The Staatliche Bauhochschule Weimar was founded following the closure of Bauhaus Weimar. Otto Bartning developed the concept for a "Bauakademie" in Weimar and became its director on March 22, 1926. In principle, the concept was similar to that of Bauhaus, but its aim was to unite all the different trades under the umbrella of construction. The center of training was therefore the architecture department, which did not exist at Bauhaus Weimar. Ernst Neufert was in charge of the department.

The construction department was responsible for the workshops, which functioned not only as teaching facilities but also as production facilities, where unique pieces and industrial models as well as the equipment for buildings were realized. In comparison with Bauhaus, the training was more practice-oriented: the aim was to train apprentices on concrete construction projects. Many former Bauhaus students who were not in favor of the move to Dessau joined the Staatliche Bauhochschule Weimar in 1926. The first employees included Otto Lindig, Erich Dieckmann, Wilhelm Wagenfeld and Richard Winkelmayer, as well as Ewald Dülberg and weaver Hedwig Heckemann. Stylistically, the direct comparison with the works created at Bauhaus reveals a less experimental orientation. In 1930 the Staatliche Bauhochschule Weimar was replaced by the Staatliche Hochschule für Baukunst, bildende Künste und Handwerk, and Paul Schultze-Naumburg replaced Otto Bartning as director.