form+zweck — Zeitschrift für Gestaltung

Founded in 1956, form+zweck (‘form and purpose’) was East Germany’s only design journal. It not only documented design products and trends both domestically and internationally, it also offered a discursive analysis of broader sociopolitical and cultural problems and developments. Over the years, it featured many articles on the history and agenda of functionalism, including the impact of Bauhaus.
Particularly from the 1970s onwards, this unique magazine inspired lively contacts and discussions between designers, students, teachers, and researchers from the fields of aesthetic theory, sociology, cultural history, and education.