Theory
The Vorkurs (preliminary course)
Explore in the Atlas →A compulsory foundation course developed at the Bauhaus by Johannes Itten (1919–23) and rebuilt by Moholy-Nagy and Albers, in which students defamiliarised their handling of material, colour, form and composition before specialisation in workshops; the ancestor of every modern 'basic design' year.
Pedagogy Body Sign
Details
- Introduced
- 1919
Referenced by
- László Moholy-Nagy proposed
- Josef Albers proposed
- Johannes Itten proposed
- László Moholy-Nagy developed
- Josef Albers developed
Sources
- Britannica. Bauhaus. 2026. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bauhaus.
- Itten, J. Design and Form: The Basic Course at the Bauhaus and Later. Reinhold, 1963.
- Wick, R.K. Teaching at the Bauhaus. Hatje Cantz, 2000.
Cite this entry
First published May 2026Last revised Jul 2026
CLAD. "The Vorkurs (preliminary course)." Atlas of Architectural Thought. CLAD, 2026. https://www.cl-ad.com.au/research/atlas/theory/vorkurs-preliminary-course/. Accessed July 17, 2026.