While the term fake news suggests informational or epistemic deficits, to the extent that these communications are not just factually deficient but also seek to manipulate political identities, the consequences for democratic politics may be far more damaging. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law which will allow the punishment of individuals and online media for spreading what Russia calls “fake news” and information which “disrespects” the state. The laws will target online information that presents clear disrespect for society, government, state symbols, the constitution and government institutions. However, I believe that if such regulations were enacted, the main victims would be not the purveyors of fake news, but the freedom of expression. The result would do far more damage to democracy than any foreign misinformation campaign ever could.
thinking. One of the main characteristics of Bauhaus design is that “form follows function”: where a product needs to work efficiently and subsequently consider the aesthetics, hence making the functionality the primary concern.
The phrase “form follows function”, was coined by Louis Sullivan (1856 – 1924), who is said to be the ‘Father of Skyscrapers’, and a key member of the ‘Chicago School’ of architects and mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright. Sullivan credited the saying to the 1st century Roman civil and military engineer, Vitruvius.
Gropius similarly said, “In order to design it to function properly, one must first-of-all study its nature. For it to serve its purpose perfectly, it must fulfil its function in a practical way.”26
Another characteristic was ‘truth to materials’ where the design should be ‘honest’ and not modify or hide its materials for the sake of aesthetics. Examples include Marcel Breuer’s iconic bicycle frame inspired, exposed tubular framed Wassily (1925) and B32/ Cesa (1928) chairs, or Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) and Lilly Reich’s (1885-1947) Barcelona chair (1929), with visible and thin stainless-steel X frame, or by leaving visible in buildings, steel support beams.
Bauhaus design had the characteristic of the minimalist design style of modernism, and favoured linear, geometric and repetitive forms. It avoids curvature, complexity or augmentation, celebrating the efficiency of simple geometric shapes, which being easily recognisable, have become iconic for their use of clean, sharp lines. Students were taught to look at the world around them and simplify them, encouraging a new approach towards an art school.
The Bauhaus school 1923 exhibition ‘Art & Technology: A New Unity’ of 1923, heralded a new emphasis on technology, the use of new materials, for instance, tubular steel and concrete, as well as using mass production and modern manufacturing processes. The focus on efficiency and mass-producible design, created objects which where economic to produce and therefore available for everyone, creating mass consumerism.
Hungarian, Marcel Breuer27 (1902–1981), attended the Bauhaus at the age of 18. He progressed to run the Bauhaus carpentry shop and retained a close relationship with his mentor Gropius throughout his life. He returned to the school in 1925 as a Master and taught in the newly established architecture department.
