The celebration of 100 years of Berker switches and the Bauhaus school took place at Winternitz Villa

Prague – The celebrations of the centenary of Berker switches and the Bauhaus design school culminated in a special event at the Winternitz Villa. Both significant anniversaries are commemorated by Hager throughout 2019, as the portfolio of Berker switches has been part of Hager since 2010. Over a hundred architects expressed interest in reflecting on the century-long history of Berker switches, which are linked to the artistic style of Bauhaus not only by the date of their origin.

Berker switches and the Bauhaus art school have much in common: in addition to the same date of birth, the year 1919, the traditional switch manufacturer from Schalksmühle, Germany, is connected to the cradle of classic modernism in Dessau, primarily through a passion for the harmony of appearance and function. "We are extremely proud that Walter Gropius himself, the founder of the Bauhaus school, used Berker switches in his meticulously designed architectural masterpieces," explains the connection between Berker switches and the Bauhaus style, Mr. Thomas Grund, CEO of Hager in the Czech Republic. "During a recent thorough renovation, our Berker switches from the 1930 series and the glass series were once again used in buildings associated with the Bauhaus school in Dessau. Both of these design lines strictly adhere to the principles of Bauhaus with their functional and straightforward lines devoid of any embellishments and compromises," adds Thomas Grund.

The event at the Winternitz Villa, subtitled "From the past to the future," was characterized by a friendly and informal atmosphere of the 1920s and 1930s. After an introductory speech by Thomas Grund, co-owner of the villa, Mr. David Cysař, welcomed the architects present and personally guided them through the villa. Reflections and memories of the early days of Berker design alternated with presentations of the latest switch designs in the form of the ultra-slim Berker R.8 switch model series. The genesis of this youngest addition to the Berker switch family and the responses of Czech and European architects to the "Less is more" concept are summarized in a new publication released by Hager on the occasion of its centennial anniversary, which each guest had the opportunity to take home.

The introduction of new additions to Hager's custom manufacturing program, Hager Manufaktura: rotary switches with LED backlighting, also garnered enormous success among the present architects. Following the purely Czech footprint left in the world of Hager design by the glass switch from the Manufaktura program designed by Rony Plesl in 2018, these innovations return to the roots and a more classic appearance inspired by the early 20th century.

However, the highlight of the evening was a lecture by the exclusive guest: Erwin van Handenhoven serves as the head of design at the Hager Group. In his lecture, he revealed to the present architects the secrets and specifics of Hager's design and also spoke about the pivotal role that design has played and continues to play during its hundred-year existence in the development of Berker switches and sockets. The rest of the evening was filled with the period atmosphere of swing music and a Charleston dance performance. The evening concluded with a toast with a glass of good gin and well wishes for the Berker switches proudly bearing the Berker brand for another hundred years.

About Winternitz Villa

The villa was commissioned by Prague lawyer JUDr. Josef Winternitz from Adolf Loos and Karel Lhota in 1932 for his family. This villa represents the last building completed by Loos. The family inhabited the villa until 1941. After the war, only Winternitz's wife and daughter returned to Prague, but they never set foot in the villa again or spoke about it within the family. Until 1997, you would have found a nursery school in the villa. After that, the villa returned to the hands of the descendants of the original owners, who reconstructed it back to its original form from the 1930s between 1999 and 2002. Since 2017, the villa has been open to the public, and it is possible to visit it as part of guided tours or during various cultural events held there. The villa can be rented for accommodation or for weddings and parties. The villa remains in the hands of the original owners, who, with a permanent exhibition on the second floor, strive to ensure that the troubled history of the 20th century, which has left a harsh mark on the history of the family and the entire building, is not forgotten.

About Hager

Hager, headquartered in Obernai, France, has been a specialist in electrical installations in residential and commercial buildings for over 60 years. Since 2010, Berker switches have also been part of Hager's portfolio. They are available in the form of devices for traditional installation, ranging from standard sockets to data technology, shutter switches, dimmers, motion detectors, and thermostats to KNX systems. The Czech branch of Hager Electro will celebrate 25 years of its operations in the Czech Republic in 2020. A team of sales, technical, and marketing specialists takes care of Czech and Slovak customers.