challenge these icons and show us: Bauhaus is alive, open to change, and as up-to-date as ever after 100 years.
An inconspicuous cube, Erich Brendel’s table seems to offer little in the way of discoveries. But then a smile dawns on the viewer’s face, as it unfolds and turns into a Swiss cross, reflecting its source of inspiration – the austere lines of Walter Gropius’ office.
In his rethink of the K10, Tobias Groß livens things up: he raises Brendel’s table from its invisibility, giving it a visible, smaller and more colourful design. He maintains the table’s structural character and really makes it stand out. The surfaces and supports of the K10 have been pared down, making them look less solid and creating a lightweight, flexible piece of furniture. The little brother of Erich Brendel’s former tea table.
And since a table can nowadays no longer serve for five o’clock tea occasions only, the Cologne designer has reduced its proportions to those of a side table. He has also added a cheerful note to its exterior. A new two-tone design makes the table attractive for modern interiors. Tobias Groß has washed the surfaces in calm, muted colours from olive through red to blue. And he has accentuated the profile edges with fresh pastel hues. Running all around the table, they give it a new, ever surprising, appearance, depending on the position of the panels.
For the BauhausNowhaus campaign the Cologne-based designer has enhanced the K10’s visibility. And in doing so has delivered a timelessly beautiful product that is ready to unfold its true potential in a contemporary interior.
