Bauhaus Emblem (1922)

Bauhaus, German for "house of building" was a German art school (1913-1933) famous for its approach to design. Bauhaus combined arts and crafts with the notions of mass production and functionalism to create art and design. The idea was to create a Gesamtkunstwerk "comprehensive artwork" that combined all of the arts. The school pushed for an understanding of architecture and design and is characterized by simplified geometric forms. The logo, created by Oskar Schlemmer was adopted as an emblem within the Bauhaus school and style. This emblem was used to signify belonging to the Bauhaus school. A very similar face is seen in the Poster for the 1923 Bauhaus Exhibition in Weimar made by Joost Schmidt, a typographer and teacher at the art school. The rules and teachings of Bauhaus have created a unique style that was very influential in modern design. The style itself is a signifier of being part of the school. The logo is a good signifier as shorthand for the school creating a visual identity that students, instructors, and alumni could identify with.

This version of the logo is a digital recreation by Wikimedia user Lucano referencing Schlemmer's design. This logo even today is used for posters to recreate or imitate the Bauhaus style.