"The Theory and Organization of the Bauhaus" by Walter Gropius

In this reading, Walter Gropius details the main tenets of the Bauhaus.  He speaks initially of a shifting worldview: one where a perceived unity among all things is slowly replacing a more dualistic oppositional worldview.  The Bauhaus seeks to reflect this new unity in all things.  First, the "academy" is addressed, which Gropius believes is a blight on the artist and his growth.  The academy separates artists from the real world and gives them no concrete training.  The Bauhaus seeks to bring the artist back into contact with the concrete world of industry and design, allowing him to work closely with peers and instructors in a technical/craft-based environment during their education.  The ultimate goal of the Bauhaus is stated as being total creative unity in collective works of art.  In order to get to this point, the "Preliminary Course" involves helping the students understand the basic properties of different materials and the fundamentals of design.  The strengths of each individual will be determined.  Then comes more of an "apprenticeship" where the students are given more freedom to pursue creative ideas with the cooperative assistance of others.  All this in preparation for the collective "building" of great works.