The Story Behind Audi's Bauhaus Design Philosophy (photos)
Read up on the school of design that influenced the stoic look of Audi cars.
1. Bauhaus Philosophy Inspired Audi's Distinctive Look
Amid a vast sea of competitors, Audi's designs have always managed to stand out. Whether we're talking about their classic cars or the latest TT, Audi have developed a distinct visual personality matched by few others, without any added frills or superfluous detailing. This unique design brief is thanks in no small part to the inspiration of the form follows function Bauhaus philosophy. This German modernist school shook up the way people saw art in the 1920s. Looking to make industrial and commercial design, and architecture relevant again by expressing it as a perfect reflection of practical function, the Bauhaus philosophy was a perfect way to get thinking about auto design.
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2. Form Following Function
Before we examine how Audi incorporated Bauhaus' ideals into their own design philosophy, it's vital to get a better grasp of Bauhaus itself and the reasons it came into being. There was a worry among intellectuals that the things we find beautiful about architecture and design tend to be unrelated to the actual function of the item. Bauhaus was all about making the aesthetic integral with the way things worked; if there wasn't a useful benefit to a design choice, there was no place for it. As a result, this modernist aesthetic did away with a lot of the decorative detailing seen in art deco style, for a smoother, simpler, cleaner look. The original Bauhaus School ideals were abandoned in 1933, once the neo-classical tastes of the Nazis took over, but their philosophy impacted design as a whole, from architecture, to automobiles.
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3. Cars Were Perfect for Bauhaus Design
The post war cars which relaunched the Audi nameplate were notably informed by the same "form follows function" simplicity of Bauhaus architecture. As a stark contrast to the overdone styling and chrome of American cars, Audi cut down on the overdone detailing designed to go out of fashion almost immediately. Audi's cars tended to look understated as a result, but the simplicity was easy on the eyes and looked modern for years.
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4. Focus on Aerodynamics and Compact Size.
If you are designing a car with simplicity and function in mind, how would it look? Aerodynamics would become increasingly significant in auto design. While the early Audis are the cars most often associated with "true" Bauhaus, the focus on practicality never left Audi's mind. Audi models such as the Audi 100 paved the way for the modern aerodynamics revolution, most of which was the result of a desire to make every angle and curve in the body help the car's performance.
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5. Recently Softened Designs
Audi used to be known for their sharp, angular designs, but now the soft "turtle shell" look is more distinctive and true to their ethos than they've ever been. While on the one hand it does seem like there's more conventional styling going on with these newer models, the softer design still follows the function. Baushaus may have been all about angular looks, but modern science shows the air prefers smooth curves. Audi cars are still beautifully simple, and simply beautiful.
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6. The Bauhaus Legacy Lives
There's little new to be said about a philosophy approaching its 90th birthday, however, the idea behind Bauhaus brings up a lot of questions about design and function. When you look at a car, can you spot anything that could have been designed more efficiently, or just eliminated? If so, would taking it away make it less beautiful? Even if Bauhaus modernism is old news, it still deserve to be talked about when creating new products or designs. When it comes to Audi, function and beauty were made to be one and the same. Audi were bold enough to embrace Bauhaus, and we are all glad they did.
>>Join the conversation about Audi's Bauhaus Design Philosophy right here in the Audi World Forum!
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