Founded by Walter Gropius in 1919, the Bauhaus was a German art school that became the most influential current in Modernist design and architecture. Its core philosophy was 'form follows function,' aiming to bridge the gap between fine art and industrial craftsmanship. The school sought to create 'total' works of art in which all arts, including architecture, would eventually be brought together. Bauhaus students studied everything from typography and weaving to furniture design and painting. Famous faculty included Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee. Although the school was forced to close in 1933 under pressure from the Nazi regime, its ideas spread worldwide as its teachers emigrated. The minimalist, 'clean' aesthetic of the Bauhaus is visible today in everything from IKEA furniture to the design of modern smartphones and city skyscrapers.