In the time prior to the Second World War, the Bauhaus School of Art, Design and Architecture was leading the way for the development of modern architecture. The question is, though, whether one can even talk of homogenuous and clearly defined "Bauhaus style". The Bauhaus artists themselves flatly refused the existence of a traditional concept of style. It was not in their interest to develop a new aesthetic idiom, but to create a new way of living which conformed to the industrial society. However, all over the world Bauhaus' products are today associated with a classic, simple and functional style that is suitable for a ditinguished lifestyle. In the book, the contributors discuss, among other things, whether the original ideas are lost in today's coupling of an exclusive lifestyle and Bauhaus. Or is it rather that a style in the spirit of Bauhaus has only just become a part of the everyday life of ordinary people thanks to cheap design products as those by, for instance, IKEA?

Dansk
Kunsthåndværk- og arkitekturskolen Bauhaus var i tiden inden 2. Verdenskrig vejviser for, hvordan den moderne arkitekturs stil skulle udvikle sig. Spørgsmålet er imidlertid, om man overhovedet kan tale om en ensartet og klart defineret "bauhausstil". For kunstnerne i Bauhaus afviste blankt et traditionelt begreb om stil. De var ikke interesserede i at udvikle et nyt æstetisk formsprog, men i at skabe en ny måde at leve på, der passede til det industrielle samfund. Verden over forbinder man imidlertid i dag Bauhaus' produkter med en klassisk, enkel og funktionel stil, der passer sig for en distingveret livsstil. I bogen diskuterer bidraggyderne bl.a., om de oprindelige ideer er gået tabt med vore dages kobling mellem Bauhaus og eksklusiv livsstil. Eller er det snarere sådan, at en stil i Bauhaus' ånd først nu er blevet del af almindelige menneskers hverdag takket være billige designprodukter som f.eks. IKEAs?