Assignment 2 - Part 1

Mies Van Der Rohe (1886-1969)

Mies Van Der Rohe, born in Germany in 1886, was an influential architect and designer of the modernist movement. Mies, son of a stonemason, had no formal education in architecture but started his educational career under the guidance of Peter Behrens while working in his office. Mies’ architectural style was reflective of Behrens teachings regarding Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s stripped style of architecture and his interest in the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie style of architecture. Mies spent half of his career in Germany where he was commissioned to design buildings such as the Esters House, the German Pavilion in Barcelona, and Tugendhat House. While in Germany, Mies also worked at the Bauhaus where he collaborated with Walter Gropious on his ideas and outlook on architecture.

The second half of his career was sent in the United States where many of his works still survive. His move to the United States also sparked a shift in his architectural style. Mies focused on the design and building of skyscrapers rather than residential structures. Lakeview Apartments building was one of the first tall buildings designed by Mies and was significant in both its architectural design and its interaction with the urban surroundings.

Mies, alongside Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier, was one of the pioneers of modern architecture. After World War I Mies sought to establish a new style of architecture that would be representative of the spirit of his age and respond to the technological advancements of his times. In order to achieve this new style of architecture, Mies emphasized the appearance of materials used in the building process such as steel and glass by avoiding ornamentation that was a reflection of the past. Further, the use of steel as the structural core of his buildings allowed the use of curtain walls and open plans that were unique to modern architecture. Mies and his modernist contemporaries focused on the use of simple geometric forms for their designs and highlighted this simplicity of form both in structure and aesthetics.

The theories and ideas developed by Mies helped revolutionize architecture and continue to be taught and researched by students and architects today.My interest in interior space design prompted my interest in Mies. I had seen photos of the Barcelona Pavilion and was very interested in the use of materials in both the interior and exterior of the building. Also, Mies has designed some of my favorite chairs and is one of the pioneers of modern architecture. I find his style of architecture to be calming and accommodating though it may seem cold and uninviting at times.

Seagram Building - Chicago, Il

Barcelona Pavilion

Esters House

Farnsworth House