Utopia or heterotopia: structural contradictions of the Bauhaus and the inevitability of its demise

Abstract

This article aims to reconsider the reasons behind the dissolution of the Bauhaus as a canonical institution of modernist design education. Moving beyond the one-sided explanation that attributes its closure solely to repression by the Nazi regime, the study focuses on uncovering the structural contradictions and historical regularities that underpinned the school’s brief existence. Methodologically, the paper combines source analysis with historical contextualization. It systematically explores three key dimensions of the internal tensions that accompanied the development of the Bauhaus: the conflict between industrial standardization and artistic individuality, the gap between educational ideals and practical methods, and the profound mismatch between utopian aspirations and socio-political reality. Drawing on Michel Foucault’s concepts of “utopia” and “heterotopia,” the article proposes an original thesis: although the Bauhaus outwardly appeared to be an experimental space for realizing a design utopia, it was in fact a heterotopia — a site of internal tension and unavoidable compromises with reality. The findings suggest that the closure of the Bauhaus was the inevitable result of a clash between modernist ideals and specific historical conditions, while also offering valuable lessons for contemporary design education and practice.