Audi Japan hosted "bauhaus 100 japan Talk Live" on July 29th to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the compact sports car "TT" to Japan. The event featured design critic and Professor Emeritus at Musashino Art University, Hiroshi Kashiwagi, and Satoshi Wada, representative of SWdesign and former Audi designer, as guests for a lively discussion.

The talk live event, themed around the 100th anniversary of the German school of design (Bauhaus) and the 20th anniversary of the "TT" in Japan, saw over 300 applications, with 20 pairs of 40 attendees selected by lottery.

First, Mr. Kashiwagi, who also serves as a committee member for the Bauhaus 100th Anniversary Committee, took the stage and explained the history of Bauhaus, founded in Weimar, Germany, 100 years ago in 1919. He then spoke about Audi's design, stating, "Within Audi's tradition, various variations have been developed, aiming to create interesting designs while carrying on that heritage. At its root lies Germany, and Bauhaus."

Mr. Wada then joined him on stage. Mr. Wada, who spent 11 years at Audi Design and was responsible for the design of numerous concept cars and production vehicles, joined Audi in 1998, the same year the TT debuted.

"The first car I saw when I first entered the Audi Design studio was the TT Roadster. Beyond it sat the "A2," a work of Bauhaus design in its own right, and a prototype of the TT Coupé. Audi welcomed me with a powerful impact. It felt like being thrown down a gauntlet for the next era," he recalled of that time.

During their discussion, Mr. Wada cited the fuel filler design, passed down from the first-generation TT to the current third generation, as an example. "Even within such a detail, there is a sense of continuity, showing respect for past designs," he said, illustrating how Audi continues to practice the teachings of Bauhaus.