Rosenthal and KaDeWe unveil an extraordinary exhibition

Selb/Berlin. 23 October 2016 would have marked the 100th birthday of the great entrepreneur and visionary Philip Rosenthal. He shaped the porcelain manufacturer Rosenthal like no other: with flair and far-sightedness, new forms of collaboration with designers, artists and architects and innovative approaches to the working environment and interaction.

Rosenthal and KaDeWe, one of the world's most eminent and luxurious department stores located in the heart of Berlin, are celebrating the occasion with the extraordinary exhibition entitled "Gropius goes Rosenthal". A legendary bet between Bauhaus architect Walter Gropius and Philip Rosenthal – which up to now had existed only on paper – made in 1967 on the occasion of the official opening of the Rosenthal am Rothbühl factory in Selb designed by Gropius is being brought to life in the ground floor foyer of KaDeWe in the form of an impressive lifestyle exhibition.

Philip Rosenthal and Professor Gropius had a bet over what colour the design on a plate would turn after the piece was fired. When Gropius saw a black edge on the rim of a plate, Philip Rosenthal insisted that the black edge would turn gold after the piece was fired. Rosenthal was right and revelled in his attractive prize: a pigsty specially designed by Gropius for the pet pig RORO (which stands for Rosenthal am Rothbühl).

Forty-eight years later, architects from unique assemblage based in Frankfurt have used this design to create a "sketch brought to life" in white and gold, over an area covering 300 square metres, remaining true to scale and yet with an abstract touch. The highlight: Walter Gropius' sketches of the Bauhaus pigsty are also the inspiration for a new design on the TAC range designed by Gropius. Using 3D techniques, designer Ewelina Wisniowska has created the extremely vivid "Palazzo RORO" gold pattern based on these drawings. With its polygonal elements and linear structures, it takes all of the original elements drawn by Walter Gropius – from the pig to the hay and the fence – and converts them into a modern anniversary pattern for the 100th birthday of Philip Rosenthal. The sharp linear

structure of the hay, which merges with the mesh of the fence and the outline of the palazzo, is the defining element of the design. The innovative gold tone, which changes to black or rose gold depending on the light level, and the delicate reflections of shiny and matte gold create the illusion of movement on the architectural TAC range.

The pet pig RORO also features in a minimalist object collection, designed by Sebastian Herkner – one of Germany's most innovative product designers.

The unusual architecture and design exhibition is available to visit from 29 March to 27 April 2016, and includes the background story, historical photos, videos of its creation and additional display windows in KaDeWe. Gift ideas available exclusively at KaDeWe make the exhibition a must-see for lovers of special pieces and unusual ideas.

Further information on the bet and Rosenthal:

http://www.rosenthal.de/de/cms/magazin/philip-rosenthal-kundenmagazin/gropius-goes-rosenthal/

Address and opening hours:

KaDeWe

Kaufhaus des Westens Monday to Thursday 10 am to 8 pm

Tauentzienstrasse 21–24 Friday 10 am to 9 pm

10789 Berlin Saturday 9.30 am to 8 pm

About Rosenthal

Rosenthal GmbH may have one of the longest traditions of the world's premium lifestyle companies, but is also one of the most modern. It comprises the brands Rosenthal, Rosenthal meets Versace, Hutschenreuther, Thomas, Arzberg and Sambonet. Just as it did when it was originally founded over 135 years ago, Rosenthal develops products that stand out with exceptional form, function, quality and craftsmanship and represent a cultural asset "made in Germany", combining consistent innovation and creativity to constantly raise the bar for modern tableware and aesthetics.

About KaDeWe

Innovative, luxurious and groundbreaking – with a total floor area of over 60,000 square metres, KaDeWe is one of the most eminent department stores in the world – like Galeries

Lafayette in Paris or Harrods in London. The image of KaDeWe is characterised by the exclusive selection of products, its keen, seemingly natural nose for trends and the artistic way in which it makes these trends a reality. The premium store presents numerous shopping highlights over eight floors – from international luxury brands from the worlds of fashion and accessories, beauty and home and leisure – and is a pioneer when it comes to combining tradition and modernity in its shopping culture. Be it stars such as Marlene Dietrich, Eva Herzigova, Diane Kruger, Claudia Schiffer, Robbie Williams or members of royal families, presidents and politicians from all over the world – KaDeWe's international reputation has regularly attracted prominent visitors, both in the past and today. Extraordinary lifestyle displays and unique events have long been an established part of KaDeWe and, alongside its huge selection of products and excellent service, play an important role in attracting visitors to the store.