Competitions Deadline 16 January 2026 Published on 08/01/2026

A Bauhaus Bathroom (New England)

Design Competition For a Public Restroom at Gropius House

Introduction

Utilitarian and mass-produced, the portable toilet at the Gropius House unexpectedly echoes Bauhaus values. But it was always meant to be a stop-gap solution that is clearly inelegant and does not meet contemporary accessibility standards. It fails to adequately welcome visitors to this iconic property.

Through this competition, Historic New England is soliciting thoughtful, inventive ideas to solve this problem for future generations of visitors.

The competition invites designers to channel the Bauhaus spirit – experiment with materials, push boundaries, and collaborate across disciplines from architecture to landscape to graphics to industrial design – to create a permanent restroom solution and to reimagine the visitor arrival experience at one of Historic New England’s most celebrated museums.

The winning team will receive a cash prize, a place in the Gropius House archives, and an exhibition at the property. Historic New England aspires to ultimately build the selected design.