Regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modern architecture, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe thrived to establish a new architectural style that could represent modern times, using philosophy as a basis for his work. By studying the great philosophers and thinkers of the past, he improved his own understanding of the character and essential qualities of the modern world he lived in.
Mies was enchanted with the free-flowing inter-connected rooms which encompass their outdoor surroundings. He also found appeal in the use of simple rectilinear & planar forms, clean lines, pure use of color, and the extension of space around & beyond interiors expounded by the Dutch De Stijl group. It is commonly referred to as "skin & bones" architecture.
Farnsworth House (1951), single room weekend retreat in a rural setting southwest of Chicago. Regarded as an iconic masterpiece of modernist architecture. The extensive use of floor-to-ceiling glass exterior "walls" that opened the interior to its natural surroundings was considered radical.
"Nature, too, shall live it's own life. We must beware not to disrupt it with the color of our houses and interior fittings. Yet we should attempt to bring nature, houses, and human beings together into a higher unity. If you view nature through the glass walls of the Farnsworth House, it gains a more profound significance than if viewed from outside. That way more is said about nature- it becomes a part of a larger whole."
-Mies van der Rohe
Winter at Farnsworth House: pricey. The house is not very energy efficient, costing $30,000 to heat and cool around the year.
Flood at Farnsworth House last September
Because the Farnsworth House was constructed approximately 100 feet from the banks of the Fox River, the property experiences high water annually and consequent flooding. Mies designed the house at an elevation he believed would protect it from all but the most severe of high water events.
Even though the Farnsworth House lacks practicality, I admire this project the most of all his endeavors, simply for the aesthetic peak of this experiment with this building type. Also, the house is the fullest expression of modernist ideals that had begun in Europe.
"Less is more"
- Mies van der Rohe
ps. one more object d'mies . . .
The Barcelona chair was exclusively designed for the German Pavilion, for the country's entry for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929, hosted by Barcelona, Spain. Inspired by the campaign and folding chairs of ancient times, the chair is & will forever remain the utmost icon of modernism in furnishings. Thanks again, Mies!
