THE COOP PRINCIPLE

SYNOPSIS
A biographical film portrait about the second Bauhaus director Hannes Meyer (1889-1955) who notably organized his way of teaching and interpret architecture along the radical lines of the collective and its requirements. Meyer’s idea of a jointly design process was particularly foresighted. In that regard he was – amongst others – ahead of his time. Questions regarding society and design are not new and have been discussed early on at the Bauhaus. But it was Hannes Meyer who emphasized on the collective and its needs regarding the structural concept of model, workshop, strategy and architecture within the Bauhaus.
The film addresses the essence of his so-called “coop principle”. Within the film the contrast of past and present is given a visual reference to illustrate the relationship between landscape, object and humans. This contrast also points out the integral character of Meyers ideas and visions. But is his approach of thinking as well as shaping architecture still of any relevance today?

FILM FESTIVALS & SCREENINGS
2015 Official Selection // Hannes Meyer Award
2015 Special Exhibition // Moritzburg Art Museum Halle (Germany)

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SHORT FILM BY LEEF HANSEN // VALENTIN HELLER
Production Company: Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg
Year of production: 2015
Language: German // English
Running time: 3:38 Minutes
Directors: Leef Hansen // Valentin Heller
Exec Producer: Leef Hansen
Producer: Leef Hansen
DoP: Valentin Heller // Leef Hansen
Sound: Franziska Schiegl
Casting: Leef Hansen
Editor: Valentin Heller // Hannah Boose
Colourist: Leef Hansen