How did the Bauhaus school use paper folding to teach commercial design?

The Bauhaus school (1919–1933) utilized paper folding as a foundational method for training students in the principles of commercial design. By engaging with paper as a medium, students learned to manipulate materials to create structural forms, which helped them understand spatial relationships and design efficiency.1

A key figure in this pedagogical approach was the revered teacher and artist Josef Albers, who was particularly noted for his skill in creating complex, dome-shaped structures from flat sheets of paper. This practice emphasized the transformation of two-dimensional surfaces into three-dimensional objects, a core competency for students developing skills in furniture design, architecture, and other commercial applications.12