Henry van de Velde
Also known as: Henri van de Velde
Biography
Henry van de Velde was a Belgian Art Nouveau architect and designer whose work in Weimar laid critical groundwork for the Bauhaus. Invited to Weimar in 1902 by Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst, van de Velde founded the Grand-Ducal School of Arts and Crafts (Kunstgewerbeschule) in 1907 and designed its curriculum and buildings. He brought modern ideas of form and function to what was then a provincial capital, effectively introducing early modernist principles. Van de Velde designed the school's main building (1905–1911) and the Applied Arts School building (1905–1906) – both now part of the Bauhaus University campus – which are UNESCO-listed for their architectural significance. He also influenced local aesthetics by designing interiors, furniture, and even fashion for Weimar's elite. His presence attracted young talents and progressive currents; notably, he recommended Walter Gropius as his successor. In 1915, van de Velde left Germany due to World War I, but his legacy endured. When Gropius established the Bauhaus in 1919, it merged van de Velde's school with the Fine Arts Academy, using the buildings and spirit he created. Van de Velde's contribution to Weimar is commemorated by his name on the main auditorium (Van-de-Velde-Bau) and in exhibitions. He is remembered as the visionary who planted the seeds of Weimar's modern design revolution.
Notable Works & Achievements
Main Building, Bauhaus University (1911)
Werkbund Theater (1914)
Connected Places in Weimar
Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 8, 99423 Weimar
Designed the main Art School building (1904–11) now part of Bauhaus University campus
Evidence: Van de Velde's school building in Weimar is UNESCO-listed and in university use
Historical Context
Directed Weimar's School of Arts and Crafts (1902–1915); designed its building, paving way for Bauhaus
Historical evidence: Van de Velde founded the Weimar arts and crafts school and built its facilities (1905–1911)
Weimar was the cradle of the Bauhaus, the revolutionary school of modern art, design, and architecture. In the aftermath of World War I, architect Walter Gropius merged the existing Grand-Ducal Saxon Art School and Arts and Crafts School to found the Staatliches Bauhaus in Weimar in 1919. Gropius's Bauhaus brought together painters, designers, and craftsmen with the radical aim of uniting fine arts with functional design. During its Weimar years (1919–1925), the Bauhaus faculty included celebrated figures such as Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Lyonel Feininger, and Johannes Itten, who pioneered a curriculum blending avant-garde art theory with hands-on workshops. Students and masters collaborated on innovative works ranging from ceramics and furniture to graphic design and architecture. Notable projects of this era include the Haus am Horn (a model modern house built for the 1923 Bauhaus Exhibition in Weimar), which demonstrated the Bauhaus principles of form following function. Despite its creativity, the Bauhaus faced political hostility from conservative factions in Thuringia. Funding was cut after 1924 amid right-wing pressure. In 1925 the Bauhaus moved to Dessau, ending the Weimar chapter. Though brief, the Weimar period of the Bauhaus fundamentally influenced 20th-century art and design, making Weimar a pilgrimage site for modernist heritage (now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Read more about this period →Quick Facts
1863
1957
Belgian