9
Here he encountered the Bauhaus
classics, designs from architects
Mies van der Rohe and Marcel
Breuer that inspired him and that
he could no longer forget. Looking
back, the switch to L. & C. Arnold
Stendal GmbH seemed almost
imperative – a company that was
already connected to the Bauhaus in
the 1920s and 1930s through
close collaboration. Heinz and Bodo
Rasch, Mart Stam, again Mies
van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer,
can all be found in the company
history with their steel tube
furniture. Hartmut Dörrie added
another designer to their side
from the Bauhaus era. He
discovered a chair designed by
architect Carl Fieger in the
basement of the Bauhaus Dessau.
The long-standing company
added it to their range under the
auspice of Dörrie.
He loves and lives the Bauhaus. In
addition to marketing the furniture
from this era, the preservation of
classic pieces from this period
has therefore always been important
to Dörrie. “Companies that
produced Bauhaus furniture have
enjoyed excellent business for many
years using the 'Bauhaus' name.
So it was time for me to give
something back to Bauhaus.”
As Sales Director of Knoll
International, he arranged the
transfer of furniture – valued at
100,000 D-Marks – to the
Bauhaus in Dessau that was being
rebuilt at the time, and also ensured
that the rebuilt Bauhaus cafeteria
was outfitted with Breuer stools – a
gift from L. & C. Arnold Stendal
GmbH. When the Fagus Factory
in Dörrie's home town was declared
a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage
Site, the bustling sales rep did not
miss this opportunity. In September
2014, Hartmut Dörrie opened the
exhibition that he initiated
and conceptualised: “Living with
Bauhaus” – thereby fulfilling one
of his dreams. Photos from the
Bauhaus archive collection were
shown as well as classic Bauhaus
objects from the TECNOLUMEN and
TECNOLINE range. To this day,
there is excitement surrounding the
Bauhaus, its history of style and
design, its architecture, design and
especially its handcrafted everyday
items. “I am happy, that I get to
experience ‘100 Years of Bauhaus'
with TECNOLUMEN and
TECNOLINE” And what about
retiring?
“For the love of God! You can't do
that to my wife”, he says laughing –
and is also probably referring to
himself a bit too.
... and in the end
the cherry on top!
Hartmut Dörrie
His passion: design classics.
Hartmut Dörrie in front of the Bauhaus in
Dessau with Bauhaus icons
