Walter Gropius was born in Berlin in 1883 and died in Boston in 1969. Founded The Architects Collaborative Inc. (TAC), Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1946.

Gropius studied architecture in Berlin and Munich. In 1918 he was called to Weimar where, as Director of the Academy of Art and of the School of Applied Arts, he founded the Staatliche Bauhaus. 1937–1952 professorship at Harvard University. As co-founder of the Deutscher Werkbund and as spiritual father of Bauhaus, Gropius had a major influence upon twentieth century artistic endeavour. He constructed production facilities for Rosenthal at Selb and Amberg and also designed the timeless »TAC 1« tea service. The association, which was fruitful in many directions, commenced in 1963.