The Story
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) is a German Architect and he was known throughout 20th century for architecture.
He was greatly known for modernism and using various different materials to express the structure which included spaces and materiality. Mies was born in Aachen, Germany and spent nearly half of his life in Germany. Mies mostly worked on residential building; one of his first project was Riehl House(on the left). He was commissioned this project only when he was 20. Because of his modern structured building, he became popular not only in Germany but also throughout Europe which included Barcelona Pavilion. He became the director of the Bauhaus (a popular German school of contemporary art and design) but he had to close it because of he was forced from Nazi Regime. After that, he returned in 1938 when he decided the education should be basic and approachable. He insisted that students that are studying architecture should know how to draw, approach the basic principles of the features and fundamental designs used in architecture and then use it in practice when designing and constructing. |
In the early years, Mies Van Der Rohe taught his student in the spaces which were provided from Art Institute of Chicago. Originally, Mies wanted to elaborate the south campus so he is able to give more facilities to his students however, because the Technology schools were combined, he was proposed to increase and develop new plans which would cover 120 acres of the campus.
In 1966 when Mies was told he had cancer called oesophagus. Since he lived in Chicago at that time, he passed away in 1969. A lot of families including his famous architect friends, alongside general public visited his funeral which was held in Crown Hall, Chicago. Since his buildings were quill plain and didn't include any ornamentation, he used a lot of heavy materials which expressed the simplicity and confidence in his buildings; It was admired by the general public and influenced future architects. Throughout his life, Mies wanted to express that simpler design gave more sophistication overtime because it was modern and using only essential elements in designing our house, it would look beautiful. Less is more. |
Timeline
MAJOR WORKS
1907 Reihl House
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Whilst working for Bruno Paul (in Germany), Mies van der
Rohe’s first building adopted the classical German style, “austere stucco
exterior” creating a rather homely feel, with interior inspired by British and
Japanese architecture. The beginnings of Rohe’s career differs greatly from
what he goes on to do soon after around the 1920’s, as he explores more
modernistic productions influenced by Adolf Loos theory of “eradication
of superficial and unnecessary objects”, using more modern “unadorned
architecture”. These principles become the foundation of Rohe's creations.
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1951 Farnsworth House
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In contrast to the initial classical homes Mies designed in
Germany (e.g. the Riehl house, Urbig House), the Farnsworth (glass house) single
family home is said to be a “celebrated example of modernistic domestic
Architecture”, as it was something original that had never been done before. He
was trying to achieve “almost nothing”, with the simplistic structure of walled
thin membrane of glass, steel framed concrete slab roof and floor with heated slab
travertine marble. These materials are also similarly used for the Barcelona Pavilion;
there are both examples of Architecture in its minimalistic form. Although the Farnsworth House is not for
exhibition purposes like the Pavilion, it has been argued to whether the glassed house is
really practically inhabitable or more fitting for the purpose of display.
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1958 Seagram Building
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The Seagram building was one of Mies first office buildings;
nevertheless he had already designed buildings of this kind but did not have
the opportunity to build one. Again, he uses his signature simplistic form.
This time he uses bronze slabs and glass (with amber tones on the windows). The
building resembles the neoclassical style; it is a modern version with pillars
as columns, a symmetrical and disciplined structure and steel I-beams inside. Although
it was not intended to be a public space, for people to walk and talk (with the
“Public Plaza” and the reflecting pool), it feels like a public space. The
Barcelona Pavilion acts as a public space too; maybe this is a result of the attraction
that these modern structures bring.
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1968 Neue Nationalgalerie
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From Mies migration from Germany to the US, his methods and
conceptual ideas have remained consistent till the very end of his life, this
is evident in one of the last edifices that Mies designs; the Neue Nationalgalerie. Like the Barcelona
Pavilion, the Neue Nationalgalerie’s function is to allow free spatial
arrangement of objects such as artwork, wall dividers, displays etc. (basically
for exhibition needs). Once again, we see the minimalistic design of glass,
steel and marble, with an unobstructed open space. He continues the “modern”
neoclassical style of ‘cruciform’ proportioned steel columns, as well as using large volumes of light into his buildings.
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References
The Story
Patricia, P. (26/08/2014). Grandes arquitectos: Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe. Available: http://www.reformaspor40.com/grandes-arquitectos-ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/#prettyPhoto. Last accessed 10 October 2014. (The Architect - Image)
Anon . (2014). Precedence study: Barcelona Pavilion. Available: http://www.slideshare.net/its_just_bm/presedence-study. Last accessed 13 October 2014. (The Architect)
Timeline
Riehl House (1907)
"Mies Van Der Rohe." Mies Van Der Rohe. NORTH CAROLINA MODERNIST HOUSES, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. <http://www.ncmodernist.org/vanderrohe.htm>.
Farnsworth House (1951)
Saved from the Wrecking Ball: The Farnsworth House. Prod. Towers Productions. Perf. Geoffrey Baer. WTTW11, 2007. Documentary.
Seagram Building (1958)
Mies Van Der Rohe, Seagram Building, New York City (1958). Perf. Dr. Matthew Postal, Dr. Steven Zucker. YouTube. YouTube (Smarthistory, Art History at Khan Academy), 7 Oct. 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyyuflY5k2k&list=PLnKWq76Fgxzdnw4ZgwyWXhCIQUzeBNUj8&index=2>.
Neue Nationalgalerie (1968)
"Designs for the Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin, by Mies Van Der Rohe, 1968." Victoria and Albert Museum, Online Museum, Web Team, [email protected]. Victoria and Albert Museum, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. <http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/d/designs-mies-van-der-rohe-neue-nationalgalerie-berlin/>.
"Neue Nationalgalerie." Museums and Institutions. Nationalgalerie: Staatliche Museen Zu Berlin, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. <http://www.smb.museum/en/museums-and-institutions/neue-nationalgalerie/home.html>.
Reference of black and white image
Barcelona Pavilion, Mies Van Der Rohe, 1929 - Sculpture: Georg Kolbe, Alba (Dawn). 2013. Barcelona. Pintrerest. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. <http://www.pinterest.com/pin/536702480563289259/>.
Patricia, P. (26/08/2014). Grandes arquitectos: Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe. Available: http://www.reformaspor40.com/grandes-arquitectos-ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/#prettyPhoto. Last accessed 10 October 2014. (The Architect - Image)
Anon . (2014). Precedence study: Barcelona Pavilion. Available: http://www.slideshare.net/its_just_bm/presedence-study. Last accessed 13 October 2014. (The Architect)
Timeline
Riehl House (1907)
"Mies Van Der Rohe." Mies Van Der Rohe. NORTH CAROLINA MODERNIST HOUSES, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. <http://www.ncmodernist.org/vanderrohe.htm>.
Farnsworth House (1951)
Saved from the Wrecking Ball: The Farnsworth House. Prod. Towers Productions. Perf. Geoffrey Baer. WTTW11, 2007. Documentary.
Seagram Building (1958)
Mies Van Der Rohe, Seagram Building, New York City (1958). Perf. Dr. Matthew Postal, Dr. Steven Zucker. YouTube. YouTube (Smarthistory, Art History at Khan Academy), 7 Oct. 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyyuflY5k2k&list=PLnKWq76Fgxzdnw4ZgwyWXhCIQUzeBNUj8&index=2>.
Neue Nationalgalerie (1968)
"Designs for the Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin, by Mies Van Der Rohe, 1968." Victoria and Albert Museum, Online Museum, Web Team, [email protected]. Victoria and Albert Museum, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. <http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/d/designs-mies-van-der-rohe-neue-nationalgalerie-berlin/>.
"Neue Nationalgalerie." Museums and Institutions. Nationalgalerie: Staatliche Museen Zu Berlin, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. <http://www.smb.museum/en/museums-and-institutions/neue-nationalgalerie/home.html>.
Reference of black and white image
Barcelona Pavilion, Mies Van Der Rohe, 1929 - Sculpture: Georg Kolbe, Alba (Dawn). 2013. Barcelona. Pintrerest. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. <http://www.pinterest.com/pin/536702480563289259/>.