A magazine by 3 TL Floor lamp BULO XL/BLON 16 P The new times give rise to a funda- up with fresh thoughts and new Well-conceived, clever and always mental question: How can I feel safe ideas. Pleasing tactile effects resul- functional: Oliver Niewiadomski and at ease? In future, we'll be ting from an excellent choice of translates a mathematical concept demanding a lot more of our homes. materials help to keep you grounded into incisive design language, as This refers to far more than just cosy in a digitised world. Old favourites here with the floor lamp BULO XL trends such as cocooning or hygge. give people something reliable and which sits neatly on its base to work It’s more a case of needing our own unchanging to hold on to. perfectly in any specific setting. intimate space of peace and quiet TECNOLUMEN has always combined where we can withdraw from the these essential factors, producing world and recharge our batteries in classic lamps “made in ” a feel-good atmosphere. This is using the best craftsmanship traditi- particularly challenging for those who ons and working together with small setting up a home office environ- companies who give outstanding ment in their own four walls, with a quality the same priority that we do. special need for feel-good spaces Let’s make the best of it! in between. The whole interior design industry is tackling the issues invol- ved and their various manifestations to cover all bases, taking an inspiring people-focused approach. Your Carsten Hotzan Good light is an essential factor to Executive Director of give rooms their desired effect. It TECNOLUMEN can be used for clever demarcation of specific sections, putting an emphasis on the feel-good areas. A reduced design limited to the essentials has a soothing impact on the mind, leaving it free to come

4 Purpose & Form: Prof. Dr. Klaus Struve’s Collection 6 Standard Lamps 8 Handmade in Germany: Traditional Craftsmanship with Heart and Soul 12 From Arts and Crafts via De Stijl to Bauhaus 16 Oliver Niewiadomski: A Portrait 18 Gropius Door Handle, Series 130: TECNOLINE’s Special Edition Purpose & Form: Prof. Dr. Klaus Struve’s collection

Right behind the front door there are stacks of boxes, with lamps and door handles lying around as well as bits of furniture standing in the way. “Please excuse the confusion”, says Prof. Dr. Klaus Struve as he tries to make his way through his living room, “itˇs all just come back from an exhibition”. Not an unusual occurrence for the 77-year old man from Oldenburg. His “Purpose and Form” collection has made him well known way beyond North Germany itself.

So itˇs not so easy to know when to go back to being used all the time”, stop. Even so, Struve’s collection emphasises Struve. In this way, does of course have its highlights. it is still possible to perceive the Besides lamps and door handles, design and beauty of the historical he also has a few industrial so-called objects. This doesnˇt mean his master clocks with slave clocks for findings canˇt be put to a different use in factories, as well as furniture use. A lamp can become a sculp- made of bent beechwood. Bentwood ture, a work of art, and thereˇs no furniture already featured among reason why a doorknob shouldn't the first collection items, products be used as a paperweight on a desk. of industrialised furniture production Moving towards the warehouse of Viennese coffee-house furnish- exit, Prof. Struve cleverly skirts ings. How is it possible to keep track around more piles and stacks of of the items when there are so things. Doesnˇt he find it hard to say many of them? “Iˇm still behind with goodbye after he has taken so archiving all the things in the long to find things and put so much collection”, confesses Struve. It is effort into their restoration? “No, both time—and space—consuming not at all!” Klaus Struve shakes his to make sure the archive items are head emphatically. stored properly and professionally. “When all is said and done, they’re Hundreds of ceiling, wall, desk and supposed to be used!” table lamps, about a thousand door handles and countless items of bentwood furniture are standing, lying or hanging in shelves, on tables and on the walls of a warehouse. But apart from sorting and number- Itˇs a comprehensive collection. by machinery. Heˇs referring to Glass shades in different colours, ing them, there are more important Some items can be found in Struveˇs those mass-produced works of art designs adapted for technical things to be done. Between the home, a detached house built designed during the decades reasons: itˇs the deviations in the lengths of shelving he has a range in 1934 where he has completely between the First World War and details of one and the same type of workplaces all with different redesigned the interior. “The chal- the recovery and reconstruction of lamp that make these items so kinds of tools and equipment: the lenge was to obtain all the lamps”, period that followed the Second very special. Collector Struve is skilled stonemason restores his says the college and university World War. “Iˇm interested in the in his element. “Iˇm constantly in findings himself, as far as possible. teacher with pride. The original results of Bauhaus designs and the touch with colleagues when it His passion for collecting is not interior fittings are examples of the impact that they had during the comes to defining the exact details an end in its own right but a means standard features of detached 1920s.” The prevailing ideal in those of various items in the collection, of preserving cultural assets. “My and semi-detached houses up until days was that everyone should including when they would have aim is to restore them so they can the 1950s. And therefore belong, be able to live on a certain level of been launched on the market, the not just coincidentally, to his main prosperity in surroundings of period of production and their area of interest as a collector. first-rate design. The downside of actual use.” “My collection focuses on industrially the mass-production approach manufactured objects that were was the waste involved. “Houses installed and used in every house were modernised without any and every room.” Struve is not consideration for significant histori- interested in hand crafted items but cal aspects. I rescued many of in the products of mass production my objects from skips.” You can hear how much it means to him to preserve these treasures. But youˇd be wrong to think the collection is just an accumulation of similar products. “As a collector, Iˇm excited to see the constant change Historical lamps, particularly from the in mass-produced items.” Bauhaus period, together with bentwood furniture and door handles account for the majority of Prof. Dr. Klaus Struve’s impressive collection. 4 5

Floor lamps are more than just lighting. Already the Bauhaus experts admired the special flexibility and impact of standard lamps as a design element in a room. In contrast to ceiling or wall lamps, they can be easily moved around and plugged in to the nearest power socket, while also offering the possibility of changing how the setting in a room is created. Furthermore, they are ideal as an uplight to illuminate a certain area or as a reading light in a cosy corner. Today they have become popular once more.

Bauhaus Standard Lamps BH 23 The playful shape and sense of BST 23 metal tube. In 1925, this lamp DSL 23 The floor lamp thus helps create Itˇs not known who designed this mobility recalls both Oskar In Gyula Papˇs last year as a student featured as an example of functional This floor lamp from 1923 clearly very effective mood lighting and sculptural lamp around 1923. Schlemmerˇs figures in the Triadic at Bauhaus in , he designed design in Bauhaus book no. 7 illustrates the formative style of the acts as a brilliant design feature in Whoever it was, the lamp designer Ballet as well as the clear, delicate a floor lamp for the “Haus am “New Works from Bauhaus Work- Bauhaus era, although its designer, private space such as living had a weakness for mechanical lamp designs by Marianne Brandt. Horn” that was being planned by shops”. It was only ever produced architect Richard Döcker, never rooms, studies or bedrooms, or features, with a counterweight for Today the BH 23 sets an artistic Georg Muche and the construction as one-off item for the experimental studied or taught at Bauhaus. Here, equally in prestigious areas of adjusting the arm. Itˇs also clear accent in sophistically designed department. The outstanding “” and is unfortunately clear shapes and lines are paired commercial and industrial premises. that the floor lamp must have rooms. feature of the lamp is its uncon- now missing. Special tools had with high functionality and refined originated from the proximity of cealed light source, consisting of to be produced, metal parts turned details. Although the DSL 23 the Bauhaus community. the recently invented metallised and refined to ensure that the might look plain and simple, it is light bulb. The light rays are standard lamp corresponded to the an elegant eyecatcher thanks to directed downwards and make the design and appearance of the the almost free-floating suspension light source appear dark; they original, right down to the very last of the lamp head. The light ball are refracted by a horizontal matt- detail. made of opal glass emits a etched glass pane that makes particularly atmospheric light. them seem to float like a luminous layer over the thin nickel-plated 6 7 The individual components of the top quality Handmade in Germany: lamps and design objects are made and assembled using old tools and with great Traditional Craftsmanship with Heart and Soul patience, paying the same attention to detail that youˇd find a hundred years ago.

The noble art of meticulous care: Marianne Brandtˇs tea pot MBTK 24 and Édouard-Wilfrid Buquetˇs EB 27 were produced for TECNOLUMEN in the BWKS (Bremen workshops for handcrafted silver works).

Cooperation with the silversmiths principles, as well as woodturning of silver has always been important The Schulze family has a long over from his father, set to work to Over the years, members of the began in 1982 when Björn Schulze the ebony handle and through to for users in church settings.” tradition of silver craftsmanship. rebuild the company on the same family have handed down their own took over the family business in the the galvanising process. “We donˇt Besides restoring historical chalices, “My grandfather Wilhelm was site in 1947. “With gold dollars”, personal stories with traces still third generation. “The first piece hammer the teapot: that would chandeliers and baptism fonts, apprenticed to Koch & Bergfeld as says Björn Schulze with a laugh. to be found everywhere in the buil- we produced for TECNOLUMEN be much easier. We press the silver. other objects are also produced on a silversmith, after which he set “Cigarettes were the only currency ding. Today Björn Schulze and was a fruit bowl based on a design Keeping the clamped surface the basis of new designs. out as a journeyman in the usual back then.” his wife, who also works for the by Josef Albers”, explains the smooth including all the soldered fashion of the times.” He went company, still live on the premises skilled metal spinner and industrial bits, is a high art. We canˇt afford Silver, sea and cigarettes to Oslo and worked with David 100 years and their stories of the firm which is celebrating designer. This was followed shortly to make any mistakes.” The first Andersen, where his tasks among 100 years of corporate history in afterwards with the joint presen- MBTK 24 was produced in the early “In the past they used silver 750, others also included designing Today as in those days, BWKS works 2020. Although there are no longer tation of “Collection 1” by Walter 1980s. The range also includes but it contained so much copper racing yachts. “Two of them are still with a range of different designers, quite so many Marianne Brandt Schnepels, featuring silver work the EB 27 by Édouard-Wilfrid Buquet. that the silver turned green. All that sailing today”, says the grandson. such as Friedrich Marby or, in teapots, in total a proud 194 have such as the coffee and tea service This is one of the most important changed with the Imperial Law The skilled chaser Wilhelm Schulze the past, Wolfgang Tümpel (former actually been produced since by Boris Lacroix (Art déco) as well products, as table, wall or standard of 1873. From then on, items were returned to Bremen in 1920. Bauhaus designer, goldsmith the very first one nearly forty years as designs by Björn Schulze. A variant. “We once made a lamp stamped with a crescent moon “Germany was a low-wage country and university teacher). Besides ago, with the last two recently second collection followed in 1987. completely of sterling silver, although (silver) and crown (German Empire) in those days, compared to external designs, the company also leaving the traditional silversmiths no-one thought it would ever sell. to guarantee the silver content. Scandinavia where workers were made products based on its own in the West of Bremen. Things take time But in fact, it wasnˇt on display for On the other hand, the techniques paid much more. And so my ideas. “My grandfather created very long before Brad Pitt came used to work the silver have grandfather set up a local branch typical Norwegian designs.” With Right up until the present day, one and bought it”, tells Schulze with a scarcely changed in decades. for David Andersen.” To the great great success: at the World Ex- of the most artistic and also elabo- grin and not a little pride. Today displeasure of the workforce in hibition in 1937, he won the gold rate products has been the teapot the Buquet lamp is still made by hand From turning the wooden form to Oslo, so that Andersen eventually medal with his “Parisian Bowl”. MBTK 24 designed by Marianne in Bremen-Walle. Itˇs based on a repolishing the workpieces, gave in to their protests. The The showcases display jugs, candle Brandt. Many little steps are involved prototype thatˇs decades old, toget- everything is still done by hand, as workshop in Bremen was taken holders and creamers by family in making this teapot. It takes her with drawings stuck to a locker. it has been for a hundred years. over by Wilhelm Schulze. Towards members. “The Bauhaus influence more than fifty hours altogether to “We got an original Buquet lamp the end of the Second World War, on our Uncle Wilhelm Schulze jr press and grind the geometrical from Mr. Schnepel which we used when the company premises were can be clearly seed”. In the 1950s parts made consistently in accor- to develop a model.” almost totally destroyed, Richard they launched their own range dance with the Bauhaus design Schulze, who had meanwhile taken of lamps, made and sold under the Among others, orders also come name “Werkkunst”. from the regional Evangelical Church in Hanover. “When the whole congregation drinks from a silver chalice, thereˇs no risk of contagion. The antibacterial effect

“We got an original Buquet lamp from Mr. Schnepel which we used to develop a model.”

8 9 LUM 135 LUM 85 LUM X

LUM 50 LUM 125 From Arts and Crafts via De Stijl to Bauhaus So how did it all begin? The early that used to be unique, turning history of Bauhaus takes us back them into mass products with two centuries. Back to the 1870s, to the possibility of unlimited repro- be precise. In terms of social duction putting them on the development, it was a time of epic shelves of middle-class households. upheaval. But not everyone thought But the use of machinery in the the industrial revolution was a production process increasingly good thing. While some saw the became separated from any kind transformation from agricultural of craftsmanship and inevitably led to industrial production as a new era to a longing for originality. Instead for mankind with inestimable of plain unadorned items for opportunities for society and the industrial production, it was in fact economy, others warned of cultural by focusing on natural, honest losses and dangers. Art historians materials and processing them with such as John Ruskin and Gottfried honest, simple craftsmanship Semper examined the rapid changes that the Arts and Crafts Movement of their time, representing the made a name for itself in England views of many in defence of innova- and beyond, with an ever increasing tion and progress or conservative- number of followers. This anti- It didnˇt take long for similar develop- romantic preservation of value; industrial movement aimed to ments to emerge. In Scotland, it Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels saw eliminate the distinction between was the city of Glasgow that became the impoverishment of the pro- free and applied art, finding in- Bauhaus without its founding father ? a leading centre for letariat rather than technological spiration in the shapes and colours and design, with the regionˇs ship- and economic progress. Despite of nature, in Mediaeval Europe – Simply inconceivable? What about its previous history? building industry promoting the being surrounded in controversy, and in Japanese art. demand for craftsmanship and in 1851 the Great Exhibition opened Although Gropius made no mention of beginnings, design. Frances Newbery founded its doors in London. More than the Glasgow School of Art with a 100,000 exhibits were on display. roots or sources of inspiration, Bauhaus didnˇt simply focus on traditional techniques and They presented the status of craftsmanship. One of the best development of the whole of man- happen as the result of a brainwave but emerged known representatives of the Glas- kind, illustrating both the diversity gow Style is Charles Rennie of industrial design and the latest Top picture: Bottom picture: as a development that tells its own story. A development Macintosh. He worked with James production methods. Exhibits The Crystal Palace by Joseph The famous woodblock print Herbert McNair and the sisters including Joseph Paxtonˇs Crystal Paxton was the landmark of the “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” in terms of society at large and design in particular, Margaret and Francis MacDonald Great Exhibition in London in by Katsushika Hokusai also Palace made it an unforgettable as The Four to propagate the link 1851. The Crystal Palace burnt influenced the development of experience for around six million down in 1936. design in Europe. consisting of currents that made Bauhaus possible in between architecture and furnishing visitors. Semper compared the as implemented in the “Tea Rooms”. abundant diversity of industrial pro- the first place, and theories still used today as the basis They were clearly influenced by the duces presented at the exhibition Arts and Crafts Movement with its with the Tower of Babel. Despite all for this influential approach to design. concept of “total artwork” allowing scepticism and hostility, European them to transcend structural hierar- designers found new inspiration in chies as artists, architects and the exhibits from all over the designers. Taking a genuine Scottish world. Edward William Godwin from approach combined with the Great Britain was one of the Japanese influence on design lan- most exciting designers of the day, guage, the symbolism of the with modern designs made time- MacDonald sisters and Art Nouveau less by managing without historical influences from Vienna, he characte- features. Japonism was one of the rised all that was new in the Glasgow prime influences, with its reduced Style. simplicity being a perfect match

for the emerging possibilities for machine production. Generally speaking, the new production forms changed the design of many every- day objects. Industrialisation made it easy to have access to things

Charles Rennie Mackintosh was probably the main proponent of Art Nouveau in Great Britain and one of the most influential Scottish designers. His “Hill House Chair” is still well known today.

12 13 De Stijl was the name given to a group of artists, architects and designers from the Netherlands who formed an art movement in 1917 and published an epony- The DS 28 piano lamp is a table mous journal. lamp reduced right back to basics from the repertoire of the De Stijl movement.

Gerrit Rietveld's famous Red and Blue Chair is an iconic piece of furniture reflecting the avant-garde De Stijl art movement.

Glasgow and Vienna? In fact, the Was that a coincidence? Hardly. Glasgow, Vienna, the Netherlands: The German Association of Crafts- Like van de Velde, Walter Gropius design process itself. A new profes- Austrian influence extended right After all, the Netherlands also wherever you looked, the new men founded in 1907 by twelve didnˇt reject industrial production as sion emerged that bridged the up north. Take Josef Hoffmann, witnessed a growing reluctance to industrial possibilities were giving artists and architects saw itself as a such and similarly also tried to find a gap between history and modernism, for example: architect, co-founder accept industrially optimised rise to discussion and debate about platform for promoting cooperation formula for the relationship between between art and craft. Bauhaus of the Vienna Secession and sub- design. De Stijl called itself the the historical and the natural between designers and industry, art and technology. In the end, he became the “School of Design”, sequently founder of the Wiener movement of protagonists who connection between production including: AEG and Kaffee Hag. The established his position by founding offering designers the necessary Werkstätte, professor at the Vienna transposed the aesthetic aspect of and design. What about Germany? aim was to achieve a systematic his Bauhaus and with his state- training. School of Art and Crafts and pro- geometric style into free art, putting Well, Germany also had its answer approach to design in the context ment “Art and Technology – a New ponent of modern, rational design. geometric abstraction into painting. to modernism. In 1906, the third of industrial production. But how? Unity”. Admittedly, this connection Source: “Von Arts and Crafts zum Bauhaus. Kunst und Design His aim was to give people an Theo van Doesburg spoke of the German Arts and Crafts Exhibition By restricting artistic freedom? was not really ‘newˇ. Initially, the – eine neue Einheit!”, Wienand aesthetic education through the all- “desire for style”, the ultimate style in Dresden sought to find a place Designers as service providers for proponents of the newly founded Verlag, Cologne 2019 encompassing design of everyday of modernism and comprehen- for art in the new system of industri- industry? The debate culminated school did not set great score by objects, in other words by creating sive design in all areas, as already alisation and its associated capita- in a dispute at the German Associa- industrial manufacturing. The move total artwork along the same lines advocated by Mackintosh and lism, seeing a chance in efficient tion of Craftsmen in 1914. Hermann to take emotion out of the equation as the Arts and Crafts Movement in Hoffmann. “Rooms as accessible production methods. The intention Muthesius and his ten theses de- and to combine geometry and England. works of art”. was for the “mass-produced manded that art and design should machine aesthetics had nothing to However, instead or organic furniture programme” to combine be separated seeking to establish do with actual industrial mass curved lines, he soon turned to geo- artistic design and high quality a German style that would be a com- production. Instead, Bauhaus and metric design, just like the Scotsman standards with machine production mercial success and lead to global its protagonists strived to eliminate Charles Rennie Macintosh. on the basis of an objective design exports, thus establishing a the distinction between art and language, with applied art playing a new understanding of design and craft: this was a goal they shared central role. Furniture started to designers. Henry van de Velde with the Arts and Craft Movement. be made in mass production at low on the other hand believed in the “When we design a bottle, we should cost in “noble simplicity” for the role of artists working with artistic ask whether it will work, whether it newly emerging educated middle freedom and thus independently will meet all the demands made of a classes of the consumer society. from industry. bottle, whether it could work even Easily combined, with first-rate better and, finally (...) whether it is quality and recognisable corporate nice to look at.” In the end, moder- Table lamp SF 28. identity design, rather than the nism also had its impact on Bauhaus. The design for this table lamp was a product of the Swedish individual one-off approach. Two of Hannes Meyer, one of the best functionalism architects who the most successful proponents known functionalist architects of the worked parallel to Bauhaus. were Richard Riemerschmid, co- 1920s and Bauhaus director from founder of the German Association 1928, brought industrialisation and of Craftsmen, and Bruno Paul, mass production with him, thus with their mass-produced furniture also making industry a partner of according to the type furniture Bauhaus. This consistent colla- programme. boration with industrial production, and with the manufacturing process which was thus transformed accor- dingly, changed the approach to the

The DS 36 was created in the Netherlands around 1930, towards the end of the Bauhaus era. 14 15 Oliver Niewiadomski designed Spheres, cubes, cylinders: for Oliver Niewiadomski, the the pendant light BULO HLON 11 for TECNOLUMEN in 2010. basic geometric shapes are the archetypes of design and characterise his creative work as a designer as well as his teaching at Bremen University of the Arts. “Shapes like these are easy to understand because of our established habits of seeing and perception.” But the designer is concer- ned about more than just reproducing known shapes. Itˇs a case of interpreting the theme: turning something familiar into something surprising, innovative and new.

The purist table lamp SQUARE MLON sheds a warm white dimmable LED light while acting as an attractive eye-catcher. It is an impressive illustration of the Bauhaus era with its stylish functionality − something that Oliver Niewiadomski: A Portrait TECNOLUMEN also stands for.

Niewiadomski was born in The BULO XL for example is the out the potential of new technolo- But light has always played a parti- in 1963. Originally, he wanted to result of his approach to the sphere gies.” For him is important to cular role in his work. “Good light make musical instruments. “Violins, as a geometric shape, now inter- remain independent throughout the is extremely important for our actually. But they are already perfect preted in his own style. The designer process. Having others waiting for well-being. Itˇs a little miracle, every as they are.” When the existing combined light and body by cutting his ideas to be implemented would time.” Thatˇs almost poetic. Well product has already reached such a the shape into slices with the light thwart his workflow, which is why maybe. Or maybe not. Actually, itˇs level of perfection that would only in the middle and allowing it to he is constantly picking up new all about being objective and permit any further innovation in tiny move freely on its supportive base. technologies as and when necessary. functional. But of course, his designs steps, thereˇs not much scope left Is this just form and function? Or He says heˇs just learnt how to address a certain target group. for creativity. And so the designer is it a kind of inverted ornamentation weld: this allows him to put new “Even functional design can speak looked for other possibilities of con- when you cut something out? thoughts and ideas to the test an emotional language.” Emotional stantly readdressing the challenge Taking away instead of adding some- straight away using corresponding or functional, in the end itˇs about posed by perfection. If you think a thing? Niewiadomski grins, itˇs a materials in his workshop next concentration and attention, about sphere is just a sphere, end of story, good question, but his answer is no. door. Selecting the material is a intellectual freedom. “I donˇt have then youˇll meet with passionate “Itˇs a case of developing a shape sensual process. “It must be clear to keep reinventing the shape. We objections. “God lives in the detail!” that has neither too much nor too and pure, not encumbered with know the shape from basic geo- And heˇs not talking about alienating little.” This was the Bauhaus motto: lies.” When he was a student, he metry. My aim is to give the shape the familiar by adding decorative reinterpreting the familiar, often stripped away all the concealing intelligent details to help develop ornaments. “Most certainly not!” with a surprising outcome resulting coats of paint on things, an approach its identity.” Just as the BULO XL is Niewiadomski laughs, although this from the use of innovative technical that remains basically unchanged a deconstructed sphere, the MLON is something he takes very seriously. possibilities. The invention of the to this day. Design, machinery, is more than just a little luminous His design focuses on a clear design light bulb or the bending of tubular architecture, mathematical sculptu- square shape with a coloured cable. language, logical functionality steel created new spaces and new res: Niewiadomski has many Or stitching the power lead for and a sensual choice of materials. freedom for design. “Mart Stamˇs interests and tackles many themes. the FLAD desk lamp to use all the “Itˇs a case of making the best cantilever chair was an intellectual For example, the Professor for design possibilities: “Here the from whatˇs there and enhancing challenge. A chair on just two legs Constructive Design created a mo- cable is used as a design detail to whatˇs necessary, with an incisively was completely inconceivable! It dern collection of building hardware cultivate the product identity.” The FLAD table lamp is a formulated result.” Ornaments tell took fifty years before it was really for TECNOLINE. An intensive modern, energy LED desk lamp. a story that goes beyond the shape. understood.” One technological development process with Charlotta The lamp has an innovative rocker foot and can be adjusted By contrast, Niewiadomskiˇs innovation that has enhanced Schnepel that put a key focus on in two different positions without designs tell their own story through Niewiadomskiˇs approach to forms material and technology. “The com- joints. their reduced clarity. “My designs and themes is LED technology. plicated production process is the are functional and appeal to the How can the resulting space be put main challenge”, says Niewiadomski, senses.” to creative use? His studio is an and you can still hear his passionate office, lab and workshop all in one. delight in the tricky task. This is where he draws, designs and researches models and proto- types. “Designing is a hybrid process. I have to test ideas, com- pare theory and practice and sound

16 17 Gropius Door Handle, Series 130: Raw brass. barrel finished brass barrel finished, burnished barrel finished, nickel plated TECNOLINEˇs Special Edition

In 1922, Walter Gropius invented Square or round, rough or smooth, Handcrafting is the secret of the going back over all the years”, says dainty or hand-filling: door handles unique and the unsurpassed”, says Charlotta Schnepel with a grin. a door handle whose simple influence the way you see a room Charlotta Schnepel, CEO at “And it is exactly this vintage look when you come into it, even if this TECNOLINE. This elaborate hand- that customers want.” An unsur- form is so timeless that it still has is often a subconscious thing. In crafting is clearly visible in the door passed obsession with perfection manufacturing the Gropius door fittings: the resulting patina tells makes this quality possible. its place in handle, TECNOLINE was not aiming its own story with its traces and Every piece is made step by step. to simply reproduce the shape. special tactile properties, making For more than thirty years, 100 years later. Instead of just replicating the door every door handle inimitably TECNOLINE products have been handle in its outer appearance, a unique. Raw and heavy. Durable made in Germany in a family Falling into near obscurity in the mould maker was found who took and perfect. business in the Sauerland. For old a lead model from a historical The special thing about this door apartments or newbuilds on the meanwhile, it was rediscovered original piece. Since then, this origi- handle designed by Walter Gropius private sector, the Design Hotel in nal mould has been used at was initially the conical handle Vienna, the Grandhotel Hessischer during the 1980s. Eventually TECNOLINE to create traditional neck set at right angles on the square Hof in Frankfurt or the “Glocke” sand casting moulds, each of which bar. This first version was used concert hall in Bremen, today door in 1983, the heirs of Walter is only used just one single time. initially in the Municipal Theatre in handles by Walter Gropius can In other words, no door handle Jena, in Otte House in Berlin be found in all kinds of different Gropius licensed TECNOLINE is identical to any other. The door and in the Fagus Factory in , surroundings. handles are produced in these before Walter Gropius then revised In 2013, TECNOLINE paid tribute to as manufacturer. The company moulds using top quality brass the design shortly afterwards. the timeless classic door handle MS63, which is a copper/zinc alloy. The fittings were made by the bronze with a special edition to mark the from Bremen was aiming not The raw parts are then sawn, barrel foundry S. A. Loevy in Berlin occasion of the 130th birthday of finished, burnished and refined which acquired the manufacturing the architect and industrial designer just for a perfect design but also and processed by hand in dozens rights in 1923. It soon transpired Walter Gropius. Besides door hand- more individual steps. that this was not a successful step. les by renowned designers such for uncompromising, perfect “To achieve perfect quality, we Although the Prussian Tribunal as Ferdinand Kramer and Wilhelm rely on our feelings and not just on of Art Experts acknowledged that Wagenfeld, four models of the production. From the handle machines. the door handle had a certain Series 130 are still being made of aesthetic value, it concluded that brass today with a range of “the puritanical renunciation of different surfaces finishes using the to the tiniest screw. The result any decorative element in the basic traditional casting method. You shapes, the strict functionality of just donˇt want to put them down. is something quite unique: cylinder and square lacks the neces- sary individuality in this specific Series 130. case” and that the door handle “is not an idiosyncratically artistic creation”. However, today it is difficult to follow this functionality argument in the verdict given by the Prussian experts. “When we meet customers, we always show them original door handles by Gropius from the 1920s and 1930s that have so many stories to tell

18 19