What the work is
A sound-absorbing and light-reflecting wall covering made for the Bundesschule Auditorium in Bernau. It was Anni Albers’ 1929 Bauhaus diploma project.
How it was made
She used cellophane to design a wall covering. She headed the weaving workshop at the Bauhaus after 1931. She had students gather natural materials when looms were unavailable. She regularly experimented with different materials.
What works
It combined aesthetics with practical benefits: sound absorption and light reflection. It blurred the lines between traditional craft and art.
What does not
The sources do not establish durability, scalability, cost, installation method, or long-term performance of the wall covering. They do not state whether it was mass-produced, commercially adopted, or retained after installation.
What it influenced
Her work helped establish design history as an academic discipline. It demonstrated how textiles could serve both utilitarian purposes and artistic expression.
Is it worth your time
Yes. It shows how material constraint—cellophane’s fragility, reflectivity, and acoustic properties—drove functional and aesthetic decisions that redefined textile practice.