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Modero Move-
P\Jbliclsed 8rchitects
toward!!a a revival o, neoclassical
while the planning techni
the Mode:iTfI'Iovemenl. However he;r
scom seerns reserved lor the mast
I senslbility al least. 01 Ihose fore-
vi" der Aohe. The paradox is then
how can the work 01 5uch an
cteatly based in a classicising heril-
oreo "OIS de combar in the present
dominated by problems 01 historicism
and eclecticism when he was, and saw himself
fa be. deeply concemed with the heritage 01 the
classical tradition?
Tt)e subjecI of this issue is Mies' early career
befare he left Europe lor America in 1938. by
time he had already built enough 10
establish his name in the canon. This 'rst hal! 01
his career can be sptit into two parts around the
year 1922. Sandra Honey's biographical essay
makes crear that until that time Mies was an
extremety skilful journeyman, building in a strip-
ped and austera classicised idiom which owed
mucn to I and above all lO
Schinke! and 01 the office 01
Peter Behrens. point came, it
seems, when refused to exhibil
Mies' project for the House in his 1919
'Exhibition for Unknown Architects' . According
10 Gropius justified his decision thus: 'We
exhibit il, we are looking for something
:-completely dlHerenl'.
criticism like thal makes for neat
1"5 in hi story but cannot be he whole
immersion in the hothouse atmos
11 Berlin, together with
lor the spirit 01 the times. lorm a
to the change Ihat occur
there was also the fundamentalist
approach within - Ihe questions lor Mies were
always grand ones: what is a suucture. ano
enclosure, space? His background suggests
Ihat Ihis was a private quest, no less zealously
carried out lor its lack 01 Gropius' support.
But 10 return 10 the paradoxical treatment Mies
'O>N receives, is it nOI perhaps ralher more a
01 that lundamentalism which makes
so hard to understand7 The Smithsons are
that 'Mies is grear, but Carb
have described hi s as
01 si lence.
Mies laekled some more fundamental
11 answered tham. those
be Ihe form 01 arehotypes.
they provide convincing solu
eourse Mies takes the blame
""C)Uo,very Curta in walted high
and cvery bland i
ing certain fundamental de
tacto lays himself open to a charge. His
own work Is however ,ndissolubly linked lo the
classicislng tradlllOn. and Ihe early buildings
make Ihis abundantly clear.
In contr8st to Le Corbusier, Mies
01 a communicator. His reluctante
public. his small output 01 written
it if anything easier l o dismiss hlm as a mono-
mani ac intent on building his own unquestion.
able ideas. But his approach to his work was
almosl that 01 an inventor. He was (he lirsl
really investigale a totally glazed Skyscraper.
Ilfst to incorporale machinery in a quiet
calm way - think 01 the motors which
and raised the huge glass wall 01 Ihe li i
al the Tugendhat House - and the I
organise a real manifestation 01 !he
nal Style at Weissenhol in 1927.
Mies' greatness lies at least in his ability to look
for the margin 01 experiment in arcMecture_
The confidence to do this must have come ntlt
so much Irom an intensive delving lOto history
or philosophy - though he was surely a cultured
man 01 the sort hat could only have existed In
the BerHn 01 the interwar periad - as from lhe
knowledge 01 how to construct. James Gowan.
surely one 01 the most crahsmanlike 01
architects, takes up this point and makes the
observation Ihat while this was true, it seems to
have been allied to a certain unconcern lar the
specific qualilies 01 the site because Mies'
buildings have the charaeter 01 universal solu-
tions. II that is achieved. as Paul Rudolph has
pointed out. by leaving out problems. it is also
allied. as Gowan says. 10 the two mOSI hazar-
dous materials. glass and steel.
Adrian Gale discusses this problem in his essay.
speaking as one who underwent a sort 01
apprenticeship in Mies' office. For him It is not
so much a question 01 'fitness for purpose' as a
moral duty to search lor the most economical
expression 01 an idealised perception. The Fams-
worth House is then perhaps the ultimale
statement. an enclosed space with one very
capacious cupboard sel within the plan so as lO
make other kinds 01 space.
The economy 01 gesture is surely what makes
Mies so hard to comprehend, especially at a
time when the architectural prolession seems
10 be deluged by 5uch a wealth 01 and
articulation. What is obvious. however. 10 hls
work is a clear reference back to that idea of
architecture which insists that an idea 01 space
be al the root 01 any production.
DaVid Dunster
,
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Mies in Germany
SAN ORA HONEY
7he p/(J() /$ (he rhmg. modem 8rr:futocture 1$ bosed on
plallnmg. The archltect btlllds 10 keep rhe plan IfMoJsr8 . . /
In Gerrnarr-,' M-es van der Rolle studlE!d modem building typeS
and deveIoped a numbef 01 archilectural conceptS based ()fl lhe
organisatloo 01 space. In Amenca. where he was gNefI ample
OpportuMy 10 bulkl. he deveIoped and refined he tllJllding type
and studled structural arder and materials. He was already
farrullar Wlth slone and bnck - in Gennanv he used lhem in lhe
mamer 01 lile master - bu! lhe lochnology 01 steel and
concrete was new 10 him.
The American archnecture 01 Mies van del' Rolle has beEn
anatysed almos! exclusNetv in lenTlS 01 1ts stl\Jcture and his
German work is ignored. Th&s has led towidespread mis
InlerpretallOn. This essay provides a brief expos 01 lhe
foundallOl'lS. lhe rOOIS 01 Mies' archltecture: lhe spallal con-
CeplS he deveIoped in Gerrnany, lhe period dusing which he
lived. and his personalrty. HIS hleas a Benin architecl is ils lheme
and his German career is shown in lhe conlext 01 lhe major
social. cultural and po!ilical developments 01 lhe lwentlElS and
hlnles.
Mies' German archl1ec1ure falls InIO tl'Vee slighlty over1applng
seqvences: the first. an earty neodassical andvernaoJlar penod.
covemg all his pre--modern work: the second. a peOod for
expenmenl and accompllShrr en!. begiming Wlth his glass sky
saaper proects 01 lhe earty twenl.es and end.ng wilh lhe
Ban:elona P8Vll.on: and the thU'd. a periOd lor lhought and
development. a relurn lO classlcism.
Ludwig MIeS began hlS career whef1. as a boy. he worked lor his
fathef. a master Slonemason in the anoent sIoneCIty 01 Aachen.
He carne 110m aRoman Calholic lam.ty 01 lour chlldren. Everv
Svnday his molher took him 10 Ihe Aachen Calhedl'al whefe.
somel'mes hiding behind an eI'lOfrTlOUS pillar. he wovld covnl
the SIenes during lhe servic:e. He anended the calhedral school
!ounde<! by Charlernagne in lhe nmlh oenlury.
My (slhe,had many \IVOf'Iderful blocks o( mBrble or orher Slone
m hls shop. I leaml ebour stQf16 (rom hlm." MldlOe! Mies
cmployed lour or flVo and lhe shop $l.lpplled carved
slonework lor cemelenes. foul'llalns and buildlngs. Alter $Chool
young Ewald and Ludwig wovld go 10 lhe shop and were
somE!llmes allo'vved lO lend a har'ld. WeB!ways fIIKi somethmg
to do WlIh bUl'ldmgs. Our maln ttJSJt IlIol.lgh, was 10 bW CO"96
\NOI&", a ht/le lar fuI! (o' MO Pfenmg. anda SlWS8!JB 800 cheeS6
(or (Ne, (or all che mosons. But rhen sometlmss \1\'8 could do
masons as well. and 181er tM?n CUlO QUOIn "fhat was (01
,
us 8 maslerly aH8lr. you see, and fl happel1ed onIy fJleIy, 7hey
hadn't enough confldence In us .J
Luctw'lg's educallOn was fairly rud,mentary - lhe lamdy was
neither welleducaled nor well-ofl , Alter anending two pomary
schooIs, hewenllO lhe iocaltrades:' SChooIIOft'WOyearsand, al
lhe ageol fifteen. hewas senllowOrkon building sitas. (In Ber1.,
Mies used lO boaSI lhal he leaml aboul archilecture lhe hard
way.) His falher had noliced his lalenl 101 dla\ving - Ludwig
used 10 outline lhe lenering on gravestones - and he
appremiced hIS SlXleen-year-01d son lO a film 01 local
anQ 3I'chilects. '1 gOt mIO the stucco busmess. and It WRS there 1
leaml tO Gt8w. One fIIKi 10 oowdeuufs.1afge on \I(!ff/Cdl waffs,
/fe-sIZe, ene qU8"er o( a COllmg. LoUls XIV maybe m che
mommg, and Rena/ssance lar a dlmng room in me afremoon,
or GOlhlC (ora IIbrary. And e\e'Y now snd then a new omamenr
was lf'lYenred. modem ornament, chestnut feq-;es, wlth bufSr
chesrnuts en them. Mies WOri<ed ltke thlS lar CHef t\'IIO years
and afterwards never wanted to see anolhef SluCCO omamef'l1.
BUI perhaps his leellng lor lineanty had lIS origlflS Ilere.
When his lalhel' dlOd. Mies' eIdeI brOlher Inhenled the famitt
buSIf-.e5S and Ludwig decided to pursue carear In Berttn, In
years 10 come he relurred often to admire lhe oId citv 01 Aachen
and lIS mediaeval buildlngs: he was partio..rlarly lend 01 lhe
Simple Westphalian peasant hOuses. wilh theiT sparsely
furnished lntenors, In 1905 he arrived In Ber!ln and lound work
Wllh the BOfOUgh 01 Rixdorf (now Be-linNeukOlln). He was
asked lO detall the wooden furMhings 01 a covrol chambef,
'Sut o( wood I had no tdei3 and so. 8fthough' tned kx IWO or
thrae monrhs. , (inally decided tO leal/fl the Job 8nd 90 to Bruno
Paul to drawdel8ds o( fumirure:& MI8S was apprenttCed 10 Pavl
lar two years and reglSlered al the school 01 lhe OecoralJ ....eArts
Museum in Be.-lin. headed t1( Paul. In hlS masle1"S alele. Mies
carne nto conlact wilh those whO w.eIded pQ..ver In lhe artl$UC
and archilOClural fJelds - men hke Harmann MvthoSirs and
Peter Behrens.
Two years lalel' LudwIg MI8S received hl$ first arcn,lectural com-
mlSSion and !eh his appreoltCeSh!p. HIS fw'st dient. Prolessor
RIChI, senl MI6S lO for three monlhs and hcre he lcok an
Inleresl In and Brunetleschl. In Floreoce he was
partlCUlarly impressod tr'( lhe Palauo P,III, a!vge stone \Val!
Wllh cut OUI of It. And th8t IS tIlar. Yoo seo lVllh fIO'N
f9W meons you can malee 8!Ch1/eCrure - and wh/l't an
arcl/ltecturet'
.. -
.
MIES IN GEAMANY
Eor/y Wonc
Ttrough tilo 01 M .. nl'le:Ws. Engll$h III'chtOClu.e ond tI'IO
An.s Wld Crafts IT1(M!t1'Ier\t flad \!I"OOI'Tl"IO POPUI3'ltV ..,
Gennat'rV Mes, no dOubl. h:K!.Nd o.s HIJIJS. WI
hrs fwst butIdong Showed I'C) sogros 01 anv ErogllSh nor
.. 'efe lhere l'!I"f te'eerICJS 10l\!.an arcMccrure VoIIa RoeN \VlS ti
s.n-.>Ie twQ-Slorev house Ifl l he local stvle 01 an l$L.lOd
oynol IS'trom Pot$d3m, It ... as bu'" Of'Ilheve;lf l!\al M\Jlh{U!5
fOUl ded lhe ()evIscher Wen.b,.-ld and Bd't()"15 was ar ..... ,ed
artlSllC dltecfor lO Afe. lhe Gennan eIIlctncal 1N1is11V
In 1908 Moes pn!!d Behens' othce., Pocsdam The masler'S
.nI\.oence ()I'l Mes was - I set lhe lone oll'ls YIv
aod f'Ol-so-early $tY1e. Behel'ls was O gmnd '7J11(!(1
.o'lIIed who. befote he fOIIl(!d AEG. ,-.oted r:J<I for lhe
German hllute lXJt.Jt96O'S'e and lhe SIOI!!. Ho be/o(NI!Id lhal
morumeolal iIImledure wi'IS!he NghesI: Bnd most ndl'll()Jjl
e:o:pressoOn 01 a r'IaIloOn 's culture ond WM Slrongly mnUCl'lC8d by
c;Ias:s1C.alld:)S 01 Otg<II'IcS<lloOn: Ir"! he was ,ndeblod 10 lhe
wo,1.;- 01 KM FriedlCh Schn\.:eI.
,
Se" ens' placllCe \0\03$ effodrvetv (l1'JIC< ..... \WO Ihe AEG work.
., v.tIIch Waller GroPRJS ond AdoIl Mever wero ir'rIIoWed. and
lno l'l(.'()dasscal wo,t assogned 10 Wegaod. In
BeI'Ion-DaHem in 1911-12. v.'3S
bn;!ft.{ HIS maro lask was 1h.11 01 JOb arcMect on lhe German
Emb3ssy n SI PetetSburg. a mvch o\liOsed. rrten.lmental
palace wllh a vasI equestnan sla\lJe Ioomrog above lhe I'nan
8"l!rance Moes 1001: nocrel Iorlhedesogn. and W"Ideod he l'Iad
no par! n.1. 'wcepr perh6ps fot (ha s/I8pIng 01 /j fe'IY doOI
mobs' 1 But CM!iseo the consU\lCllon he (1<1, on long vrs-IS 10
Is.Y<SI Rus$a. He was s:umed by he extmOtdl'l3lY wea!th 01
lhe peopIe he 1T'e1: lhe tT\'iIII'I contrilClor l'M1ed hlm 10 (lnner and
he Icund \he IiIbIe tald ., soIod goIdl
.
. /Jf'Jdt!I 8eInns I Le j)/ fhI!J grond /oIm. If.ousee ... hat I me<Yl.
me mOIl,/lI.."lral' BU! Be/Yoos alSO 9J'o'O MIeS a respocf 101' 3
delaol. a deeP adn'wahon for SctrieI. and .... aluab!e e>.peiie o:
., lile managen-ent 01 a Largo comm S5 01'1 Vvhle 11'1 8etYens'
e"dov Moes dod a I:xt 01 'moorr-logflIng' 0f'I BerWl-ZehIendor1
wte'e. 11'1 1911. he a neoo-IiI$lSlC<II villa for lhe Perts
btoiher$, Pt'OIC)Jomson .... 'f010 ha! 'M /eS al thBsge of l\'I1!I'lf)'-
'!Ve fiad become /JS accomp/sIIed /J c/esIgneF /TI the Sdunkel
loof1Ofl as Jws reachet .,
11'1 1911 Betveo'lS pul Moes 11'1 chafgeol 8 comrrU$s>On Irom Mrs
H.ELJ, KrOlIer. lhe 0 .... "Oef 01 the Krolter M!ler collectlOll.
wt\o asked Behens 10 de.slg'I a hOuse 101' her Hague.
Bet-rens an(I Me travellod 10 HoIland logelhot 10 prasenl lhe
aorNings n 1912 and Moes 51&(ed bOOInd 10 SUpeMS8 lhe
construc:tion 01 a UI-scale earrwas and WOOd mock-up 01 lhe
pro,ect. ThIs drs'9"l was re,ected and lhe comnllSSion WOOI 10
H&'ldnIc Pelrus &!nage; whereupon MIeS eclafed lhal he was
prepaed 10 wor1c as &!nagE!S a:s&Slanl. 'And thtYI. Me Iln8day.
Mf$ KJiJI1et sdId /0 ma she hJ thoughl 1I 0."81" \"/11 heT
fIJsbsnd. wtd I\.OtIIdJ't I/J,e 10 protjx:e a deslfFl, 'o
Moes staved WI\h lhe KrODets Ior ne.YIy a Ve3f. and a large
'/.Iork rOOm was put al hIs dl$OOS01l-a room f\I olViJfI Goghs. 4
HEreheworted on hosown Kr8er pro;e :' ante exeo!\ed I\os firsl
COi1vetoliOnpro;ect. 101 theSoSmarck MOI"I.ImMI. Bolhpro,ects
are Qstn::tly SdrieIesQue. w,th refefenr. : s 10 lOeIn Gha .... ke 11'1
!he ",,"01&- HOiJSe and 10 0nand.1., lhe BoSn'I<lI"ck MOI"I..imenl.
Bvt lhere 1$ aIso a hinl of Franlc l.Jovd Wlogt'l:S nfluence Il'l lhe
toIzOl'l&fV of lhe KrOler proteC'l Wnghll\ld come 10 8CI1fl.,
1909 10 pro;opare for !he l).Jb!ocbloOn 01 lhe WiISITlJlh Pcrtfoloos.
a re.'Ie .... of hos \\o()l'}; src::e 1900. \, This worlc was (l)..hd)lcd .,
B1rorI., 1910 and c.1<1S:d 8 SOt\Sa\oOn. llwtv vears lalor
'MOle Alrh$mom&ll. soCtlrlC4lfotus rheem.blllonoIFranJ:
UurdlM"gIIICDI11G 10 8er1m. ThoencounMTw.'tsdesrmedlo
P/OlIfJ 01 grill SJgrn/1CdtJCO 10 (he EvroptNIfl d&o-eJopmefll The
of '''s groat fTIIJSlfY f)rIJStJnf8(/ on 01
unexpeclod fott;e, e/am,! 01 /I1nguDgtJ 8fId dJ$COIJCfJflmg
idlfJess 01 fQml"J
12
,
2 \tolla 1UeN. 1907
3 Walle, G,opous, AoII Meve'.
M.es",," de, Rohe, and Le
CorI)uSll!' al Pelet Beh.et\S'
a{e!te'., PoIsdam
.\ BelVens.
\tolLJ Woegarod, 191112
5 BetI,8nS. Genm<> Embassy,
191112
1) \tolla Pens 1911
7
8 Sc:honltel. SchIoss Orunda
9 Kr6Ie, House DI'OIe :1. 1912
lO Monument. 1912
11 lOriW> Gloend::e

MIES IN GEAMANY
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13 __ '
MIES IN GERMANY
Mes su:eMSed lhe consU\JC11011 01 y:l! 0fl011'q full-SCDIO rT'IOCk.
up k7 che KrtiPeB. bu! thlS do:Sq1 was also reected nnd !he
c:;onYT1 SS'O'o revo'too to 8er1age In HoIIand. MteS h..ld come 10
admwe lhe""'()It;. 01 IhIS greal ().Jtch a-chted. 'Wl.9IIf1IMSted
fT'I(J mosllfl /JdrlBg6 1\-3$ tus CNBf1 COrlSlrur;:llOfl. hotlSSl 10 !he
b<JtI8;$. And Ivs spmtwl awrvdtt hIKJ notl'w!g ro do W/m
Cl.fs .. ::""'. nodwlg ro do mm h$1OfIC s()'ies " ISO!!M!".
&wthges Srock E.\chiJnge hMi rnYJ(6Sserl me &1OIff/()(JS1y. Ir
1\11$ maUy 8 modem txnldlng 8ehtenS was of tite opmIOIl Ir
IVlJSaUp""";'/:IUt I saK!rohm He
."
II-tI$ funous. htlloo4ed as ff /)8 lvanted ro hll me
The re!atl()O.Sh,p OOIW(.'O"l8etYens and Mtes lerm'n.)ted
lO'Ie too haPPIN - n would aw<W that MII!5 had hoOed 10 sct
htm:5eIf I.C) ,.. prNate ))I'<'CttCe Wllh MIS J<.rO,le .... s backng. On hI$
retum 10 Bertin MIOO opeI'I hIS 0WTl 01eUer ,Il che Befhn
l.Jcmer1e1de orea and the cefo,1h he f"eI,'\!'" aga," wOl'ked lor
another arcmect As ,1 ., ceIeOfatlOl'1 of IhlS step towards
he char'tged tus SlJrname 10 M.es van der
R(tIe" In 1913 he mamedAde!e Brum. daughl(!f 01 a""CIIto-
do. upper-mtdcfle ctass BeIM lamtly whe fre-
QU&nled a csrdeof ph,losophers and professors It was 110m hlS
Wlle's ISIn/1y coonecllOf1S th3! M,es had dr8\\'fl hlS (irs! cltents -
1he REhIs and 1he Perts brothefs
In 1914 MII!5' flrs1 daughll!l'"was bom and he destgnod a hOuse
to be al WellB ler hIS lamtt-t'. Thewar inlervened and the
POfE:! f"eI.'I!t gol be,OI'1d the 9<elCh stage.I/'ISlead the famdy
mo.l!d up ., lhe lVOI'Id in 8eoWi. laking an tlpatlrretll !f"I lhe
Tll'I"ganen dlSlncl. near lhe PolSdamer 8nc1ge spaming the
etr Carlat- a stone's IlYow Itom "ree the Ne.v NallOl'lal
Ga"etv rtt:foN stands, tt \Vas an exdJsive dl$lnC1 and Iastvonable
lOt a-chiteCIS -the Tan bIoIhers. Gropus and Meyer and many
other archtect5 had ene. ate&ers !hEn!, In 1915 MIeS was
aah.ed. andwhen he letullted from the Eastem Fronl t'Is larm,.
had tTICMld out al 8erIn .,10 lhe Brandenburg area. The
tnanllge was nol a happtQne; IWO more daughlers wl!fe bom
but. around 1920. MII)S lefI hts lam't-t' and ma.ted baO: 1"110 h&s
8eo1in aleloer, Even tln.Jgh thlS amou'Iled 10 a petmanent
separatJOn. MII!5 ne .., dl'olOrt:ed t.s .... ,Ie,
The fits1 commSsjn'lS 10 CXloTle tI!O MI8S' new prac!1Ce were
ViIa W; ... a {1913) and VIOa Urbtg {1914), The war and che
ecx:JI'V:)n'I,C depression wl'tch loUowed ." lIS wake carled a hall to
neM{ aII building actl'VltV 11"1 Gerrn."Iot. MI6S lecerved no funher
.... 'CI1c.und 1921 ..... +e-l he b .... 1t a hOuse fot lhe Kempnet famt..
The blnIdng has beal"l destloyed and !heonly known ctawing IS
"
a skelch 01 lhe fitst proeCl. A<nYlr'lQ 10 Phll,p JoMson. '(tl/S 13
1\9$ MIeS' /.4$( ROI'fIBIlIIC dJstgn' 1!> Sctriers infuence was
e-.4eill In lhe taU. narrow Wlnclows. comlCe and tlal 1001, Ah.er
meetng 8ertage. MI6S sald. '1 fIJd (O fglll myself ro gel BWDY
escac edltoml!;
as he grew oIder. n became more and rrore fMder'it ." hlS WOfk:
'Schmkers Das Alte Musoom was 8 beaullfvf bUilding You
could Ieam everylhlng from 1/ and 1 tned to cb /hal . 11 Whlle lhe
Kt!fi'lIIlI!I' House was under CO"ISlNClIOn. MI6S was como
mr 'oned by Georg EIchstaedt to b.uld a small lesidenoe. al'ld
he a s'n'C)1e suburba'l VIlla vvhlCh was comple!ed in
1922 - lhe YUI M.es destgned his secOi'd gIass skysaaper.
The Iast t-o.I58 Mte$ bullt in lhe tOOtJOnal mamar was VdLa
MosIet (1924).
MIOs" eartv destgns were aO extJemelf wel wOIked out. wel!
pr()pOr1iOnod and baIanoed. and lhore was f'CJ doubl obout hl$
1I'II'"'3le understandtng 01 OIg.lntSilhon al'ld detall 11'\ Ihelf
c:o:.ec:ution, The houses Wl!fe verv wel! ac:compllShe<!lI'I
thetf odiom too However. c:onsodored ., lhe context 01 thtw
penod. theywere unremar\(able; .,comparoson Wllh che wortc. 01
BetYens. Ml{lSv(tl1 dof RoheSeartyWOfkc.anoot even be lermed
progr95$MI. But hewasa arcntkt'Mlo had silo"",
t"h e;i 10 be astuta The he w,Ul 8ehrens'
doents. lhe KrOlIeIS. would ,ndtCa!e thal he W(IS someth'f"19 01
en (M,s Helana Kr6l1e1 W(I$ !he 1'lSt 01 Mi .... s
dtSllr'lgucsh&d lady dlents)
14
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1
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12 6e11age. AmSIe<oatn 8e\.Irs.
1S98-1903
13 V,a,Werr'lef, 1913
14 VIlaUtblg. 1914,
SHeet elevauon
15 SdunkeJ. AIles Museum.
1823-30. IIonl elevllbQn
16 Sctunkel Mes Musoum.
182J..30,rea, elevauon
17 Villa Eocl'lstaedl, 1922.
upper UOOI plan
18 VII,) 5cMtMdl 1922.
ground 1i00i plan
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"
MIES IN GERMANY
n\(! brrol.. bflIwl'eJ\ MI/.JS' oortv wQI'k aro h$ f.sl moefn pro,odS
sooms SUI'PfOSl"lgIy obnJPL 1\ came al he oro::! 01 192\ - SI.I'-
I1I
L
'WI01y lale lor ooe who was 10 ptay sudl 11 map pan .n lor-
",,1<1111'10 Modom Movomonl ilfcMec1ure. In 1919 0l"Iy the
KOIl"II)I'I8I' House pro,ect was entered lfI hts catalogue ot wor'u
a!'ld .n 1920 nothflg was 115100. These yeJI'$ 01 NClMl'V 1'0d.
pefNps. grvt:fl hrn ,me lO lhol'llt aod lo looIt 310-r0. lA SIrT'IIat
bu! nol SO otMoos changa on Mom;' .....-or1toco.qed., he IMe
... another penod 01 'NCIP<My -whon lhe dyn;moe. asymmeulClJl
IIow ot M !'.gh modom .... octr; was QWelened 1fl10 c:t.)".$(;aI
"""""""1
Al lhe 8I'ld 01 1he Frrr.t Worid War levoUtoOrlal'y soc eles W0l'8
lOfIT'ISd ItvOUgt'()ul GetTnarlV. cIa lTWI9 ler modem art and
arch.,ecture II SOC'<l! and ruhural role .... .,/'w'Ilhe rtfMt Weom,y
Reoublic. In I.:lte 1918 '" BerIlO. artlSts 3SSOC'<lled Wlth lhe
Slurm Gallery founded lhe No>Yembelgruppe; Md 6l\.II''I0 10'1J1.
elong w,lh Waltcr Groprus. Adoll BcMe and Ces)f IOe!n.
tounded he A1berlSlat fI.ir Kunsl. In 1919 H:nl. PooIlIQ..vas
elected chaltTl"lln olthe DeuISCher Wer\t::b.md Md GfopiusWil'l
callad lO We,mar lO lound lhe 51a.tbche5 Btluhaus (an
anlslgamalooo of lhe Acaderrt;- 01 Arts wltl1lhe Plogres.srve
5Chool 01 Apphed Arts, I1eaded o.,. Herui van do VeIde). Ber11'1
became lhe most acuve cenlre 01 an and rulture lf1
EUfOpe: lile Cltv suckeclln the new anlStlC rnovemenl$ wt-.d1
had spnJl'\g up elrowt1cre whde GermafTo( was at wat - De 5t,-,
COf\Stf\lClMSm, Dadalsm, Cubisrn - and German Expressoon
lSfT1 galf16d 1f1'l)e11JS_ The ard1llectural styIed e5fXl'JSed o.,.these
ne-.v sooehes and lhe Bauhals was. If1J1.l8iIy, Express,onsm.
Thev reJeClecI lt-e acacJen'IIC educatoo 01 lhe arChleQ and
almed al a re.v fusIOn 01 lile VISUal atts - a mmu-e 01
medlaeVahsm, utopiosm cn::I IevoMlOO. 11 was a twne lO!'
e.'(pet1mentallon; l'T'IaJ1Ifes1oes. l"Iew publlC.auons. 3I"Id en1' l$
dlSOJS&OI"IS were lile OI"dI!r 01 lhe da>(. ()rY.( v.then t'1flallon
eooed lO 1924 d>d 1)..lIlclong StaI't ag<WIlI'1 earrest.
Mies van der RoI1e rlel.'et jOInecl lhe Albetstal fUr KI6\St l'Nhid1
only Iasted twO vears), ru was he a membe' 01 the GIii:setm
Kette,I8 He was nol invOIved ' \- llh eolhef the Bauhaus 01" the
Novembefgruppe lf1 lhea" earty Stages: he fC)II"Ied lile WeXbund
ontv 111 1921 In lhe earty tW1!nUe5 MIE!:!i began lO I::eep 0pa'1
house in tus atel"lef: n beCame lhe meelll"lg place ter a c.-de 01
afchneC1s lhe Novembe'gruppe k.nown as the Zehlb'
R'ng tercie 01 Ten), MIeS acted as chairman 01 IhlS whIch,
In 192526, 115 membership and 11$ Ntne
InlO lhe RII"I9, MIeS was also pul In charge 01 the N/l'IA!I'T100'-
gruppe's archleC1ural EW\iblhons and Ofganised lhem he
was made\<iC&-presidenl 01 lhe D9IJ\SChef Wetbund In 1926.
In 1923 and 1924 Hugo Hanng shaI'ed Mes' wolkroom s;nce
he had no alebcf 01 t-.s ow-n They became dose Inends and
lales were told atound Bellr1 01 lhe disC1J:s,sIons lhey ente'"-
lOIl'1ed unId lhe ea/Iy I)OUrs o' lhe 1l'IOfTIf19. Mes' aul'loet was
alSO, on occasions, lhe meellng place ollheG Grwp, 'afTOUP
o{ OfflSrs lmo 1\9't! n se.:Jio' of IOIId. super-
personal. efemenrtll msdld of arosflC creallOf'l. ,19 Member:!ihlp
Il'lC1Ided a numbef 01 De collaborntOlS. the ConstructMSt.
lazar El l!SSItlky, ard lhe Bauhaus maste'", I aszkl MohO/'r
Nagv_ Hans Rd1ter and Wemer GraeH, along \ .... th ll$Sltzky,
becilme pnt cd,tOl"3 01 lhe group's ma9au'l8 larschlh &
EJemsnt8f8 Gest8/tung. kr"oo\vn asG The 1irs11SSUE!.yf"'--lred n
July 1923: LlSSlUky lhen ctoppecI OUI and Graeff SUggcsled
MIOS as l'Is fepl/tc:emefll. In $eplcmOO' 19231he Sl.'OO'1d lSWe
apperarecl , wlm Moes as pnl edolOf,
In June 1924. But he magazine 'alled, MIes If\ debl tO
lhe pnt'ItCfS 10 lhe tune of lhe pu1cnase pnce ol lhe COfTl)Ielc
rypesac>1 OI"dl!red'e:speoall-( lar G no. 3. W(JIM GrooH became
one 01 Mies' cIOSeSl 1r.endS and coIlaboralors, and w()flted lor
Mfe5 as ).Jbhc'lY officer !or he WISSef\hO! exhlblhOIl. GraeH
doso'Ibed Mios as nn excellenl hOS1. exlremuIY gt'I"Ief"OUS 'Mth
OOlh!llS lime and hlS monev. Hfl lv.iS 8 1\6'1. frrondIymat/l\flo
COUld Sir (Jr()U(1d endlflSSiy rofkmg '20 He was a great fDCOl"llevr,
a grOOI drml:er 100; hu skel(hed COI"IIIf1IJOI.ISIv 3S he lalke<! ,,\ t-.s
01ell(lf and gol Itvough reanlS 01 typong paper
15
MIES IN GERMANY
H'gh Moden. WOtk
In 19 19 MIOS van el," ROhO \\ .'10100 10 hos t.;rll{'J proroct
"" lhe 'E,hblllOl'l for lJIj,Tl()-'.\T'lArch'Il'C!S organlSed Gropous.
bul Gropus relUfT"ll!'d hIs proJC!C1 W'f'ng. CM t ex/lIOtt Il >\tI
The FIICtCh-
straSSll C()fl"1)8I,t()l"l 01 J1Yl,I.yy 1922 Moas lhe 0\)901'1\1-
"'IV 10 elohobol t-.s flf$l moeIn pro,OCI- a skysaop8t \6ng
lCl IhtI nli'llYltY 01 P .. ,I S ... h.o(.1:.Ja!1
'/" my prQ('C11or iI $A,yw..-4r chtJ FfitdlCh$rr.JS$I!t Sutllon lfI
fJedn I uS!ed ti ptISI1Ur>e fetm " ndI.m!JI,ed 10 me ro flr besl
IIW rr>4I'I(UW SlM o/ll/(! / ptt,tId the gt.J.ss ,O.OJI$ 81
sbgIit rg'!S ro ('dt;h Ol l"ttr ro...oo the n1l()'"lOlO'l)' 01
-""-
'1 by .... th nI g4Jss mode/S tIIiIl die
,, ' J'f!lf)1 t/W'Ig IS 11"111 pIJy of fPfi:tlOflS ()fJd nol the elh!ct 01
/lglil lIS lfI 0tfJ,n,r bu .... IfS
T"he resWs o/ tI/eS6 can be seen lfI lhe second
sdellll. At/wst t/lBO.Jf\'t!dOUIIH1601t/1epl<lfl seetllS
8>'f).o!Tar ThtJse " t'I1t deremWllJd by rhree
lf1t:torS WHlCIt!fllli/t.Jmlfl3lC11 of the 1fI,"6nOI. thenWSIfI9 01 lhe
tJwlding .'If1>\f .tt:rn tht! Srrl!el. trnd IIJSttr die p/Dy 01
." 19
-efJecl/Ol'lS .
The s B :ond selle/ne m&"Ihorled hero was ;) glaSS $l.)'SO"apet
",Ih a tee-torm plan. sugge$l1\l8 01 Hugo Hrioog'S work.
des'Qned 192210r an lnugrnarv Me Ahhough both lYo,ecIS
were lI'li\Jenced t1( lhe aeslhellCS 01 E.\pres:socnsm. lhere was a
C8t\MI coId lag< beNId Moes' ac>P'oach lO lne glaSS slcyscrat>er
Iha! ""as sorett' Lackng in lhe ,\'011( 01 hIs &p!0/lSI()n1St COfI-
letr'\XlI'ar.es, Mes was altogetl'e' lOO down-Io-eanh 10 bel!el.1I
\hal .nspralO'l for arcMOCIlR oould come IIYoo9h fT'I.ISIC or
Irom SOf1"Ie mvsJGat SOJI"ce (sao<! 10 .-.spre &;pteSSIOOIStS), Tne
Fnectdls1rasse CorroettllOtl tn,lf\e<! lhe tumng ponl between
EXph . '<nSIII and ... -mt .,as 10 foIIooN -Ihe 'roe-y arcMecture'
Here tte MO Sl';llst1C 9
t
es me( arw::I dashed The frst pnze \'\las
a---'arded 10 a dE 59' .... made tm.d use 01 \he '<OCiIbulary 01
ElepeSS0611. !he'o( :ond pn.!e. hOweveI'. "'MI toa horU:ontal
sI3b block desogned t7( the LucIa\lfdt brOlhEn - a project .... -eII
0I"l!he ta. ... ard:5 the roe-y and more sc:II)e- apptOOCh. MIeS
1'1:11 eA,," ttesetlW\alOwcago TnbuneCompetltOlOl1922
and 1\ wa:s not 1923 thal hIs archr1ecture relleded lhe
--
In hi:s Conoele Office Bullng pro(Cl 01 1923. MIe$ pald
homage 10 Frank l.-IOy"d Wrw;.fs larbn Buddong 01 1905 (as
itlustraled 11'1 lhe Wasmuth Ponlolo5) The Ul>
stlnds 01 Mes' profecl we1edesogned 10 house a lil,ng svstem.
as 11"1 \"""ghfs MI9$ expIaned lhocoocept 011'llS proecl
on l\lIn 1$ 01 fla1ct0'l, soace. maleoals and SlIucture: bu!" es cIear
lhat the enhr8 desIg"I was based on a ogld struCl\lral syslem, He
WfOIe. 'Rt!JFIIOfCed CO/ICfeIB StfUCl!#9S /JIlJ skefelons by
na/un! 'Hln lIS dear, su-oog 1JIo4)Ie5S1OI'I 01 S1lUC1ure. lhiS prO)EICI
1$ Ifl M.os' as a conoept ne fIOYef repeated "
Pemaps he fiad sa.d aU thal was ne: tSed.n IhlS ore aav.YIg (Ior
th9re was ro plan). The r.tlbo<'l ",ndcw. h()Y.-ever. dId leappeal"
- in hos pro,ects lor lhe Rechsbank (1933) and lhe ltiefeld
AOI_iS1fatCII B...sng (1937) In Ihese orO/Elds. 100. the
buI),ng IS Wfagped IOOnd a oentral COJftVard well,
In QI.)Ct $1<0 :So(lrI to lhe Cooctete Office But'ck>g carne two
oc:..nrv toJSe p-ojaclS - OI"'CI brtc:k and lhe other .... concrete.
Once agaw'I Mes P3Id l'QrrItge 10 Frank LtovdWhghl.1hc BriO:
House IS pI.)n oed c.ke a Wnghhan countty hcAI$e _ e oore 01
rOOl'l'lS SOecned Irom ore another - but 'Mlh ro 18 01 Wrighrs
fussv deHIIWlg, In a Slroke, MIOS I\ad rrodemIsed Wnghl The
oro,ect 1$ best d8scnbed PhI'!) .Johoson'
'Ir r}epetds 01'1 e newCOflC(Ipt/Of't 01 lhe furIc / 1OfI of lhe -.val' ThtJ
1.#It/ of dasIfTllS no longIy /he CUlX: 1'00I'I1 bu/ lhe lfOO-Sl/ff'Idmg
WfJ/1. 'O'hch i"Jrooks the IFfIdIIO'laI f:Jat by sfKAng OUI from
lhe rool lJf')(i UlMdlng mIO the lantJscape. Insread o (
lonmng IJ closJ I'OIuI'l'llll! /he$e ,/'iCJepeI)Gts1I ' V8/ls, /om6(/ onIy
by p/8rIes 01 gIIJs.s. Cle/JI& IJ ne>v 8flIb.gvous SMSlJ//OfI 01
fPlICe Indoors lM'Id OUldoot$ 8f8 no Ionget MS,/y dlIfmed. l/Jet
16
..
"
---
,
20
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-
/-
_" r--
T
..!. fE
L.:


"
19 Fnedllchstl.!lSSC QUICe
Su,ldll\9. 1921
20 GI3SS Sky$(:.aper. 1922.
mod.,
21 Concrete 0110(;8 BUIId"'g.
1922, ftAterOOi'
perspec:love 01 !)rOJeel
22 Snd; c.Ol,lrl1ty House.
lO'" "'"
23 German PJY'lbon al
Ba,celon3
Et.)OSIllOI\. 1929. f,nal
scheme plan
24 Concrete Countty House.
1923. model
25 T rafloe T owel
PIOtect. 1924
26 al
A.lnkarosche Slrasse

26
-

25
MIES IN GERMANY
lIow IfItO e<JCh other. 11/1s conccm 01 on8rCh,tf)Cfllre 01 ffO'wmg
Sf)I1Ce. ch(yJf'/(J11ed bv froo,sl/mdmg planos, pIqys an Imponsnt
rolo In MIOS' IOffY dcveIopmem ond fCDChes lIS $U{)feme
extJr(JSS1Of) In rhe Barcelona Pavrl/oo of 1929
Aeslhotlcalty. !he P/0JElC! !S IfIdOOled 10 lhe won: 01 he De S"JI
GrouP; he plan was sa.d lO rescmble lhe Oftt'ogonal pallem 01
) Van Doesbulg palnlJllg onlJllod Rhyrhms ola RIIS$1lJn Dance
Thc ConaeleCo.mtry House prOlCCI was he (IISI 01 Wh;)1 flh,1
Johnson lermed lhe 'zonecf hOusos: he 11IIn9. slecc.ng ar:
sennce lfeas wete l$()Iale(l 'om one 3IlO1her .... WII"IgS
separated by COUrts. Here the Ixt 1$ nol mdlSCnm1fl81e/o
by 8 profus/Ofl of IIldspe:'ldent walfs. buf carefuffy dMded and
pulled opatr In 8Il adrTllrob/'y bofanced SW3$llko-/ke pli1I'I
lhal combines thc maxlmum of mdoor 8f'I(/ OUtrJoo, Pftvaey
Wllh the mlmmum dlSf)efS81 of arr:fltecturolun,(s Thespeo-
flCatlOn 01 bncIc lar one prOJE!CI and concrete lO!' theOthef was. It
seems, arbitrafV, Slnce the concept 01 the COOO'ete Country
Housawas realised in bndtat Gubenand Kleleld.lt IS lI1terestll"lg
to note that bnck was coosldered by the Cll!ant-gcwdc tO be a
date(! material. whereas concrete was tashlonable'
MendelsotY'ls Einstein Tower. lor If'LStance, was block flnlShed
in render to Iook I,ke concrete constructoo.
In these five remarlcable proects 01 the carry MIeS van
dar Rohe alYlOUnced sorne 01 the Ideas he was to develop and
'eallSe In the years tO lollow: the skvsaaper as a bJ,lding IOtm
and the spatial conceptS 01 lhe Brick and Concrele C()Jntry
Houses. The presentallOn 01 lhese prOiects was also remark,-
able and lhey were extensrvely putilShed. Beau\Jltd modeIs
were made. as MISS beIIeved (\ destgn.ng and presenhng M
Pl'o,ec1s ,n a reallSlic manner. in relatlOO 10 lher SUl'l'oundng:>. In
arder 10 do thlS he had developed his own use 01 lhe photo-
monlage lecMiQue: penOl ar charcoal cIra\-v\ng on photogra-
phy. ar pholographv en photography. In 1924 he used Ihls las1
method to Pfesent rus httfe.known TrafflC TCM'er PfoteC1.
Al firsllhe'rew society" in GerlTlill'r\l gave radical atcMeclS
OpportuMy la lranslale thetr visions ,nlO reallt'(. Belween 1924
ane! 1930. however. lhe 'new archlleclure' galf'led acceptance
,n almost f10IefY field 01 bu,ldlf'lg. Bruno Taol pioneeroo lhe
concepl bet'llnd Ihe social hOIJs'ng prQgamm& in rus book The
New published in 1924, He dlSCUssed ,n deta.llhe
social and cul1ural,mplicalions 01 lhenew housng and sa.d lhal
new social behaviour would emerge partry from lhe usa o! com-
pac!. functlOllBl plann,ng and partly Irom a new aeslt'lel1O 01
de51gn: a symbollc language expressive 01 he 'rtf!N age' would
be crealed. Through the\vrillngs of severa! .,f\uenhal O'1I'CS. lhe
new buIdLl'lg sty1e cama 10 be kno\'VTl as FunctlOl\allSlTl
(ZwecJ:massl!Jkett) Ot lhe new obieClMty (dE neue S:hIlCIIket(j
In companson la Bruno Taufs extensive theo'etlcal and
practlcal tonlnbulw:>n 10 lhe social hOusing PlOgramme. MIElS'
tonlnbulion was 11ny. He \Vas the il/ChIIOCI 01 orIy ooe
developmenl in Berlin: the apartmen1 blodcs al AInk<osche
SUBSSe (1926-271. a deYeIopmenl which proved. ho\-vever.
lhal he could budd as d'leaply as hlS radICal coruemporanes.
And in 1924 he wrole \WO tnterestlt"lg bJt shOrt
plCCO . enl'lled 'The Incluslnalisaloo 01 BUIlding Methocts" and
'Arch!tecture and lhe TimE!! ... 26 Mes van def Aohe's more
s,gnlflCanl COnlnbulion 10 lhe social hOusIng programme came
Ihrough rus orgamsallOl'\6l work wilh he Deulsdler WerXbund.
Largely due 10 hLS actl\lllies w,th lhe Novembefgn.ppe. he was
appo,nled filSl vicfrpresldenl 01 lhe Werkbund ,n 1926. ThIS
co'ocided Wlth 1he Warkbuncfs decisK>n la Slago ,IS 1"\8.\1
exhl b'llon nI Weissenhof - 8 suburb ol SIUtl9.!l rt - ()l1 the theme
01 dwelhng (Wohnungl.
In 1926 Mies presented a scheIne lar Wessenholsledllng.
The modo! al lhe ptOfeCI ShQWad a fIowng, InICl'
connoct,ng, SCUlpUJI"ed Il\6SSing 01 buddngs. SIUt1g<Vt otv
oouncilJors, prompted by lOcal oppoonon 10 lhe prOjeCl.
fctOClod lhe schcme en lhe groundS lh3t '1 ....,as nol su,tabla
lar a hous'"9 deveIcJpmer"11 lhete W!!fe strOOlS. no
17
MIES IN GERMANY
bo.!lwecrt prOpC!1,e5. no lhorOughlilrOS 101 servlce
d"V\SfMS Thc j)),hot)lhOn arro had 10 be dMded up .n10
\,->hocIeS. ,.. t>les setVICed by rOOds. Mies re.alOCd lhe
tll/l .... 'ng... . "'-l f
lhe crown 01 lhe hlI tor hlS own proJCCI - 8 b ......... O
on .. _ o. ....... ....... lhe fo<;us 01 'he whOle ckMJIOpmeJll
,,,,15 """.-', ......... "'" l' doo:sr
and acted as lhe SlxhAJone. 01' Clty crown The on
I \\hO was lO bu,ld ()(l lhe remarn'ng S,I8S was
as bel\vecn lhe Werkbund alld lhe SlullgM CIIV
I .lOO lhe narnes 01 aboul Iwenty-!Ml archllecls \\Iere
In .1utuI"M 1926. as saon as 'he flf)J1 IIsI was
senled lhe Mes \\-"efe offerOO 10 p.lr1'ClPI)(IIS on a "rsl"
come-firsHIl!I\ed b3S1$. ancf le Corbus!ef gell firsl chorce. He
around lhe Slle w'lh Moes and Chose whal Mres
consoden'd lO be lhe besl Srtes 101' l-s SIngle and double-
larnrlv he) 'ses, Draw.ngs ha<! lO be pre5I;l(Ilcd as soon as
PQSSIbIe so lh.3t COflSlrucl()l1 coulcl beg,n In earlv spnng
1927
Although Mes had.he final Q( OIo'(Ir lhe archlteclure exh,blted.
he exerciscd thlS power Itvough ,he Se!ecllOl1 01 parlrC"
lMI1S: no-one e>.hlt)ed WlhQul his agrOOrt"lel'll. WGGSan-
opened on .schedule tn 1927 - an
allona! l()Urde force lor wl\odllhe ob arctlllecl, Richard Oclcer
bum $rungal'l. deseved rnuc:n cred,l VlSItors from 311 ovar the
wO!1d - as manv as 20.000 da'lv - sa\\' lhe e>,hlt>lt()l1. and lhe
putcrty II rl!Cel'l'ed \\as ovewhe!m.ng In generar the reacllOn
\'.(1$ lavourable. bul a m,nonty of conservall'o-e archllectS and
OllrCS argJed INt lhe lednoIog>Cal deveIopmenlS al We&en"
hots.edlll19 reptesenleda Itv"ea! !oGerman culture. lhal lherole
01 lhe Iradtl()l"l.3l bu,ldlng Hades wouId be eroded and lhal con
SlructlQn workers would find themseNes out 01 work. These 28
argulTlrel"l,S wele evenlualtv adop,ed and embroidered by lhe
NatlOl""lal Soo.ahSIS.
The ye.n 01 thelll1Ue SachllChkel( VVf!!le good yeafS for lhe arlS
ind lfctY1ecrure - the years 01 lhe 'goIden twen'res". The penod
.... as ele as 8 ss. di for maltty. for 8 place lO Stand rn the
actuall\tXkl Ir 1'3.5 8 suuggle fot obji!C1Mry lhal has charac-
tet"lS8d Ce 1I:at1 cufrure smce Goethti.
l
! Wemar OJllule was 11'1
COOt!l'lJOl.lS. tense II'IteractoOn wrlh .5OOety and loIloIved a
coorse para11el wlm pollllCS in lhe Republic. By 1925 lhe
atrnosphere n Germany was relall'lefy calm: mflallOl"l had endOO
and inctJslry was rn fui! S'o".ring.
WhLIe ,he Gennan SOCIal housong progamme was keeplng
most radtca!.ychltects OCOJDied. Mres van del" Rohe con.
Q!I"Itraled on bu,lding up hrs pOvale ptaCllCE!. He was Mrlher a
populaf llOt a lashonable achaect. Ench Mende/soITr was he
onIy modem arch,tect .., lhe Beriro 01 lhe lwentles 10 have a
lafge. ItvMOg privale practJCe. employlnQ UD 10 lorty ctraughlS-
meno Bu, Me;, vvho empIafed ontv one 01" two draught.smen,
was fashionable n appearance: hIs SU,\S were made 110m lhe
bes! labric::s by lhe best lailors, tus shoes were handmade 101'
hLm n Eng\and Md he sported an lf"nmaculale Homburg He
en,oyed good lood. good Wlne and gOO<:l company: he was a
!adv's man. He had a fme sense 01 humQUf bul. on lhe o,l"Ier
hand. was aLso repuled 10 be tazv, eg<X'enlnc. drffk:ult and
COIltemptUOUS 01 hIs conlemporanes. Mendelsom.
29
Be""\'eetl 1925 and 1930 Mes bu,lllour larga and luxunous 30
rnodern houses lor wealthy cbenlS - WoIl. langa, ESlers and
Tugendhat In sharp ctJfIlrast 10 lhas work. and un"
characteflShcaUy. n 1926 he clesigr red and w,ll a Slmpic brd
tT"Ief"r"\oIIal lO lhe COr"TWTlUf"lsl martyrS Kan Lrebknecht and Rosa
Lull.t!mbulg, AIthough hlS svmPalhres !ay w,lh hlS lnends on lhe
lefl. he was po! lIeall'( unoornm'lled, dSl!'I,9fosled 6VOI"I. BUI
thefe '$ fW) doubl lt\l he abhorred pohhcal murd(lr, He kne<N
LJebknechl. and lhe secrel<lfV 10 ,h(! commrllee Inet\r9E! ollhe
memonal was Dr Eduard FuChs. who had pulchased
V,11a Perts
Mes V"In def Rohe was lhe on/y modem Germanarcl\ltect who
b-Jdc. .... the HlS conlemporanes relused lO dO so
18
,, ---
27 W9Issonhol,>e<llung
DfOeCt. 1925, rnocIel 01
tlafly scheme
28 8ef\lge. Amsler(1am Seu,s
1 fI98. 1903 .
29 Wolf House, 1926.
IO'face
30 lange Hou.se. 1978
31 Esters House. 1928
32 MIes lJlk'l"Ig 10
BauNus 'Iudonts
33 L,11y Re,ch
34 GeflCko Hou$O. 1930.
IoYIOf lloor Dlan
3S I{roleld Counl'V Club.
compellhon prc,a ; 1.
1930. Dian
36 Tugendhat House. 1930.
Iowe, floot pl,n
37 Tugendhat House, 1930.
galden elevaUOtl
,
r r
,
,

35

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J6
37
KEY
, l.NwlO orea
2 ()qngOfeJ
3 8edroom $I./,te
4 Boudoor
5 DIllMII'Ig 100m
,......"
11
-
1 Kitchen
. """"
9 He.lt.'lg
'0_
II CelIar
12 laundry
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,
,
-
MIES IN GEAMANY
because 01 Its haod.cmh comoI8100ns. rough tClllvre ancI
SUQQ(lS11I)O 01 rnns.s 'Cllhef lhansurface. Exoosed brickwork was
nol 10 be a "mach"le ago' ITIalanat bvI Mres
Borlage's wonc. 8P01eoaled lhe 1ac1 tnal 11 was a
maUl'1a1 whdl neednol be concealed. Berlago, Moessaod. -was
8 moo 01 great .senousfl!JS$ lmo wouId 1101 tNXept an;rhng thiJl
lvas foke. and /1 was he SiJId thar fIOlhmg Should be /)eplr
rllal I.S flOr cleiJFfy constfVCted, And 8ettage dKi 8l:iJClly lhat
And he d!d // 10 SfJCh an (J.trem tllar hls flJfT/()(JS bUt1d1l'l(J '"
AmsrM18m. rho Beurs. had 8 med'i1eVlll charrK:rer WlIht)u(
bslf'lg med,(J(MJI He USi bnck lfI rho way medl80Val peap'e
d,d -1'1 MICS 1'\;00 lhe reg.1ar rI'1yttvn achocved lhe repell\en
01 a bnck module and he enp(ed,he aaltsrnanshlp JWOIved in
lhe coufSl'lg and boodtng,
Mios reallSe(j lhe concept 01 lhe Corcrele Countty House
PfOj(lCt (1923) In brick-al Guben(HiM WOlf , 1925-26Jand3t
Krefeld (Haus Lange and Haus ESlers. 1928) foI
lhe facades ollheso ttvee bode houses carne from lhe Slucty 01
voumes and thell dehnihon In 11031. perlorated planes (os
demonsualed In lhe Concrele Counlry House TI1&
spaMI organlSahon 01 II'Ms prOect - lhe sep<lraltOtl 01 actlVll!eS
.nl O a zoned plan - aIso Insplfed Mes' emnes In two arcru.
IOClural compellllOnS al , 930. In lhe Gericke PfOjeCI. lhe twO
110015 01 lhe house \vere dMded lI'IlO wtOgS
anached 10 a core: and in lhe Krefekl Counlry Club POOIBctlhe
Wlogs were anached lo me core 17( covered QPe'l st: Si.
Mies had alv-lays hked comtoo and Iuxunous malenals: heOJIt
valed a lasle lar Ulrury while won..ng lar Betvens and had
expenenced tl al flfS1 hand in AlI$SJa and HoIIand. HIS own
modem lI'Ileriors. haNeve-. tended 10 be aJSlere and rrlJled.
After \vor\rJng wlth l.Jtly RetCh ItIs was 10 change.
stedkJng mar1c:ed lhe begmng 01 hIS lOng and frulfful pytner
shtp \'VIlh Ms Redl. She had t eSl a member 01 lhe Werkbuncl
stnCe before lhe war and had <kected the SlnJal Wetlcbund
exh'blt on lhe Franldurt Fa., from 1924 10 1927. She wOOed
wlth Mes on lhe deslQ!' 01 all the QIUIIOOs In lhe han al
weISSef1hQr ando Wllh he( heIp. MIeS ralSed exhrbloo desig 10
a minar aIt 101m. 1I was Cerravrly moro lhan a COtnCIdence Wr
MI(!S' tnlt'()/ement In furrnture 8nd tpJibltJOl'l deSJ9n begltflll'l
/he saffl8 1'00' as hlS personal re/o//Ql'lShlp y/eh Lufy Redf, :11:) At
lhe Vetvel aOO Sllk Cale' whete lhay collabornled on lhe Mode
del" Dame' ExhtblllQl"\(Benl1 1927). aNm andrichervocabulary
was inlroduced. Ms Re'ch was an expert lO l exl tles and II can be
assumed lhat she chose lhe labrics and colours rOl thl$
exhlblll()l"l sland,
LIIIy Redl\o"'as lO extremety BnefgetlC and enl ElfJlO$ll"l9 woman,
lorcetul. IIllelltgenl and a hbefaled lemlllCSll1lhe truesryleol the
period.ln 1926 she moved from Franldurt 10 Be1Inand apenad
l-l6I" own sho\vrooms. aiong lhe toad from MIEIS' alele. Here
$he dlSPlayec! her own furT'lllure as well as Mes' designs and Ion
het II'\lenor decorattng bustneSS. Soon aftEJ" her...-nv<tl lI'l Benn
she 1001.: 0VBf lhe orgarvsation and managelT/$'11. 01 MIOS' aren
lectural pracllCe, attend.ng 10 all!he thngs he haled 10 do and
Ieavrng hlm Ireelo gel onwith Ihedeslgn .... 'Ork(.nwhlchshe lOO
was actl\lE!l. In 1930. from Berttn, $he OIganlSOO lhe inlenor
deStgn 01 Phtl,p Johnsol'ls New Van. apattmetll. Jomsan
describe<:! h(!f as strong. ptSItanlCal and dour. and
S<l,d thal $he 'watched Ole' MIeS "kea /)81.'*',ll The begllY\lflg
olt l'eor partllE!fShtp coinoded Wlth he most pooruclrve penod
01 MIOS' C<lrccr. from
1htJs6 )'&!II'S. l8fflIy SollClfed 8/1Ybody's commenls 00/ \\OS

8.ways enger (O htMF her optfllOfl.
The Tugeodhms galIO MI(IS and LIIIy RCICh lhe freedQm lhey
needed 10 a.xplOre lhe aOSlhellc oflne VQMlI and SIIk Cafo'll'I a
U'cu1lOUS toJse And al Bmo lhev gD'o1l a OOmonsl mllQl'l 01 v\
eleganco. cornb.nOd wllh a sonsuousness. tllal MISS "Ione
lallod 10 (lCh16V8 edhet belOle 01 altet IhI.>or coJI.lborIlI01l, The
stvhsiv'less 01 IhlS dassic modem II'lleno( can be lIUnbuled 10
LIIIy Rcich. Tho lame 01 lho Tugendhat Hou.'ie ,ests on
19
MIES IN GERMANY
.. ...
Ihe matdials aod lhe 01 space In the roolO .
arca -3 hugo room mQ8SUMg 50 leet IN 80 ;...ttt1 J ... .. '"
lee! ThepLan.de!1.cdlromlheBnclcCounlryHouseplO,teC
10
1 t '
1923 was M>OJI3ted bv a slragh1 seu" 01 0/'f(X anda culVOd ..
01 Mocass.y eOOnV. The leel109 01 (YId!ess. l\owIng
spaoowas IIlCI'rosed IN the l1Jge. flOCHO C(lIhng panes 01 glaSS
\VhICh tormed l he oulCf walls
MlOShaS thes 10 s.l'{abOUI lhe hc)tlSe Ofn'Y[vropeatIl\O't. me
Tug&'li.lut House IS COfISIdend outstlJf'ldlflg. bull thmk onIY
fJeC,'1US8 // \\05 me {f$( houSo ro use nch malenals, 10
e/egiJnCe Al fhal (Ime modem bulldngs \.\9'8 sufl
:;oWI.' funct,am/ 1 s:ronaIlydon't COII$Ider the Tf46idhat
House lf7Y)Off6flt than Olhef IIO'tS I destglitld COflSIdef-
/J/y 68rl/er. '13
Thc e,\Pld)()fl of endIess. fIowlf"lQ space reached lIS lef1llh lI"l
lhe 8af( piona Pa-.lll()l"l (bullI " 1929 belOfe lhe comp!e11Orl 01
Haus Tugend"'II). 'f(y mo wor*ng m Barcelona was a bf1f1M/(
mament In my /fe-. M,es sald)o In Ihe BarcelOn3 P3VI11Orl t\YO
lcalures 01 lhe 8ud. CounlJY House were pi"eservod: tl'e
aeslne,cs 01 De SIIJJ and lhe screen5. bolh honzonlal and 38
\'MICJI. o-ealng e I\a. ... 01 $pace between "tenor ene! exlenor.
&1. at !he same I'me. MIeS dIwnonstrated a new structural
pnnc:ipIe - a pnnoJ)le amounced Le Corbuse- In hl$ Dom-
,ro Hou:se $ludies 01 1914 - tl'e separal,on 01 sl ruel ursl
clclTe tts from SCfeening elements. Eight dvome-shealhed.
cruoloon colIrms de!ined the spaoe. \vhole screeics 01 on-x.
marbIe. and cIeaf ttansparenl glass Channe!1ed !l.
In lhe BarcelOna P8Vi1lon was a palched-up struclure.
was unable to Cfect !he pavlIon as apure
t)om-n:i structure: lhe eoght CtlJOIotm coIumns alene could
nol St4)port lhe rool ene! a r.,mbef 01 exlra c:oIumllS had 10 be
Iodged 11"1 !he double-skimecl marb/e screen5 10 help carry he
load. BU! this makeshlll SllUeture dld !he JOb Moes asked 01 1I and 39
lhe pIal temained In .. .'lOIate. He purSl.led the idea In t'Ws modeI
house at the BCi1ot\ Budd.ng lI'Ibohon 011931, bul hefe a f"'eN
5)ahal concept emefged - lhal 01 lhe 'coun-
house. a c:onc:epl he '1'lOrked en in lhe thlrll(l$.
TO'o'.'aI'ds!he end 01 !he ""'"enIIeS. anacts en modem arcMec-
lore became mofe wulent. ()PPOStoo 10 the re.v 31chl1eclure.
as dENeIoped 1,),- lhe Beuhaus. (and 10 lhe social houSlng
PlografTVnEI in pafti(:ulaf) arose atound lhe fl'lIddecade. It was
YOICed mest effectl\lCti on !lS n.loal Slages l7t' conservatlVe
ard"ute::ts and lNellectuals. In 1928 the Natoenal SoaallSt
machne began lO takc an onta-esl in archrtecture:
AN"red Rosanberg. hice a truslratOO atd'lItCCI. te><* lhe
InotoallVe. He rounded lhe Kamplbon fur Deulsche Kuhur. the
fr$! Nall OJltulal OI'garusatoOfl. and .., 1930 he enIisted the
SCtVICe5 01 Paul Schultz&-- Naumbur9 who bccame ,IS ehlel
stx'e5marl en artcstlC and was sponsored 1,),- lhe
to campa'gn aga'l\Sl the lW!m arctulOClure.
Roght--Na"lQ QPIXISrt.IOn 10 lhe Bauhaus was mandest Ifcm tl'e
day !I was loundc !I was IcwCed 10 move Ifcm Weomar 10
Dessau In t 926 and SChu1ue- Noumburg was ,nSlf\.IfTl(lnIO! ,n
!ts cloSl.lr'! ,n 1932. M,cs had been apponled d!recl or aftor
Hannes MCVer's dosmissaltn 1930. He ran lhe schooI w,lh the
ao<! 01 Lucfy.o,g H,!berseorner end litv Re.dl and con<1Icled his
. own S!!mn<n Ifl arcMecture. ctooosong lO leach final-yoor
stiJder'(s Qf. The first ploblem he.sel 'NaS a Single--bedroom
OOurH'II).S&: he usad 10 rert"\at1( lha! of a StUdenl oould dC$!gn a
hoo.l5e Wf!!J. he oould do almost anvtIWIg 8.se.
M-es and Ms Raoch comrnuteO belwoen Dessou and Bet1in
IlYo::oQot tOUf d<r,-'s e wook 31 lhe Bauhaus, whote
Ioved ,n 000 ollhe 'maSlet houscs. Whn lhe Nazos e10sed lhe
0:"'''1 Bouhatzs 10 <k.Iturm 1932. MIOS ,mrnedlatQt;f Irans.
1000ed \/'lo SdooollO Be"'" .....tlere !I t>ecame !lis own pnvale
teaehong an rosoarch Inst'tuto. Il lasled lor onl'y SIl< months. In
ApnI1933. shOrttv aher tho begoMong 01 the SI.IilVTlet's0mt5ler.
20
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,
11
,
j
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38 Kirg Alfonso XIII speak'ng
lO M,os val"l der Rolle ,n
lhe Barcelona PlVlloon
39 Blllcelona PolWlOIl, 1929.
Pfolomonarv seCfoon
40 Luwog H,lberseomer
and M' es
4 t The BerJ,n Baunaus
'Narellouse
42 Students at the
Borlon BauIl3us
4J MIOS prelendong
lO
44 Oet.otsches VoIk.
Deutsdle Arbo'!
Exhbtoon. 1934
45 buI\orIO. 1928.
exteflOf OOtSPOClMt.
photomontago
"
MIES IN GERMANV I
In lhe oor.., stages 01 hIs nse 10 DOY'eI'. AdOIf H,1ef made no
dlfoct auOCks agansl modem archllecture wt, in lhe spnng 01
1933. Ih(! new goyornmenl begM il sysleN\ali(: altaclc. on lhe
CfeatOls 01 he I"eNstyle. deprrvng them ollhe!r JObsIl"lS(:h()()ls
buddng SOCIClIE!S and local QOIo'(lfT'Vl'IeI, <Yld her postlOnS oi
leadershp In lhe natlQtlll P'olCSSlOl'lal In
NCMlOlber 1933. GoebbeIs lounded !he Reochskuhurkammer
to COOlrOI all C\J1\ural alfallS. Thl$ allpawa1lJ\ OI'ganlSOllOO
absorbed aod supplanted he Kamplbund. along Wrth lhe
prolessional and arts :t'iSOCIatlOl"lS Itvoughout Germanv, Mem.
berstNp Q\.II!lfocaoons exc:iJded a8thoso lefIwng po/lbCal
affil.allOos or Je'N1Sh origlrtS. The Wet1d:lund was reorgar.sed
and PJrged IM.es had already r!!Slgne<! from the oounol In
1931) The Prus.sWt Academy 01 ArIs.lowtuch MItlS had t e B'
elected a member Jl 1931. was absolbed "10 he RediSkul.
lul1<arnmet der KurtSl!e' . Me relamed rnembefshrp
unlll 1938.) No radocal ClI'cMect 01 art( stan<klg receM!d at'Pf
signlflC<Vll oommlSSlOf'I aftef Hitler beci:lmeChancellor. Gropous.
arnong lhe masl pohllCally aware 01 radlCalS. emgraled i'l
1934, Mies van der Rohe w311ed un!,1 1938 before he Ieft
Germany 10 senle '" he Unted Slales 01 A.menca.
Retum lO Classicism
In lhe Ih,rt,es. w!len he was approaChlng his f,hlt!lh btrthdav.
MIes relumed 10 !he drawfng board. Agall'l'l was a I,me 10
develop new ideas as weeks. monlh$ and e-.-en w'lhoul
work passed by. In he lasl lew belore he errugraed he
look 10 read,ng exlenslVely and explored lhe wO!"ks 01 lhe
med'ae'Yal scholasl'C$. SI Augusllne. SI Thomas AQU'na$ and
SpmoZJ. In Amerita Il'leor wnMgs seemed 10 glVe hlm lhe lI'V'Ie1
strength he needed lO a lore,gn land. They also Ile/ped h,m 10
Ofder and clanly h,s own ideas.
Alter his InHtIess efforts 10 reopen the Bert.l BauhaJs. MtE!$'
allllude lumed 10 :. -S4mlSlTl, HeW3SVf!lYJondoIGermaoyand
extremely tOOlh 10 emlgrale; 1 fe" "te o 1100verplucJce(/(rQtnl(S
plan he sald ahet' l&avlOg. He Ined lO gel WOfk Irom Nazi-
sponsoIed 1!f11er)"lSeS - he dlCl a proect lor a fillng SlallOO on
he autobam - bu! hl$ appeals wera gnored. However. he dlCl
get onesmall oommlS$lOl'l: todes'gn Ihen"llnlr'l9and coal e: bol
10 lhe grea! Nazi Pfopaganda e:..hiblllOO 01 1934 Het'e he
exhiblted In good radical cornpany: Wal1et' non-
ferrous metals dISPlaY; Cesar \OeIn designed he Nazi eagle
lape$l/'V: Wemer Graelf td soma Pf(lJlagMda phctlomontage
won:: and Herbert 8ayef dld lhe graphlcs lor lhe
None 01 l helr names was mentlOOed - They l'l'f!l1Jsllon che/1St
o ( degenerot o 8F11StS)6
The orov Sleady ll'COlOO MtE!$ receM1d el.mng lhe ttwues carne
from hl$ rurrlllure palerllS. but he lound sorne Iltenor desig'I
worX t lllough UIIy RIlICh. In 1936 nothlll9 was IISIOO 11"1 MIOS"
catalogJe 01 w ()l'1(s - he Nd oven Slopped workll"lg on NS
ooun- ho.lS8 PfC9C1S Then. " 1937. Mr and MIS SI8 .. te{
Resor kneW 01 MI6S IlYoogh Alfred BM. PhI'p
Jomson and Now York's MJseom 01 Modem MI ,l"Mted
hlm l O Amenca 10 de&gn a houso lO!" l hem lf1 WyornPg On
IhIs Inp he was able 10 finallSe o conttac'l 10 dIocI lhe
Atmou' Insl,tute 01 Tecmot>go Il 01:ag0. In 1938 he
won:ed out ltoe edJcal!01l.1l progranvne \\,th ltoe heIp 01
Wilham Md JoM Rodgors {ex81k1h;)us sluderlts) Il
Now Yort. AIIE" IhIs he rerumed 10 Gam"IanY 10 hand
over hlS prtlctlCe to L,tIy R(lICh Ho 1'r\311y aod ,ncon-
$pO -o ... s"'. 00/lSII"9 lno Oulch bO'der and tabng c.lIy a fc.. ....
dothe:$ <V'ICI boOkS wnh t.m. He Od no! rCfUfl"lIO unt.
lhe sC<tl(JS.
2\
MIES IN GEAMANY
46 1928 "8f$Q'\ 011922
GLw Skys(np&r proect
47 KleleldSilt F.cIOlY, 1933
48 !-bus NoIi;Ie, pn:"ect. 1930
22
"
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... -. -.. ,, "

.. '
Dunng Ihe lhirt.es MIOS conlll'lued 10 koop 'open hovse' lO tV:s
Berun Olell(lf EJtBauhavS SluclenlS wandefed 11'1 and out; the
GCfman delego:1les to CIAM met lhefe after GIOPUS' depatture;
Phlhp JoMSOnwas a Irequent VlSItOf, ' 1heyWOfQ I'&'Y sadye&s
LIV6 usod /0 drrve lJlound /0g611NX and dlswss lhe SItlJ8/IOf'I. bur
MIOS rolused 10 /olk poltIICS. 1 lold h,m he WOUfd ntI\If!f fmd
lNOtt In Germarry , It was "ke W/f"IB 10 $pe)(/ an 9\I&lIng
ralkmg obou/ arc/I!IOC/umlNl/h film. but he could no/. or would
flOr, dlsCU$s 'liS own DOS/helle - he kfle\oV those /hmgs mIlis
gu/S ,31
As lhe pohl1cal o:1nd ecooornlC climal e began 10 delel'lof"3le al
the end al lhe IwenMS, archneclural compellhor\!i were
r(1olllleCl.ln 1928 and 1929 MI(!JS entered four competl\oOflS: lhe
Remodellll'lg al Ale.xandefplatl, the Adam BUilding, the Sanie
Building (SIUt1garl), and lhe Friednchslrasse Otfice BUIlding. HIS
PfoJeC\s were aU studies 01 the bulldng envoeIope - the smooth
glass cur1alnwall apphed to lhe slab blOclc. In a sense lheywere
a refinemenl 01 his earlier glass skysctapet prO/OC1S, bu! more
commercl3l lO character, He even redrcw the glass Skys.craper
01 1922 in a harder urban sel1l1'l9 He recet'lled no awards.
Through has conlaCI WI\h lhe langa and Eslers lamllles, MISS
was II"IVited lO build a factOfY and J)O'Ner statlOl'lcornplex 101' lhe
sllk inJslrv 10 Krefeld, ThIs comrruSSlOf'l was lhe las! MI8S was
10 bulld In Germany and II was completed in 1933. He drewon
lhe ideas he had developed In lhe so-called 'skln S1Ua.,' prOjEClS
01 lhe lale twenllGS but, at the Sllk. lactorv. anothef concept
emerged - '811 open-space-SlJIJc/ured bwkJmg-rer::es.sNe, calm.
green, UIban pauem.
38
The voomes, clo1hed n a repetl\lVe.
neui ralislng skin, played an equal pan \VIth lhe voids wt.ch were
softened by grass and weeplng wlllows, Here MI8S lald the
foundallOllS lor his woO: at lhe IDlf"IOS Inslltule 01 Tedn>1Ogy
campus and rus housng scheme for lalayet1e P3lt (Oetrol\
1955) designad Wllh Ludwig Hilbeseimer,
In Fel:lruarv 1933 Ihlrty leadlng German archtectS, ChOSe"I
lhe Reid\sbank and each '" recelpl 01 a lee. VIere ".,11ed tO
design lhe rte..'" Re.chsbank building, Among them were Water
GrOpius. Hans Poelzg and Mies van der Rohe. Peler Behrens
was among lhe judges. Mies' design won an 8ward - the
modem one 10 do so. It was also lhe mosl rnorul li'1lal and
ordered, on a symmetrical. splayed plan. Two leatures 01 lhe
Concrele Office BUJIdIll9 PI'OjecI 01 1923 1OO.Jfl'ed: !he ribbon
Wlndow and lhe encIosed oourt 01' bghl well. FQU' years IatlY
Mies designad anolher rig;dly ()(defed builcllng wlth a Slmllar
spIayed plan - the Adrl"l1MlrallQl'l BUilding Ior !he Krefeld SIIc
industrv, The concept 01 lhase two proectS reflected l he gJT1
poll!lcal and economlC cllmate 01 l he decade: rigct( heaIIy
tacadas slared blanldy al a Chaotic wor1d .
. Mes' domeste archttecture 01 lhe thlrtlE!S rellected a desi"e 101'
isoIatlOfl, There were fe'W openngs in l he enc:IoMg walls 10 hIs
ooutl-hovse began w()(k 00 lhe concepI 01 lhe
court-hotlse Wllh hIs Bauhaus students and 1\ tn
prOjects for IITI3glf"lillY Sfles. The inlernat fIow 01 spacewas COI"I-
finad WlII'III'l a single rectangle, lorrned by l he outside wals olthe
OOUtl and house designed sorne oourt-houses for
spoore clIE!tllS bul II'\E1y' l"IOII'eI g(n beyOnd l he cta-.vng board
stage, A sJ,;elch for Haus NoIde showed the house loo r:ed on
tINO COUr1S, whlle the wnge ane! Hubbe Houses. bolh 01
1935. wa-e centred 00 semHlflCJosed, paved oourtyards. The
walls in all lhe court-house PfOJ9CIs ware IoadbFl"lg: Ivhero
IherO \-\19'0 6XlensNe areas 01 glass, were "uoduoed 10
help <:a'ry lhe rool, ()nty- a small 'palio ho"oo' on an L'sh;';<f
DIM was bulll (HaJS Lemke, 1933), ,
In 1931 Mes van <te-- ROhe 0f9Y\1SOd anothor emblhon la l he
Devlscner Werkbund, enhlled !he Dwell.rtg 1) our TirTl&' and
sponsored l1tI lhe City 01 Bert.'I, ti omounled 10 a Iond 01
oetobrlltlOfl 01 the Modem Mov-emenfs Olfiool recogl'llllQf'l and
WIde a<x:eplanoo. The 51(91)9 01 Itws oxhibtllon was onllC'l 01
ophmlSm: 1he rapido\' cletenoral 'f'"IQ pollticat SlIU.'ltlOfl tn
49 Reoctlsbank oompet<toOI"l.
1933. eleval lOC'l 01
maln f8Ci!de
50 AdmonlSlr&UOI'1 buildIng
lor!he Krefeld 5>11:
U'lduSII)'. Pfotecl 1937
51 Plan 01 house lor
Berlon BUlldlrl9
CompetrlKln. 1931
52 House WlIh lluea couns

KEY
, l_
2 o.n.ng area
3 LfIIII19 olea
4 Sludy
5 ...
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MIES IN GEAMANY
1"

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13
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23
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MIES IN GERMANY
Germarr'f. ooupled \>11th a \'YOI1dWl00 CfflIS. had
nteadY robbed mosl paltoapalu19 arcntects 01 \\I0Il(. MIeS
shared the OrectlOO 01 lhe \\11th L,lly ACICh and. Ir'! n1lflV
w;,.s. she playOO 8 lar more ,rnpoft8/'l1 pan. They wete gM!rl a
free hand 10 dlOOStl e.Xhib!tors and c\eslgn lhe layout. 1\ was l he
lasl wo1c hay diCllot lhe MtElS It!Slgned /roO) hlS \'lOO-
pteSicIcnCY IhIS
In hIs modeI hcuSe. Mes IntroOOcOO a serru-encloSed COlIrt. bul
lhe C'(lOO;l'p! 01 I\owIng space was SldI 00 ...." from lhe Bflck
Counlry House proJOCl 01 1923 -Ihe walls slld out frorn undef
the rool. gMng a leehng 01 apennes.s. Lilly Reid. fllodel houSe
was conoeptualti :lO lhal 01 Mies: thoy \\Iete ptr.sIcally
III'Iked by a long waU. as " 10 symboliSe lher architeC'ls' dosa I JJ
ooIlaboraloOn. \
In he Mies Moes startcd work on anolhcf spallal concept
wl'UCh has been deSa1bed as hlS 'uM't'fSa1 space concept' or as
a buikhng ()( lhe 'big bOX' building, 53
While on a visIt 10 Bef1in 10 supervise he raising olthe roo! o'the
New NatlOnal Gallery in 1966. Mies spoke about he ongin 01
hIs $II"Igle-space pavihon:
'/ kpowtf u 11'8$ 8 COflSC1OUS process, I hove 8MtaYS hked
bIg rooms 1f!,\!ItcJII could do .vhar I wanted f ofren d/$CUssed
/1 IVI/h Hugo Hiinng who wamoo ro eal,sehls
8S he Cdlled Ir And , "Make (he P/8Ce 619 enough so mol
one C6I waJk 8fOUnd as one ltires, nol JUSI In 8 preconceNed
wa)', Of as you Ifn<Jglf'16 11 belng used.-
n
In 1934 subml1led an enlry lfI lhe compeulion 10 design
lhe German NallO(lal PaviIlOn .... lhe lorthcomlng Inlernalonal
Exhlblhon al 8russels (1935). One 01 lhe slc:elChes lor thlS
proec\ sho'oYed a square, clear-span pavihon, W11h 1\\10 paraUeI.
free-standing walls deflllf'lg lhe central area.ln 8ef11f1 Mies buitl
JUSI such a pavihon -Ihe Ne-w NallOl\ll Gal1ery (1962-68) and 55
parallel walts defll'l(! lhe cenlral area here as well. Mies' 8russels
pro,ect ncurred lhe \vralh 01 Hitler himsell who. along \Vlth
Albeft Speer. Ihecompell1ion. Mies l ooIc: lhe precaullon
01 Ieaving 8Mln 101' a while and wenl 10 Sla( al l ile house 01 a
fnend al BOIlano. '" lhe S(l;Jl hern Tyrol.
Here. In IheAustnanAlps. heslc:elched a counhouse lorhlffiseil
al lhe enlrance 10 a moonta,f'l pass. His housewas 10 nave had
an L -Shaped plan, glazed 01110 a coun and lhe ends 01 lhe
'l Wete also 10 be lully glazed so lhal lhe roounlalflOUS !and-
scape could become an integral pan 01 lhe intEri:lr. Mies
apressed 11\1$ COncepl powerlully and simply in coIlages 01 lhe
Resor House prOJOC1 (1938). Ths house was conceived as a
ftoolll"lg, seH-contaned cage - n Idea whd\ also carne 10 Mies
in lhe Tyrol. I! was IIluslraled In a decepllVelycasual skelch 101 a
Houseon lhe Hillside. The FamswOr1h House(lUlnolS 1945-50)
IS !he puresl reatcsallOl'l 01 Ihis concept.
In an :se pavlllOI"IS, whelhef lhay t.Jg It'e ground or are sus-
pended 11 . lhe C()f'lC:ep1 IS lhe same - a single, oulward-
lookJng sp8Oe. a mu1tlpurpOse, classical $pace. fll lor all
occaoons, esctibed it It-.s wa-. (remembefing lhe
Wllh HU9Q Hanng 11'\ lhe twenlle5):
We never k.now f peopfo are gOlflg 10 use /he building IIlo way
W8 would M(e rhEm 10 FIf"$I/y (he tunellons are nol OOSI/y deror.
mmed. olso they aro nof conS/(JfI( Our butfdmgs lasl fOf o te-.'II
centul/es, on/y /he hlts and hoofmg sysfcms wear out _
SfltlCrures do nol, These rhmgs ore I rhlnk. nor COflScious/y
001. rhey become cJeorer and cfewer, and Iotor one
formulores rhem 1(110 8 rheoty Bur lhose IhoCIghrs It.1!ro WOIked
OUt {trie by Imlo. .o
Conclusion
In Ge'1l\I1lV. Mies van dcf Rohe daveIoped his arcl'llleclural
conceplS SIowtv and calelullv: When he was sallSfioo lhal a
COflCt'pI could be lallen ro tunher. no moved on 10 deve10p
iY"IOthet one.lnAm9ica, tno conoepts becamo buddl'lgs.1).1 he
woOted .... a Smllar WfN HII/V"IQ spenl 11'10 war yoars on It'e
4
,.
,
-
! I '
53 MI8S w;nctung \O laoSlng
01 t/'I8 loor 0 1 \he
New NallOOal Gallcrv. 1966
54 Na\\! Nallooat Gallery.
1962-68, plan
SS New N3toonal Galtery,
1962-68, modal
56 F:trn$WOfttl Houso, 1950,

57 Famswonh House, 1950,
lerl'\loCe
IIlil'lOls Institute 01 T ec:hnologv Campus, he lhen devotcd hlS
eoefg.( to the hlgh-riSe building: on COmplctng lhe Lake ShOIe
[)rrvo Apanments, he cooccnlraled on Crown Hall , Tho paUern
01 hlS career seemed 10 fIow hke lhe space 01 tho BsrC9lona
P3Vl11OI'l - a dlllnf"ICIling 01 shghllv ove1aPPlng slreams 01
lhOughl , en a podjum bul neve"" idealislic. HI$ &'ctlltecture is 1)
synthesis of conceptual order and realoStlC apphcatlOl'l , 01
unNersah\y an<! pMlCUlanty, A concept woold be announced,
deI."eIoped ancf apptled to a rOill SI1e Wllh a r&'e combnmion 01
sen5ltivl\y and ptagmat lSm.
Mies was a verv prival person: he !el lew close 10 hls crea\fve
process and very seldom dlSOJSSed il. HI$ publlShed writings
aod speec::hes are couched in gt.'I'IeI3hties. bul 0f\0 or lWO
senlences he \'VfOle In GE!m'Iany give us a hin!:
'Sky$cr8petS ff1VfNIl t/leir bold struclUral ps/tetn dunng con-
S(TUC(lon,' ..
'OnIy 'NhiJt hiJs lrIe on rhe IfISIde has 8 Itvmg exrenor, ' C2
Notos
1 'Built 10 live in', Phillp JOhnson 1M'7tlngs. (New YOf\(
1979). p30,
2 Ovoled in Pell!f 8lake. 1he Master Bullders: MIOS and
the Masrery 01 StlUCture. (London 1960), p132.
3 'MIE!S speaks', Arcllltectursl Revrew. (December 1968),
pp451-52,
4 Ibld.
5 IbId.
6 Ouoted in Pell!f Carter, Mles'"'wm der Rohe al lI\.-'orl:',
(london 1974), p174.
7 Ovoted 1:1,< Ruegenberg, In COI'lVetSallOl"l w ilh
lhe ..... nler. 8enin, Augusl 1978.
8 'MIes spealr:s'. op cit.
9 Ptllbp Jomson MIeS van d6f Rohe, (New York 1947),
p14.
10 ' Mies spealcs', op CH pp 451-52.
11 AusgeftJhrte Bsuten und fnrwUrfe \o'On Frsnf( UoyrJ
Wrighr, (Ber1n 19101. Frank Uoyd Wright
&uten, (Berlen 191 1).
12 'Tnbute to Frank Uoyd Wnghf. QI,IOted in Ptulip
Johnson, op ell. pp 19596.
13 'MI8S spe31(s', op el! PP 451-52.
14 MIes added heS molhe(S family name, Rohe, to his
own with lhe Dutch pteposltion y",', Aachen lies tlJI a
few miles !rom the Netheflands' bordar and Mies.
perhaps, WIShed 10 suess tus 9009raph\ca1 origins:
Inleres! In things Outch ran hq lO Germany al the
lime. He added lhe umlaut 10 the 'e' 01 Mies so lhat
lhe name .....-ould be pfOl'lOunced in two sytlabies (as t
was spoken, Mies maintalned, in Aachen). W!lt-oul this
umlaut lhe word In GI!fITlan +S an adective meantng
awltwa'd, nasty, miserable, peor, seea..
15 Phllp Johnson, op elt p20.
16 'Mies spealr:s', op Clt pp 451-52.
17 ().H)ted In Petl!f Carter , 'MIOS van dar RONl,
Archtecrural08slgn, (Morch 1961), p97,
1 B Tho Gl8serno Kene Glass Chaln) was a olde 01
ElCpI'6SSIOI'lisl COITespondenls insplfed by the pool Paul
Sd ... OIba1'1 and wI'o wrote uncfl!f symbohc pan-nemes
In BrutIO Taut's magazlf'lO Frhltdll .
19 WOIn(J Graol!' 'Conceming lhe SO calle<! G GlOuP', Arr
JOUmlJt, (Suf1Vl\8' 1964), p281 ,
20 WfJIf'Q Graeff, in c;:orr..oers.allQ/1 wlth lhe WIlIOl' ,
Mulhelm, May 1977.
2 1 000100 bi MIOS van dO!' Rohe m an IOI/)I'\IItJN wilh
UIoch COIY8ds, Bet!m 1966 (recordad on O lOng.
pIaylng 'MI8S .... Senil .... 8auwe11 CIlfII n
MIES IN GERMANY
n lC bold Slructural pallem In 111oWOlk 01 MIC$ van deo' Rohe hes
In lhe plan, In hts gIa:ss Sky$a;)pef DrOjeC1 01 1922 the
Ironsparoncy 01 the sitIO l8Veaied lhe ctynamc Slrcngth 01 lhe
plan, rapeatad Ilrnas. InAmerlCa. whcre hlS plsns bec<lrne
more svmmetnc;al and SlatlC, lhe 1rfe' 00 !he lRSide was
cxpressed In lhe dan cal order <nd refinement 01 the 6:Xlenors'
lhe QUolJty ol lhe plan tan 0fYt be elIpenenoed al ie'JeI'
thereforo othor means had 10 be found 10 express I1 In
lacades.
Thestrenglhol MIOS' OIctwtectUfe I$nol oftenVlSlble' lhe rrv.;c;:Ie
and bone are hiden t1-t the Skm. '\I\btk$ 01 art', sa'W;j MIOS van
def Rohe, 'hBve a Me 01 lhel' O"" , thoy Dro nol lICtbSSJble 10
/'M!I'VOfl8, 11 they are 10 heve meanmg ftx us B/}fJfOI.ICh
them on lhelr OIMJ temts:
u
Me> had 91'001 rffic:lJrty Wl\h
wOlds: hewas unablO 10 desalbe hlS o ... ..,n WOf'(. Con-versaIIOnS
aboul arctvtecture Wlth him would end, lhan nol,
whan he sold, 'Loo/( snd you W/I/
22 'HOChhauspro,ekt fr BatMoI Friednchstrasse ., Be1ir,
FrijhllCft 1, (1922), pp 122-24 (translaled 11( PhilIp
Johnson. op elt . p 182).
23 'SUtohau$', G 1, '-Julv 1923). DJuanslale<! bv Phlip
Jotv'l$on. op Clt , pI83).
24 Phtlip JOhnson. op CII p30.
25 Ibld.
26 'lndustnelles 8auen' , G 3, '-June 1924), PP 8- 'O,
'Baukunst une! ZetIWIlle'. Del Ouersc/Jnf( 4,
pp31-32 (Iranslaled 11( Phihp Jomson, op CJ(, pp 184-
871.
27 Bruno Taul had sensed the danger 11 modem pIamng
methods 01 erecttng neN cnlOS Wllhoul a local POint.
In 1919, inspired by Scheertlart, he COIlecled a
/lUmber 01 essavs and pubtished them und(Jl' the 1l0e
01 DI8 Sradtkrone.
28 Peler Gay. Wi?n'n.Y CultlJe: The OutsJdet as /teder,
(london 1968), p 121 .
29 Quoted in Petl!f Ca'1I!f, 'MIOS van del' Rohe' Gp 01 p97.
30 Ludwlg Glasse". Ludwtg M/$$ van der Roe, (New
York 1977), P 10 (exhibrlion ca!aiog.Je pubbShed bv
the Museum 01 Modem ArI).
31 In COI'T-Ie"SaIIOn Wllh lho wril(J1' , New York, $eptember
1976.
32 Lud'wtg G'a:SIllf, op at pl0
33 InlervieY.-ed in Ctucago in 1964, The Open Eye.
1971 ,
34 leller to lhe Editor, Re-.1Sta N8CJ(Jf'181 de ArQullectura,
(Febl\Jary 1957).
35 Ouoled by Ha.vard DearstynO. lener lO lhe Editor,
Joumttl 01 lhe SocIery of Archl/ectural HISIOII8fIS.
(Octobet 1965), p254.
36 Sergus RUegBlberg, in conversallOl'l Wllh lhe
London.OClober 1978,
37 Philp JoIY'ISOn 11'1 c:onvet$lllOl'l WIlh lhe IMiter. Naw
York. Seplernber 1976,
38 Altson and Petl!f Smtthson, IMthoul Rhetone: An
Arc/lilecruralAeslhollC 19551972. (London 1973),
p37,
39 In {In IntE!l'Vl9\ .... bv Corrods, op ell
40 IbId. "-
41 FfNlC/Il 1, (1922), p122,
42 Lattar 10 the Editor, 018 Faro 2, Feoruary 1927),
p59.
43 'ber Kunstknllk', 08s f((#'I$/b0tt 14. '-lune 19301,
p 178 frcm en imprOl'Jl)1U speOCh doINeled al o
on (In cntlclSn'l; Iranslaux1 by Philip
Jotv\son, op ell. P 191).
25
EARL V HOUSES
Early Houses
Mes van def Rohes earIV hOuses wcre accomphshed In
lhe<r rdlom: lhcV \vefe well PfOpor!lQn(l(1. ..ve11 detalled
and ... vel1 bllllt; lhe rooms were genQfOllS and com-
lortable and hlS OIOOIS wefe wcn saliSfled. He seo.rrcd
Villa Riehl
1907
Neubabelsberg. Pot sdam. Gem,an
Democratic Republic
7he RI(Jh/ lamtlv had made up theu mmds ro bU/Id 8
house bul they w3nted 8 young mano nor a famous
nl..lfl And young 1$ whal I \NaS I W8S twenl)' . . (Mies
Speaks', Are/I/rectural R8Vlew. December 1968.)
ProtesSOt RleOl. a doctor 01 phllosophy. ser" Mies lO
Italy for INee months belore a1l0'NIng deslgn work 10
proceed. Bul desplte lhlS visillhe house shOWS r"\O Itallan
Influence. '11 wasn' a Vlna: I1 \Vas ralhe1" hke a house In lhe 1
local style 01 Werder. the styIe 01 Mark Brandenburg -
roofs. a few dormers. nlOStly OJrved "bid) A
contemporary cntlC .... .,ole: The wOO: IS so laultless lhal
no ene would guess lhatltlS the firsllndependent worlr: 01
a young .-.chllect." (ArchlteKt Ludwig Mies: Villa des
Ptofes5Of Dr RlOhl in Neubabelsberg, Modeme
Raufo/men. Septembef 1910.)
lhe hOuse IS now occupied by a film school and Il"lere
1011: lhehall has been dIVide<:!
Up. lhe verandah facrng lhe garden closed In and lhe llttle
ba1cony on lile Slde elevallon has been removed.
neart( all hlS 11($1 commlSSlons lhrough hlS wlfes tamlly
connectlOns. In MI(]$ van der Rohe (Phlhp Johnson.
1947) , Villa Rtehl and Villa Mosler are mercty liSled. and
Villa Werner and Villa ElchSlaed1 receive no menhon.
3
3
1
2
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<>
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3
26
o
KfY
1 M30n bedloom
2 Balh,oom
3 Sed/oo'"
K' Y
1 Enuonoe
2 GanJo,ooe
3 LII/Ii"IQ room
4 Gen!leITIGO'S
5 Se '.'Oty
6 HaIL'd......ng 10000It
7 ........
,
,
1 Upper 1i00i plan
2 Ground lIoor plan
3 Sne plan
4 G.rden feas\l elev3toon
5 Sout/'l st\oo'l""iQ
reee<lt elteratlOt\S
6 Onglnal
7 Hall
-
,
5
,
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I
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,
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VILlA RIEHL
,
,
I

27
VILLA WERNEA
Vi ll a Werner
1913
Zehlendorl. Seriin West
Weme( House \ .. as reglStefed In Zehlendorl under
he archltecl Goebbels. bu! 1\ was des!gned by Mies -lhe
d(a'\. ... mgs allOS! 10 rus and are Signe<:! by him. U was buitl
loc Or Emsl Wemer. a CM1 engineec'. on a piece 01 Ilnd
adpinlng Villa Perts, In 1 9281he house was extended bY
3nothef ardulOCI 10 I()(nl a double house - two sell-
COnlalflOO unllS. The atlle dormers have been ahored and
1he pergola cloSed In.
Thefe are references 10 Muthesius In IhlS house - In he
gable and Ihe vefY tall freneh WlndOWS 10 the garden
elevatlOfl.
,
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... . -'.' . ....,..... '"1- ......
-
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1 OtoglMl won.ng 01
yppe< floor Slgroed by
MIes van c:Ier Roh8
1 $nel elev.Jll;II\,
sn:;,.....'nQ1928 8l<ten$O'I
3 GI'OJI'd f\oOI plan wrth onglna!
MIes house soIod lWld
1929 extenSlOl'lO'l OJtIone
, Ir'
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3
2.
4 Upper tloor pbn
S Tho Wemet lamdv
.., theI< new g.3fe1'1
6' ......
2
7 :1\ Wlth cNrs deslgned by
MIeS v"n del' Rohe
f

"- "-
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KEV
,
"011
2 LMng room
I
3 Mens ....... n
, 4 $"7\
!) O"' jlooon
8 Ser"'t
""" ... e Pergola
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KEV
1 ladJO$' IMI"9 oorn
2 Pal&nls' bodroom
3 ChoIdron's bodroom
4 MalCl's 100m
S ChoIdrOl'l's lrvnO 1000"
6 GU6SI 'oom
,
5
,
,
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-

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-
,.

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..
-

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-
VILLA WERNER
-
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7
29
VILLA EICHSlAEDT
Villa Eichstaedt
1922
Wannsee. Berlin West
ThIS Simple, suburban hOuse wllh a large bay wu"ldow
was bulllln lhe year Ihat Mies designad hls second g'lass
sk'yScraper, The dient was Georg EichstaedL a pub-
IIshef's clert..

TIlo onglf\al petgola has been enclosed 10 form a 'wlnler
room' and rool leace, Behlnd IhlS, IWO rooms llave
r


,

1 __ 30 __ _
been added 8nd a porcb bulll 10 sheller Ihe origif'la\ IrOn!
door,
lile onginal drawir'gs, signe<.! by Mies, are held t:r.,. lhe
BauhaLls Archrve In Berlln, Much 01 Ihe onginal paln!ed
decor can s\tll be seen In l he inlenOtS,
2
,
GROUND FLOQA
KEY
1 Entranoe
2 H,,,
3 Ltwog room
4 Q,n'ng I'OOITI
S Toll'lICe
6 VOfltndah
1 t(,tthen
UPPER FLOOR
K'V
1 Parents' room
2 Son's 100m
3 {)avghter'S 100m
4 Milld'S 'OOtIl
5 Guast roorll
6 63th
)
1 Ground 000. plan
2 Upper IIoor plan
3-6 Onglnal eleYabons
d , ~ by Mies van der Rohe
7 fronl elevallOrl
Wlm porch eXlenslOfl
8 Sbdof1lljl door 10 d'l\II'I9 room
9 Bay Wlndow 10 IrMg room
,
VI LLA EICHSTAEOT
-
,

1
,
3'
VILLA PERlS
Villa Perls
1911
Zehlendorf. Ber1in West
Mies was 51,11 woO;lng for Behrens when he aocepted lhe
comm\SS!Ol"l frorn Hugo Petts n'le hOuse was reglslered
10 BeriinZehlEJXIorf under lhe archllecl GoebbeIs. bul
Mes recogmsed ,1 3S IlIS O\\<n wark.. (WhEn he vi$lled
Befhn in lhe S IIOS he VISIte<! Villa Perls b:,n pald no
aUeI"IlIOn 10 V,Ha Wemet. although he'{ aro on adJOlning
SlIe5.) The ong,nal VIlla IS an exvemoly accomplished
wark 1/1lhe style 01 Schlnkel. The counter-sunk portico.
he deeP comlCe and me low-PCtched roof are all
$chtnkel mOIIIs.
After lhe FII'SI World War lhe house was purchased by
.DI. Eduard Fuchs. a cultural hlStonan who owned a large
collection 01 art WOIks whidl he housed In Villa Perts. In
1928 MIeS extended Ihe houso 8nd tacked on a gallety
\..\'llh arollaf'y rooms. TI'IIS laler work IS Sul'pllSlngly heavy'
handed 8nd ,1'1 11 shO\ved hnle COl\$lderattOf'l 101' hls
O'M"I earter .... '00:.
SI/lCe the Seoond WCHid War the hoose has changed
hands once mote and has suflered rurthef alteraltons and
exlen5100S A comdor has beco dnven Hvough lhe
prinQPal room on lhe ground and lhe Joggta has
been dosed 10: lhe ronl door and groundflclot windows
10 lhe slreel eleva1l0n have been replaced. Recenlty lhe
hoJse was soId agalfl and funher (X)flI.I9'S1OfIS are planned.
I
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, EntJ<li ....
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1: GentJe,.,'S'OOi"
3 V_"daI\
4 room
J
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9
,
I Tho o.vnaI hOu$e
Irom !too soum
2 Grourcllloor pbn (wun
ongonal hovsoo shoY.tn ., soIId
and ex!en5IQn III o...u,ne)
3 Uppor Iloor piafo
4 Stroot (easU elevatlClr'l
6" lensoon
S elev.t1lOn 01
01 9<"1.)1 hoo.lSO and oa5!
elevallOn 01 6X!ensoon
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2 Orl!:SSlng rootT\
J Verandah
4

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VlLLA PERLS
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33
VILLA PEAlS
34
6 GalIery eJllef\SIOI1
7 Balusuacilng 10 upper /loor
01 0i9J1"01 hou5e
8 O ~ YIlla Staltwav
Vill a Mosler
1924
Neubabelsberg, Pot sdam, German
Democrati c Republi c
VIlla Mosler was he hlrd hOuse hal Mes bUlIt in
polsdam, lIS pale red bndvvork and SlecPIy pltd'led roo!
gNC JI a Duch characler (lO he dccoratlVe ralling 10 lhe
front doof S1ep5 and OOlcony above add a romantlC, Art
Nouveau element. Unfortunatety tI'Cs1mple, symmelncat
street elevatlon has been defaced by he OOdl\lon 01 a
new lrom door nnd trame. lhe house overlooks a lake
aOO 1he garden eltNa110n IS graccd by a plllared I09gl<l. tI
iS now d dlstriC1 d'lIfdrco's nurslng horne.
\ $1.001 eIe'o'3lion
1
VILLA MOSLER
35
VilLA UABtG
Vill a Urbig
1914
Neubabelsberg. pot sdam. German
Oe01ocrati c Republic
Mrs Utblg. I/o:lle al a prOSXll'OUS 8erhn banket 8nd fr!6Od
01 he R,et1Is. commlSSlOned Mies 10 deslg
n
he farnlty
resl(ienCe near potsdam becau5e she had '(allen m love
~ ' 1 I h (he Re/)I House' and kne\. ... lhal Mies. Ilke herSelf.
admire<:! Schlnkel. (lener Imm Mrs Elizabelh Urb
l
9 to
Sandra Honey. August 1977,) Mr Urblg, howevcr. dld
no! wanl a nat rool. so hey agreed 10 build In the !len
popular elghte6)lh-centu!V VIlla style.
Thc5 e'<lremelY large. SOrlll'WMt Italianate house. de-
Slgned In coIlabOfatlOn Wl1h lhe arctulecl Wemef van
Wallhausen. stood In a very beauhlul garden wl1h
lravet'\lne marble step$ lead,ng down 10 he Iake wtnch
separates Babelsberg from West Betlin. 11 was luxunously
decorated <lOO furrushed under Mies' dlrection. In 1945
lhe Russaan arrnv look possession 01 the building and
(jJnng he POIsdam conference WinslOn Churchlll was
houSed hete. 11 was lhen slrlpped 01 all lIS glory and
loday a lall wire fence surrOllnds 11, CUllll,g ttvough lhe
fronl garden whieh is palfolled by Easl German border
guards. The bUlldu"\g is now he gues hOlJse lor a Slale
acaemy.
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36
8
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4
3
2
10
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'. <--:.!
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KEY
, Enlfanoe
2 Gentlon'lOf"fs 10!nI
3 LlIdles' Sllon
4 Mu$IC room
5 Te" .. e
6 ""
7 Onng room
8 S""""
,_
lO G&rdefobe
1 G,ound Il00, plan
2-3 Voews 01 the enllance
elevatlOl'l Irom lhe Slfcel
.: 8:ly \\'ndo .... 10 s.oe elevaoon
S ElevallOn 10 IIlle
6 Om""9 room
7 MuslC room
3
S

7
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Jt
VILLA URBIG
37
PROJECTS 1921 1924
Projects 1921-1924
Theyears 1918 la 1924 produced hnle bulll archllecture
11'1 Germanv - pro,ects. e.,<peomentat loo. new publl'
catlOllS ane! assOOallOns genemloo end'ess dlSCUSStOO.
The Cliy 01 Ber111l became lhe mas! fevenshly active
centre 01 art and OJl1ure In Europe. German Expression-
Ism galned impetus. reached rlS peak and dled aWN
between 1919 and 1923.
MIeS van del" Rolle would appear to have been isolated
from he rtf!oN developmenls in archllecll.lre un!11 late
1921. His arcMecture remalned neoclassical or verna
cular in concept unlll hls firsl glass skyscraper project.
Office Building (1921)
The Glsss Offloo BUilding was Mies' entry in he
Friednchstrasse CompelillOn 01 early 1922. It was a
weG-suPlxmed compei llOn ane! nI! the entries were
exhibtted in Berlln. Mies taler complalned hal no one
had paid any attention 10 his olfering and 11 received no
a-.vard. In 1968 he said:
1
'BecilUse I usmg glass. I was anxlous 10 8VOld
enonnous dead sutloces reflecflng 100 much IIghl. SO I
broke (he lacades a !",Ie In plan so rlJar IIgM could fall on
them 81 dlfferent angles"l/ke crysral. "ke cur'ClySral Th8t
\'Vas (01' a COfTl{)elltlon - 11 1V<'lS exhlb/{ed In 8etlm In lhe
oId town hall. They pu.shed mV deslgn mIO a dar* comer.
probabIy because lhey rhoughl Ir was a jote.' [Mies I
Speaks', Alr:hltectural December 1968.)
/

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38
,
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1 Easl elevall()l"1
2 $' Ie plan
3-5 MonlilgeS Wlth penal
and cha.cool drawIrIgs
I
OFF1CE BUILDING


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GLA5S SKYSCRAPEA
Glass Skyscraper (1922)
The second sky'SO'"apcr Mies deslgllOO was fOf en
O( Ideal Slle. Acoord,"g lO M.es. lIS faceled
plJn was b\' flO mo,.lr\S arbtlfJry - 1I \Vas a secot"ld
e.>q>enme
nl
lO tesl tho refleclrve quahty 01 glass curta1n
waUs. MIeS satd:
1med la I\or* I't'llh sma/l areas 01 gl8SS8I1dad;lIsred my
smps 01 g!ass ro lhe Itghr and rhen pushed II'Jem mto lhe
p/aSncne planes 01 the flOOlS. That gave me fhe curve
.. 'had no exxes5tOfUst mfetlflOl1. I WJnted ro show
(he skeleton, and I thought fharlhe beSI way would be
Slmply ro pul a gfass skm on . (Me; Speaks'. Arclllrec-
rural RevtCW Deccmber 1968.1
M,es asked a scurptot fnend tO model some typical Serllfl
houseS lO the scale 01 hlS skyscraper model so that his
buildtng could be shOwn In conte.\1
,
I Elevaton
"" " 3 v_ 01 "o:IeI
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40
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.t<



Concrete Office Building (1923)
ThIS was Mcs' firsl dcsign In hno Wllh he new
!lardo solJer and utllltarian apPfOach 10 archltecture
(epltomlSed by Ihe enlnes in he eh/cago Tnbune
CompEltlllon 01 1922). lhe design was based on l rigid
sll\Jctural syslem: Ihe edge 01 each noor was canlJ-
le .... ered rom regularly spllced oolumns and was lumed
up 10 forro parapel walls whlch housed a filing S'ySlern
below Ihe ribbon windows. The floors Slepped Out
gradually as they rose. Mies WfOle:
7he olflCe bu'dmg IS a IKJuse 01 olorgsntsallon.

,
Brick Country House (1923)
lhe two counuy house prOJects encapsulated Ihe ideas
Mies drev'l on for he modem houses he buil! al Guben
and Krefeld. as well as Haus T ugendhal and he
Barcelona Pavihon. The Brick Country House was
Planned like l Wrighlian coonl ry house - a core 01 rooms
screened from ooe anolher. The uni! 01 design was no
looger the valume 01 he rooms but Ihe free-standing wan
whlch broke the enclosure by sliding out. beneath the flat
roo!. Into the landscape,
This concept 01 an arcMecture 01 flowing space,
channelled by free-standing planes, played an Imponant
pan in Mies' later development and reached its supreme
expression in the Barcelona Pavilion 01 1929,
CONCRETE OFF1CE 8UILDING/BRICK COUNTAY HOUSE
o( elanry, o( economy, 8road. "ght work.space. un.
brokcn. but arrtculated accordmg ro the organsoflon o(
,he woril', Mwmnum offoct wuh mmlmum moans. The
n1lItenals: concrete, sreel. glass. RemlorCed concrete
srftlerures are skeletons by nawrtJ. No gmgerbread. No
(ortress. Columns and glrders ehm/nafo beaflng wafls.
Th/s IS sklnandboneconstrucllon. '(G, No 1, July 1923.)
Mies drew no plan, bul he building was understood to
WTap (Qlmd a rectangular central counyard
..

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1 POtSPOCtNO
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41
CONCRETE COUNTRY HOUSEfTRAFFIC CONTROL TOWEA
Concrete Country House (1923)
TIllS was lhe flf'Sl "Zoned' house deslgned by Mies.
He drew no plan, bul lhe modelllluSlral8S lhe di'lfision 01
If\IIng, sleeping 8nd areas InlO wlngs which were
ISOlaled Irom each Olher bY couns or paliOS - a com-
pIeet)t dllferef'lt solltlO('l far breakUl9 up lhe lradltlOnal
'00),", Recmflgular horilonlal ...... lndows of varying dlmen-
sions punclured he simple, goomelric volumes.
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Traffic Control Tower (1924)
Mies ex.eculed hlS htt1e-ImO'Nn prOJect in collaborallon
wllh Henvldl Kosina Tt t
. . . le o-.verwasdesignedloslandal
lhe IfllersectlOn 01 Lepziger - ancl Fnedrichslrasse From
hlS vanlage point a conlroller could view he Iratfle 110
and operale lhe traffie lights accordingly. W
A bronze model was
used I mauo; by Paul MarCIJS and Mies
Slru he phol0monlage echnique 10 ponray he lower In
(VVerner GraeH was lhe pholographer,)
3
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3 MonlDge VIeW
4 Plan 01 obs8fV311On oect:
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Social Housing
The Geml8n sooal housing programme was flfStly en
ane01pl10 remedo{ he Crlllcal post-war hQusing Shortage
btll Slnte here was also a shonage 01 building space In
OIle5. lhe pioneerS 01 he programme experimooted wlth
he plann1ng 01 mass hOusing. TIlC dwell,ng. s"ud racheal
architects. had 10 be re-organised: blocks 01 small,
Slngle-fam,ly unllS ",ould replace larger. detached ha! ISes
and lhe neov room:) would have 10 serve many fl.mClions.
Thc f'le\o\ COncepl 01 mass houslng was purportedly
expressNeof 1he 'rte'N age', and radical archltects clalmed
lha! a new social consciousness would emerge P3rtly
through he use 01 compact. funClional planning and
pallty from exposure 10 he new design aesthetlC.
Municipal Housing Development
1926-1927
Afrikanische Strasse. Serlin West
This dfNelopmenl 01 three idenlical slab blocks. wlth a
shorler end block which housed sorne commercial
aclMlies. was van der Rohe's only contributlOn 10
lhe social housing programme in Berlin. The ooildlngs
were finished in [yplcal machlneage style - a laul skin
lhal used 10 be palnled whlte. The delails were simple
and consi(je(ed and lhe sleeI windo\oVS were
deSlgned Wllh he heip of a 8nllsh manufacturet's
calalogue (Oinars). Behind each block is a Quiet.
seduded. communal garden.
Al Afrikanische Strasse MIes proved lhat he could build
as as his radical conlemporaries. The method 01
conslf\JClion was tradrtional and the generous apart
menls are shll OCOJpied.
I Sketch tJt MIeS van del Rohe
lo! etllfaIYJe
2 Typoc:a entllW'lCle
J Typcai floof pIao
4 AoIrtmen,1 "c.k en
AJnl:antsd", SIr3$Se
S Endblock
,
SOCIAL HOUSING
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AFAlKANISCHE STRASSE

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Weissenhofsiedlung
1927
Stuttg
art
. Federal Republi c of Germany
Mies van del" Rohe was made director 01 lhe e:<lremely
ambollOUS We6Senhof E>,hlbolion sponsored by lhe
WerkbUnd on Ihe lheme 01 Wohnung. ()( a.velf,ng_ Every
European arcl'll lOCI 01 anv importance was represenled.
wllh lhe exception 01 Adoll Loas. Hugo Haring and Ench
MendeIsOM. Al Weossenhofsledlung In 1927 Ihe world
wOS able 10 \Vllness a reman:ab1e oonslSlency In the ne'N
rnodem slYle.
The archoteclural e>.hlbltlon was primanly an auempl 10
e.>;,pIore lhe lechnlcal de\'elopmenls in oonSlruCllon. The
bulllngs '.vere nol prOIO-typeS lar mass housing -Ihey
were tOO hJ>.:unous and lOO expen51VE1 lor this. Moes lald
001"''11 his polie( lar lhe exhlbltion In l he officia! catalogue:
1 Me reframed 110m /aymg down a ngld progrommo m
Ofdy ro la;JI.-'e e<JCh mdMdual8s lree as po5Slble ro C8fTY
oor Ins Ideas. In dr8'owng up rhe geneml plan I Ielr 11
IfIlportant (O avold regulaflons lhal mlghl mrerfere Wlrh
free exp,esslOO.
Bulln Ihe inleres1s 01 unilormity lhroughoullhe exhibltlon
11 \'las Sllpulaled lhal al! btJildlngs had lo have a smoolh
r_
Apartment Block
1927
Weissenhof. Stuttgart. Federal Republic
of Germany
Moes' apartment block crowned the Weissenhol
exhibtlloo 511e. 1I was a steel-frame structure in which
freedom 01 Interior plannlng was serioustv Intended_ By
the use 01 mOl:eable parti\lons he created Iwelve aparto
menls. all differenlly arranged. lor each ollhe (WO baslC
units. Desplle (he complex Intenor. lhe exlenor design is
quiel ane! relies on lhe subtle proport,ons of Ihe wlndow
bands and slalfWell fenestralion. MIes wrole:
70day rhe lactor o( eronomy makes rauona{$8Uon and
srandard/$8uon ImpeIBUve (01' renra! housmg. On rhe
orhe! hIInd. rhe Increased comple;ary 01 Ql,Jr reqUIre-
menrs demonds IIeJ<lb,{ry The (uture wlff hove ro reckon
Wllh bolh. Fo' rhls purpose skeleron conslrucrlon IS the
masl su/rabie sysrem.. {( we regard kltchens and
bathrooms. because o( rhe/{ plumbmg. as a (IXed coreo
lhan all orher sp.oco may be panlfloned by means 01
moveable wa{fs .. (From 8au und WoImung. translaled bV
Phillp Jollnson. Mies van del' Rohe. N9IN York 1947.)
The block \\las nol flnished In lime lor lhe Oper'llng
ceremony because. allhe lasl momento Mes IOSiSted on
lhe removal and replacement lo his oWn design 01 all lhe
(Standard outwardopenlng casemenlS had
been inslalled by the lob archilect RIChard DOcker.) No
partll.lOn wali has ever been moved_
I WC!<nel'lOl hhabotoOn !1le pIao
2 0weIbn0s 11 We,ssenhol _tI'!
those by R.cN.n;1 000&1.
M); t .... t In the tOfeg'OUnd
0I'Id Moes' 8P&11menl block
11 the
3 We'5senhot dwePII'lgS W'ltn
MIOI' apa.tm8n1 blod.
10 Iho ngl'!l
" T '11JICol1 tIoor pIn


2
3
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WEISSENHOFSIEDlUNGfAPARTMENT BLOCK

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45
SKIN sruOY PAOJECTS
Skin Study Projects
As he pohlic31 c1Ull<,lle began 10 delefiorate once agn
ln
al
Ihe end 01 lhe decade, he archlleclural compellllon
(whlCh had beeI'llhe highlighl 01 lhe earty 1 wentlCS) was
revived. In 1928 MIeS enlefed three compellt
l
ons and hlS
prOjeclS were all sludles 01 he building envelope, he
curtaln wall. TIwse so-called 'skln sludles' were, In a
sense. the refinemenl of hls oorlier glass skyscraper
proects. bul more commercial In character. Thote IS a
1928 vE!fSion 01 the 1922 glaSS skySCfaper. sho\Vlng the
modeI set in a harder, urban enVlf'Onmenl
Mies trie<:! 10 presenl his projeclS reahstlcally llnd In con
1e..;1 \\IIlh fher surroundlngs. He used lhe pholOmo
n
lage
lechruQue wllh charcoal and pencll drawings. fNefner
GraeH was lhe pholographer.) Nona 01 hlS cornpefltion
enfnes receNed an award, '
Remodelling of Alexanderplatz (1928)
Thcs was Mies' flfSllO\vn planOlf)Q project. He IgnOJed lhe
cIosed, almost clasSical plan proposed by Ihe Ory 01
Berlln, ltus ehminallng his entry from consideration by
fhe competltion JlIry. Several slteets led IntO Alexander--
plal, and 1\ was propo.sed hal a ClrC\Jlar Iraffic island unile
them aH. Most competl\ors look the orcJa as Ihe basis lor
thesr archJlectural developmenl and designed buddlngs
around he periphery, Bul Mies crealed an apen,
asymmelflc space ot impressive proponions and al
templed 10 impose orde- on lhe square Ihrough the
poslllCll'Wlg and grouplng 01 his bu,ldlngs,
,
46
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2 $lte plan
3 Morltage
Ada'" Building (192B)
ThO ~ t e lar theAdam departrnent storewas on l e1pziger-
.:. Berhn al the sarne Intcrsecl lon 101' whlch Mies
slras-...... , .
d designed lhe Iralfic control 10wer 01 1924. The
'" le rectangular slab block. wit h a rounded comer al
Sttl1P .
'
....., ..... tlon was broken al lop-floor level to lorm a
lhe 1t1 ........ v
rool terrace
1.2 MooU'lgOS
Stuttgart Bank Building (' 928)
The Slle was next 10 Paul Bonatz' railway stahon. and
Mes' skilful use 01 photomontage shows his bank
buildtng as a back-drop la the Imposing slation building,
ADAM BUILDING/STUnGART BANK BUILDING

1
47
Exhibition Desig
n
He l..eId IhiS posltiOn unlll he be(.amevlce presiden! olthe
Oeu
tscner
Wen:
bUod
in 1926 and was pullO charge 01
the WeiSScnhOf exh1bIIIO
r
,.
Mies van del' Aohe iltSI t)eCarne Invo
tved
wlth exhlbl
hOl
'
deSgr'I , .. hen hewasapPOlf'led org
aniser
01 t''le archlleC-
t\,6al eod'\lbl
tlOOS
lar the 10 late 1921
WeissenhofsiedlUng' Exhibition (1927) Th.",allsollheglass exh,"" ",e'. olglass; Ihos.o
llhe
M'es bIOU!Jhl ,n Re"" 10 BSS'S! h'", ",\lh lhe ,n<!uS!' s,lk exh,b,1 ",e,e 01 si"
nal exh1b1IS 10 lhe hall 0\ WeissenhOISled\Ung. Togethe
r
IheV
decided
"'ha"V3"O be dlSplayed end had Ihe "MI In Ih. glaSS ,ndus"" .,,,,",,, Ih. 110015 ",e,e cove,ed
.., es 10 wh<h 11"," oould .xh'" Ihe" p"",UCIS - w>lh boek en<! ",hII. hnoleum; lhe walls ",e,e 01
IYP"""IO'" I,g", 1,I\109s, lu""lu' . ele _ en S!ands elche<!, cica' and g16Y opaque glass. !he eh.,,, ",e,e
deS>9ned by MIes an<! Ms WhO,eve' paSS;,;e Ihe oo,",ed ,n ",h,le ehamois and blaek _hide; and Ihe
de""'" "'",. based en !he molerials 10 be dlSplayed, beneh lable was in rose
wood
.
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' Moda der Da ' E . .
, b;hbt o, lhe glMs nMuy
2-3 5IIk exhbl el ........ .
- .. -
L,1Iy Re<h had me xhlbrtion (1927)
Berl a Spec1a\
rn exhoblt she se wlth textiles and allh
lhe si\k exhobo1, I()I'\ and MI6S togetheJ
tubular SleeI furMure
vetvels hung Irom
... eens BIa k . rm,ng seos t.. 1
contrastO<! . C. orangl} and red . UOUS'y low-
Wlth gokl . vetvot scrcens'
hanglngs . Sltver. block and lemo _e
ThP. $lene;! Pl'cMdOO a Show
case 01 quar\tltlQS 01 Mes'
. n-yellow sillc
48
MODE DER DAME
1
Ji
BARCELONA INTERNAnONAL EXHIBITION
Barcelona Intenlational
Exhibiti on (1929)
M>e$ van def Rolle was rc:>PC>f'Slble fC)( th.> enl<rC Germa
r
\
conlnbullon 10 lile BarceloOa He desrg
nad
IWO Po3'0Il()(\S _ lhe GCfman IlJIIOf\(l1 pavrltOn and Ihe
Gem\(l!\ cIOClncal pavlhon 10 l)()Ose lhe AEG
e\hII>lls. The AEG P3'llhon was largety Ignore<! - al!
allcnl
10n
ceolred on lhe so-called 'Barcelona Pavrhorf.
Mes pullrlly Reteh 111 ct.arge 01 all he lr"ldu$lnal e'(h blIS:
she decied .... OO wJS 10 exh,bll. (ieslgned an lhe slands
and bulillhem .... llh lhe heIp 01 a leam 01 workers. In lhe
1I1E!est 01 COI\I,ru,ty. all the graphOCS \Vere deslgned by
Mes' oltee 111 8erlln The letteong used ItvOllghOut was
des
1
goed t1i serg us Ruegeflber9 - !ater 11 beCame a
Slanclard Gcm\df\ rypeface. known as 'SkelcHSChnfr AII
lhe lum<lure on the Slands wJS de51gned by Mies. 1
,
3
50
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1 Gi!net;JI \ 'loQ\'" O' the e>.lIoboll()1l
" <th AEG P.,..'Ibon. bonom ngll !
2 SIJI,: 81 8.lrcelon.l
3 ."l'\Ibl$ 81 B.uceb
<1 AFG P3\111oon lo< the Genl'\Jfl
eIoCtr>C.lllt'duSIMeS
,



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BARCELONA INTEANATIONAL EXHIBITION











DEl SIJUlHiSlAO DI

IN "S"" '
51
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SERUN BUILDI NG EXHIBITl ONiDEUTSCHES VOLK EXHIBITION
,
' Oeutsches Volk, Oeutsche Arbeit'
Exhibition (1934)
roctangulJ
1
Slnglo-space designo Wl lh a head-h.gh
e
un
" lor bOOkS and cloth,ng dlVlo,rtg lhe IMng area
storaQ fu
Irom lhe sleeV"'9 area. AII he IICo-standlng rnl M e
carne frO/ll lhe Mies cDlalOgue {soo lumlture deslgn) .
4

3
,
MIEIS was commlSSioned 10 deSlgn the mning and coal one 01 large black coa! blocks and another 01 lhoosands
eilil)l- a small E!).hiblllfl one 01 he large halls - on 1M 01 brown coal bticklets - and a wall 01 polash and rock
Nw propaganda e:d'IiMoo. He lollowed lhe pnnc.ple salt A small display cabinet contained the ron ore
estabhshed al We> enhoisledlung -1he el(hobl! was bulll exhibllS and lhe stand was IumlShed wilh Mies' cantllevet
11 ,
1 ModeI hoo.n.e
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from lhe material on dISPlay There were walls 01 coal - cha,rs and a rouncl g!ass-Iopped table. 3 Mnng arod ~ e>.hb1
I
Furniture Design
Mies van der Rohe 'SI became .nvolved \\11th fumllure
In 1905 when he \'V3S asked 10 deloll the wooden
furnishlngs 01 a meeung hall In the Berhn borOllgh 01
Rlxdorf. He soon jOlned Bruno Paul's aleher In arder 10
study wooden fumlture deslgn Mi es des.gned sorne
furniture for nll his early houses, partlculmly for Haus
Wemer ..... here Ihe dinlng room chalfS can 5\111 be seen
For Haus Tugendhat. he designed everything
Mies' firSl sonie imo fumtture design lor mass produc
{Ion carne al Welssenhof - al the beglnnlng 01 hls
successful partnership with lilly Releh Here the world
saw the firsl canlllever chairs - the no ..... commonptace
tubular steel chairs used throughout the world. de-
veloped slffiul taneously by Mart Stam and Mareel
Breuer. Mies produced twoversions 01 a cantilever chair
(m<Xlels MA 10 and MR 20), whlch were firsl shown al
Welssenhof and 'Nhlch he managed to paten!.
AlthOugh Stam is credi ted wlth the inventlon land Mies
nevar denied his pnonty) he falled 10 patent hls designo
Later Mies produced funher verslons 01 his cantilever
<:hair' models MA 30 and MA 40 are more deep-seated.
ane! models MA l00and MA 110 are rechnlrlQ versions.
For Haus Tugendhat Mies deslgned an upright chalr
Imodel MA SO), and an easy chalr Wlth and wi!hout arm-
rests (models MA 60 and MA 70l. The Tugendhat
lumiture has not been as successlul as the Barcelona
lumiture: thousands 01 reproductions 01 Ihe onoman
(model MA 80l and the chair (model MA 90) have
been soki.
In ItS stalnless steel version. the Barcelona chair has
become a mass-produc:ed prestlQe symbol. Even today
the wekilng 01 the oints ane! pohshlng 01 the lrame IS
mostly done by hand ane! the chalr IS cntiClsed as an
anaduonism. lt has been lorgonen tha! Ihe chair was
onginally deslgned as a ceremonial seat worthy 01 the
royal glance al Barcelona. lt was never mean! to be
comlortable.
Untl1 Mies slQned a contraet with ThonetMundus 01
Zurich in November 1931. all his lurnlture was manulac-
tured in Beriln. at lirst In what Mies descrlbed as a small
Iocksmlth's shop - the Berliner Metallgewerbe. Josel
Mller, the shops technical manager. established hls
own firm and, In 1931, opened a showroom designed by
Mies. Mies' office drew up the sales catalogue for this
new firm - the Bamberg Meta\lwerksttltten. Whether
this en\lfe hne 01 fumiture was part 01 lhe Thonet
contract IS uncertaln. The 1934 Thonel catalogue liSIS
only the tubular steel chairs. wlth canlng or labnc seats
ane! backs. ane! the recliOlng chair (model MA 100). This
hmltatlOn may have had x>htJCal as wen as commercial
reasans. slnce after 1933 me Nazi reglme disapproved
01 metallumllure.
lllly Reich also designe<! fumitura Tha natura 01 her
collaboration Wll h Mies makes I( nearly ImpoSSl ble. in
sorne prehmlnary sketches, to pmpolnt which Ideas
carne from whlch hand.
1-3 5':etct as 101 !he Bar(;(Jlooa
c:t\M by SergoJS
., The Baroeiorlt char
tn(IOII(IITIIIn. I929
\
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FURNITURE DESIGN
. \
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FURNITURE DESIGN
Durlll9 tilO Nazi period Mies derived an acccplable
lf"ICOITI6 frOI'll ra(cl1t1CS on lhe tubular chairs. He conceded
a pan 01 1M IncomO 10 AnlO
n
Lorenl. who was
connected wilh son1e 01 lhe maJor legal banlas fought
(1'oIel thC deSign priorities 01 lhe cantilever d)3lr. Legal
actlOl1 had 10 be taken byMleSovcnn1nngemenl 01 p:lte
nl
n9
hls
: a maJO!' \a\.VSUlt - begu
n
lO 1937 by al
ThonCt"s IrlS1Igauon _ was conlinued ltvoughOu
t
lhe war
years on hlS behalf bol AelCh.
6
8ERlIN-NEUKOUN lICHllN OI. n.A5S1


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Memorial to Rosa Luxemburg
and Karl Liebknecht
1926
Berlin (destroyed)
The secretary 10 lhe comrn'l1ee 111 charge 01 bUilding (he
memorial \Vas Or Eduard FuchS, recenl purchaser 01 Villa
Perls. MIes happened 10 viSI! the house ane day and
Fuchs showed hlm l proJect by anOlher archltect lor lhe
nlefnona1. Mies 10lds Fuchs that he had nol Ihe slighleSt
Idea what he would do In his place. 'bul as mos! 01 tI-.ese
people wera shot In tron1 01 a brick wall, a bnck wall
would be what I would build as a monument'. (Lener 10
Donald Drew Egbert. JIJbllShed InSocIal Reaflsm 8nd lhe
A1Ts. New York. 1970.)
Mies then made l large charcoal sketch 01 he symbolic
wall: FlIchs showed il 10 the committee 8nd 11 was
accepled. The wall \Vas buril al he graveside 01 he
martyfS In BerlinFriedrichsfelde. 11 was he sita 01 many
demonstrallons in eartv Nazi years and was subsequently
destroyed by he Natlonal Socialis\ reglme.
Mies used (oo9h. twisted purple clinker bncks. The
anlCUlallon 01 the brickwork is cubist in inspirstion. but
lhe paltern bears some resemblance 10 a de Stijl como
position. although 1he ovenapping rectangular forms do
not interlock and 1!'ley suggest weighl ralher lhan planes.
The hammer and sickle were ordered separatety since
Krupps had retused lO supply Ihe insignia inlact.
, -2 VI9W$ 01 lhe ",.emana!
,

2
lUXEMBURG/UEBKNECHT MEMORIAL
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55
THREE BRICK HOUSES
Three Brick Houses
In Guben and Krefeld Mies Se! hunsell apart Imm hls
rad.caf con!emporanes and b .. ult Ihree houses in brick.
HIS admlfatlon for thlS material Ied hlm la extraordinal)'
meJsures: ,n order la ensore the evenness 01 the bondlng
al COmetS and apertures. he calculated al! dlnlenstOnS in
bttck lengltlS and occaSlOnally wenl SO lar as 10 separate
lhe undE!r-flred long bnd'S from the over-fired short ones.
u$lng {he long in one dm'lenslOn and he short ,n lhe
other. The bricks were atl Imported fmm Holland and
Mies personalty travelled 10 Ihe bnckfield to lI'1Specl ~
batch 01 every Ilnng In order to choose and match the
coloucs
Haus Wotf
1925-1926
Guben (destroyed)
In contrast to the rough brickwOfk 01 Ihe Communist
memorial, lhe bricks In the Wotf Houseweresmooth and
fald In a refined manner. reminiscent of Oudok. Wright's
[)utch admlter. The building was sel InlO the hillside by
means 01 a podlUm which was pan of the waH plane
IlsaI!. Unlortunatety il was destroyed dunng the Second
Wor1d War.
1 The I'OISe lrom g3rdefl
2 Grourd lIoof tefrace
3 v_ lrom ''PI)6f lIoof lerrace
56
As In the two counlrv house proJocts 01 1923. the
Iandscape al Guben and Krefeld becarne an extension al
lhe l'\QUse which IS settled by means 01 steps, tenaces
and walls - an artlculaled podlum. Mies admired
Wnghl's glft 01 Integrallng his archlteclure wlth lIs sur-
roundlngs and ,n lhase house he succeeded In modern-
ising Wnghl. The lacades are smOOlh and unartlculated-
no tussy deltlllrng. onty Ihe hinl 01 a cornlce al Guben
(even lhls dlSappears al Kreleld).
HAUSWOlF
2
57
,
HAU$ LANGE
Haus langa
1928
Krefeld. Federal Republic of Gemlany
Herman
n
Langa and Dr Josal ESlers -.vere dlreclors 01 l he
stae-o
wned
silk Industrv in Krefeld. In Frankfurt he twO
famlhes had knQWn Lllt. Reich and one yea
r
Ihey visiled
he( srnall s ~ k eiliMIOI'I al lhe Frankfurt Falr (de519
n
ed In
collaooralion ",ilh MI8S). 1I was here lhal hay mel Mies
ane! comrrussioned him 10 build (VIO houses on adJOlning
siles In a selecl area 01 Kreleld.
FOI lhe Lange and ESlers hQuses Mies chose tighl red
bicks and added lighl purple accenls. The wooded sil es
s10pe genlty awoy from lhe slreel, and lhe houses are
sellled on lerraces boundad by bnck walls and sleps
leadlng la lhe garden. The elevalions are serene and
(b-ymmelricalt. balanced. wilhout any articulalion. The
v-.'indows are large and simple: Ihe plain. smoolh doors
strelch up 10 lhe smoolh plane 01 the ceiling. so Ihat Ihe
inle-nal walls read as scree05.
In lhe Lange House the h.Jge piclure windows on lhe
gardo- elevatlOn $lide dQvom al lhe press 01 a bunan.
pcr.vered by Parsons eleclrical molOrs imported from
England. The roller-shuller bhnds are also oparated in Ihis
manner. Mies chose nalural silk curtalns 10 complement
!he blond wood fIoors. The building now houses a gall8fY
_ appropnatety enough s\nce Hermann lange was a
coneclor hlmself and SIOfed his paintings in lhe base-
meo!.
The house has been carefully restored. but Ihe groond
floor IS no longer qUlle as Mies designed il. During the
$econd World War a bar was Inslalled al one end 01 the
apeo-plan IMng area and II was laler enclosad la lorm a
smal1 room.
58
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1 GIC:xmd floot plan
2 Upper fIocw plan
J Garden elevalJOn
<1 Enuaoce
S Covered te"aces



HAUS LANGE
59
HAUS ESTEAS
Haus Esters
1928
Krefcld. Federal Republi c of Germsny
The house IS very Similar rn plan to Haus lange, The
maln entronca IS 10 Ihe slde 01 Ihe \""ng whlch houses
IheseMce area and l hegarage coun IS somewhat more
resl ricted. On Ihe grourxl loor the bUlIHn lurMure
designed by Mies IS sullln place. (These sldeboards and
bookshelves were removed 01 covered over In H8US
Lange "...tren 11 berame a gallery,j
Unlonunately Haus Esters has been negleC1ed 01 lato
and Ihe ground Roor rS unoccuPled Bul Ihe house is
o\'vned by Ihe Clryof Krefeld arxl reslorollon Vv'Ork WlII be
camed out
60
HAUS ESTERS

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61
'.
PAVrllON
Barcelona Pavilion
German National Pavilion
1929
Barcelona (disnlantled)
The Barcelona Jnt9'nJrional Exhlblrlon was meanr 10
follow the mneleenlhcenlury trl}<:IIIJOn 01 prOSenhng
induStnes ralher lhan nallOllS. Bul lhe German gOlle
m

menl gol wO/'d lhat France and England were erecling
So..>p.1rate o..1110nal pa\11t0ns and, at Ihe lasl momento Mes
Wi\S commlSSl()IlCCf 10 ere<;( a >avlhon lor Gem'l.;1ny. The
1f1!llar!Ve carne from 8f'I rnduSlnahst 01 rafe under
stand'ng, Sd'norzlcr 01 I G Farben. Thl$ parnl
comparry (Inanced lhe plVlhon and offered II 10 rhe
German nal()f'l.
The Barcelorlll pc1VIhon had 10 be designed and erecled in
a t-I.Jrr/ FtrSt 01 al! Mies \IIs, led lhe sho\Nl"ooms 01 a
marble slockl$! In Hamburg. Thefe he saw a block 01
0f'IV'<. blrr 11 was already sold 10 be calVed 11110 vases.
Mies persu.,ded he flOlllh.allhe stonewas unSllllable lor
lhaS purpose - he hll rhe block nghl In the mlddle Wllh a
hamrner and off came a Ihln slab. The dlmef\SIOns 01 he
pavlt,on. so MICS ma'nta,ned. wete delermned by the
sue 01 1hES ()I"'Iy); block MIlC:e lhe wldth 01 the slabs flxed
lhe cedlng heighl. aOO rwlCe lhe lenglh sellhe dlmension
01 the Iree-sland,ng screenwall.
Mies chose Roman lrallel't,ne lO/' thewhole noor area, the
_lX>dlUm SUpportlng walls, he Sleps. lhe encloslng wall
round lhe open pool and the offlCe space. and rhe screen
wall connec\lng thlS oulbulld1ng 10 the maln pavtllon. The
w,{I!! encIoslOg he sculplure pool was made Irom green
rlnlan marble Mes aIso a vanety 01 CQIoured glass:
the sooon berv.een theSOJIPlure pool and lhe hall was
macle Irom bOltle--green Iransparenl glass: the sculplure
pool was l,nOO \'\11th bIack glass: lhe saeen al IAe rear 01
lhe han made from grey transparen! glass. The

62
double panel enclos,ng lile I!ght source (Ihe 'hght wall)
was made Irom elched gLass. A black wool rug ran !rom
lhe Ony'X Iree-Sl anding screen lO the IrOn! 01 lhe hall.
FOI Ihe openlng ceremony Mes dcslgncd and producec:4
Ihe so-callad Barcelona furniture: a lable placed agalo:.
l he onyx screen held a golden book: a larger lable placed
againsl the 'lIghl walr held Ihe Champagne: rwo ChalfS
were plelced al flghl angles 10 l he onyx screen lor lhe Klng
and Queen 01 Spalo: and a number 01 ol1omans wat"e
carefuUy deployed around lhe P8VIhon. Mies 100ked lor a
Lehmbruck sculpture lO grace lhe enclose<! pool; he
could nol fincl oneand took a Kolbe Instead. Al Barcelona
Mies demonslraled lhe separal lOn 01 rhe organs 01 con-
struclion Irom Ihose screenlf1g lhe space. or so 1I
seemed. Theeghl, slender. cruCllorm columnsappeared
!O supporl a flat. relnloreed concrete rool.
Bul, as Ihe wOfkng drawlngs show. lhe rool in prohle is
nOI Ital. The framework 01 sleel and Im'bef members was
designed lO keep 1he conslruction as IIghl as possible. A
complicaled syslem 01 canl!levers and momenl con
nectlOns was devise<! 10 stiffen lhe slruClure. Desplle lbese
effons. lhe eighl cruolorm columns alone could nol
suppoo Ihl$ rool and five more columns had 10 be Iodged
in Ihe double-skinned marble screens around Ihe exterior.
(rhe rool drillned InlO !hese hollow screens and when 1I
ramed !he whole paVlhon was awash.)
Alter the ex.hlbl!IOn Ihe pavition was disman!led, uated
<lnd st'IIPped lor Germany, I1 has never been seen Slnce.
(Bul Ihe Kolbe slands in Ihe garden adjoining lhe
Schoneberg T own Hall In Beriin,)


, """ ,
2 VeN 0V'8f the ho. ....
Irom he terrace
3 Klng AJIOfl$O XIII
,md lhe Kobt scu1p1ule
Pages 64 55
ol--6 EJctenor......"
7 A \.JbIe 10 hoId
Ifl lronl 01 the w,/I"

a The onyx waII


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BARCELONA PAVJUON


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Working Drawings of the
Barcelona Pavilion
The plan shows the main pavihon and a small 'outbulldulg'
which was built in a more convenllonal manner. with
stee!.framed windows. The extended area 01 podlUm and
Sleps al the back 01 the pavilion was nol buill. The two
pairs 01 entrance doorS 10 Ihe mau) pavihon were removed
after comple:tion. MIeS 'el! lhey had no place there Srnce
lhE!v rnlecruped lhe flowlng plan and broke up lhe
rnterplay bel\veen exterior and interior spaces. n-.e column
delail waS redra\'\lO al a Iater date by Sergius Ruegenberg
~ t h o supervised Ihe consll\JCl lon 01 he pavilion.
The secltOn shows the entrance doors and lhe socalled
1i9hl walr - a pa1tem 01 electrlc tghl bulbs be\Ween WQ
sheels 01 m!lky glass. 1I was n01 illumlnaled during lhe
openlng ceremony because Mies dlsllked the effect 01
shadows casi by people movlng in !rOn! 01 il.

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HAUS TUGENDHAT
Haus Tugendhat
1928-1930
Broo. Czechoslovakia
T oday lhe BarcelOna PaVlhon and Haus T ugendhal are
Shlt known only thrOl.Igh lhe sarne 011911'131 seIS 01
contemporalY black-and-whlte photographs. Tugendhat
51111 stands, bul lhe house IS now a mere shadow 01 liS
10111 er glory. M.es van del' Hol le BCd Ms A9ICh dovoted
endless care and altentlon 10 thlS farnily horneo On tl-s
rare W;lts 10 amo. Mies sald !O have Infuriated he focal
bUlIdet's and crahsmen wlth his exactn'9 demands.
Mr Tugendhat was he scien 01 a highly SlJccesslul manu-
faclUring famlly and Haus T ugendhal was a weddrng
present 10 hlS young \Vlle /ram her father - posslbtv lhe
riCheS! man in Bmo in lhe twenlles. n'e yOI.mg couple
had viSlled Berhn where Mrs Tugendhat was so 1m
pressed by lhe hame 01 a relatrve lha! she asked lor Ihe
name 01 lhe arcMecl - 11 was Mies. He was com-
ffilssioned 10 design a house In Bmo and was invited 10
dlnner 10 dlscuss lhe sketch plans. Mies' proposals for
this extraord,nary modem house Wete accepted lhat
evening I1 is 5ald thal Mr Tugendhat was 1
considerabfy surpnsed and expressed sorne reservallOl'lS
about lhe deslgn).
TIvoughou! the house everything was designe<! by Mies'
Senio ob, and SerglUs Ruegenberg was the draughts
mano Everything \Vas detalled. from lhe COl'lSlruClioo.
fumllure and fitlingS down 10 he plumbing. Delails of lhe
heallng and cooling syslems were provided: one of the
tirsl air' condltlOnlng SYSlems in Europe was il'lStalled al
Tugendhat - a syslem were alr was blown over ice Slored
in lhe basement and circulaled round the living area. The
vast slngle' pane windows could be lowered elecl rically
inlo Ihe basemenl lor ventilalioo. In Ihe COlleclfOn 01 385
drawings In New Yorn's Museum 01 Modero An Ihere are
delails 01 battvoom and 101lel fiXlures. radial0rs. curtain
tracks. doors. doorlrames, wiodow frames. sllls. iron.
mongery: delails 01 5Uch incidenlals as the Ilbrary ladder.
lhe coal hatch and lhe garderobe hooks. A garden plan
was SUpplied by a landscape deslgner, and the garden
furniture was deslgned in atehef
The fichesl malenals Wete soughl all Over lhe world:
Algerian onvx. SWed,sh hnen. Indonestln mahogany and
many more. !he COSI was enormous. SOrnEMIhefe In lhe
reg'an 01 tour ffilllion Clech Crowns - enough la bulld a
v:ell'lPP<>II'lled block of e'gllt luxunous apanments 10 2
lhose davs. BUI lhe T ugendhalS were dehghled. and lhe
voung laffilly lNed IheI'e un'1 the OUtbfeak 01 he Second
Wotlcl War
DurlOQ lhe war lhe house was damaged when mounled
!rOOps were blUeled there and lhe p!ale glass wlodows 10
lhe JlVJng area have been rt.'Placed by sldndard. mull,.light
frames. It oow belongs 10 lhe Slale aod IS used as a
recur>eratlOn centre and gymnas'um lar chlldren.
1 01 g;JI'OOn elellJlIOn
2 GiI'den (lIevallOn
3 UIlPOf 1100< Dbn
4 LOWfIt lIoo! 1fJ!tac:e
5 U)pG' 'loor Illfrace
Pa>;es 74_1'5
6 Tho long WI"Yio: .4
72
Wllh Iowerod biond
7 W"',or ijJItOOo room
8SOti/tty
9 MIS tuoe<ldNl'Sbodroonl
Paga 76-77
10 llWlg roonl
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HAUS TUGENDHAT
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15
T
SILK INDUSTAY COMPLEX
Sil k Industry Complex
1932- 1933
Krefeld. Federal Republic of Germany
Alter he successful COll'lplellOfl ollhe Langa and ESIer'S
co
m
mlSSlOn5. Mies van der Aohe was U1V1tOO by the
board 01 lhe Verelnlgle SQloenwebefeen (SI3IC-o
wn
ed
Sll.. inJstry) 10 blllld a factorv and p<)WCf Slall()(l In
Kreleld. He dre.\ 00 Ihe ,deas he had developed lar offlce
bulldll'lQS In hlS prOJOCIS 01 t 928 and 1929 - lhe so
called '$kln SttlOles'. The proportlOO 01100 wlndows was
related lO lhal ollhe whOle bluldlng, Wllh lhe Interplay 01
spandrel panels and nluHions. Mies combmed the use 01
a repelllNe, neulrahsing skin wllh the str\,elunng 01 an
urban pauem 01 \IOIUlne and vOld, soltened by weeping
Wlllows a"d gra5S.
The comple:.: d9Slgned by Mies COnsislS 01 a rectangular
four-slorey block on one side 01 an opeo-ended cour!: a
three-storey bloclc. along tI'le back 01 tt'le court, connects
'Mlh a Ihr'eestorev wlng and dock tower on the side 01 a
Slngle-space lactorv floor area whlch IS covered by a
glazed salVlooth rool. (Unfonunately Illere are no
dtawlI"IQs available In Krefeld as they were deslroyed
dunog lhe Second World War: the origlnals are held by
the Museum 01 Modem Art.)
The power slatlQn has s,nce been rehoused in a new
building. In lhe lour-Slorey block. wlth lhe excepl lon 01
the 5lalrs. very [11I1e 01 lhe origInal interior rema,ns. MosI
01 lhe steel wllldow-frames have been raplaced by GAP
!rames with wtdef ITkJlhons (bu! following the same
pallem 01 hghIS). Ti1ere have been some alteratlons 10 the
Slngle-space faclory block: some wlndows have been
removed and addlllons made.
78
I n.o opetl-<lndod COIJI'I
2 C\Qcl tOWIl'
J EnU;)n(;8 10 tOo
f8Ctory f\ooI
11 Enlf(1nQ6 10 mo
fOUl <sIOIIlV block
!)...6 S\aol'Wilv In II'1e
100000oo$I0I1lV bIod<
1
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SILK INDUSTAY COMPLEX
- .
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HAUS lEMKE
Haus Lemke
1932
Weissensee. Berlin-East
The IaSI hQUSe M.es tXIIII In Gern'lany was a very modesl
bnd 'Plllo-hQuse' on a IlIrTOW 101 bOrdcnng a smalllakO.
The dienl. Karl Lemke. once worked lar the WO/1{bund
publishefS and beCamc e<liIor 01 018 ROle Fahne. a
Communisl nE!\.>\'spaper,
The fuH-heighl sleel Wlndows on to he paliO were
deSIgne<! w\th he ald 01 a Cnttal's catalogue. From he
paving slOnes. he 51rBSS slopes gentty down 10 he
watetwhere weeping willows grow. The house is 51111 In
pnvate haOOS- .
,
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3 Entrante
4 VIII!W lrom tt'legarderl
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PROJECTS 1930-1937
projects 1930-1937

Opposlllon 10 modem arcMecture was vo.ced as eartv as Krefeld sllk ,rldustry complex was Mies' las! buril wor\( In
1925 by ngl1!.\\flng CfltlCS and conservatIVa archilects. GQ(m8ny - 11 was completed 10 1933. and he emlgrated
The Na,ona
l
SOClabsl Partv pned he altaa in 1930 In 1938. Thc gnm pohl.cal. social and economlc chmalc
and, In lhe sprmg 01 1933. H,I!er'S ne"N governmef'\\ 01 he IhlrtleS was retlected In MIOS" arcMeclUre
began a systcrnahc )Urge on radical ard'\iteclS. The
War Memorial (1930)
Mies eotered he compelll10n for a memonal 101M cread
10 be bUltl lI'l Sdllnkel's Neue Wache complex in Berllo-
Mllle. The m0n01lltuc nature ollhis proect. Wllh lIS bulky
stone walls and bIaCk. slab-bke gravestone. announced a
vanallon In Mies" hand\vntlng - oway from hghlness 10
heaviness. SerglUs Ruegenbef9 execuled he presen-
tallOO drav.'II'I9.
,
Rei chsbank (' 933)
Alter he offlcc 01 he had m de
""'9 f he! a a prehmnary
n or \ f new bu ldlng, a COrTlpel1\l0n was ISSUed In
Fetlfuary 1933 Th.rty leadlng Geman afchn
IflVIed 10 compete Mes "'JOn an award" hlS
the onty modem one of he SOl. ng des. was
90s
The plan was svrnmetncal- oddtv $O, Slnce hose or me
neodaS$lcal and neo-baroque entries
ed WI1I would be
expect tO be symmetric;:al) were alllnnucnced by he
Irregulanty 01 he sl te. Mies' bUildIng was ngldly ordered
and monumental, containlflQ an enolTTlOUS lobby 350-
feel long by 5().feet Wlde by 3O-Ieet h'9h, Wlth a grand
stalrcase WQf1hy 01 a baroque palace. The ptGsentabon
draW1ngs were executed by Eduard lucMig, MIOS'
ex-asuhaus student and 8$Slstant.
82

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2 Elev;)llOI'I
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4 T lkloI plan
5 PersP8C\Ne

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1 Oltee 01 the cleanng dcpartmenl
2 GeroaI tloc:s
3 Sabry department
4 O"

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6 machines
7 SeoJmy wuft
8 Buoldmg St4)GlW'llendent
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KREFELO AOMINISTRATION BUILDI NG
Krefeld Admini stration Building (1937)
The las! major bUilding Mies dOS'9ned In Gcrm.:my was
me adminIStratIVO headquancrs 01 (he sllk IndusHy In
Krefek:l Mies hlmselr probc1bly had very hltle (O do Wl!h
(he projeCt - he was In !he UMed States 01 Amenea for
lhe largepart 01 1937 ond had lelt hlsofflOO In thechargo
01 lrlly AelCh
The symmelrtCal splayed plan stroogly resembled lhal
01 lhe AelChsbank pio.rect and, once ag.1In. Eduard Lud
"'19 was the dmughlSm3n
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I COUAT.HOUSE PAOJECTS
Court-House Projects
In he th.r'he5. MICS van dar Rohc 00veI0ped a senes 01
lor court-hOUSOS on un(lginarv $IIO'S. He llegan
hes(! slud'es In 1931 \\'llh hlS 8auhaus StudCfllS 10
tilo urban posslblhl le5 01 1he courl -house. The
hOUSeS were all C()(1fuled \V11hln a single rec1ang
1
e fomled
by Ihe enclosIng walls 01 Ihe coun and lhe e.'(1eftOl walls
ollhe house. Sorne hOuseswere grouped together in an
overa!l rec1angle: some Wf!lC designe<! In rows
Theplansollhe houSeS\'I.'ereshaped as l's. rs or I'S. and
lhetr e>.tenor walls lO lhe cour1 we.-e glazed in thelr
entireiy. The .... alls lorm ng par1 01 (he encIOOng re<:tang1e
were all 01 bnCk and \\Ilnc!O'A'less-lheenl
r
ances wero lhe
cm.,- operungs 10 lhe '0015;00' AII lhe prOJeCIS were
reclangula
r
in plaMing one: a virtuoso SlUdy In
f-
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.

5
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\vhlCh Mies Introduce<! a {lliIgonal aJOS l!"\Side tilo
rectangular frame and successlully avolc!ed obllque and
arute anglos b't' OJMng lhe Inlenor screeos.
In Ihe Row Houses (1931 l . eacllldentlcal unll OCCtJPled a
square SilO: glass separated lhe L-Shaped hOuse from lhe
Inter;or court - arlOlher squafC whlch gave bolh wlngs 01
the house IhesarMWldlh, In the Housewl1hThreeCourts
a roctangular garden court occupied JUSI over hall lhe
Sl16. whlle he Olher courts wero formcd by lhe T .st\aped
ollho house abulhng lhe penmeter walLs on Uvoo sldes.
Thc Inlenor perspe<:llVes wilh collaged 1Iluslrsllng
lhese IWO prOJec1S were exea.l1ed In Chlcago in 1939,
Wllh lhe help 01 Mies' Sludenls al lhe Armour Ins\1lule 01
Techl'lOlogy. Allhough Mies had used lhe montage
lechnlque belOte, he never used 11 as a leachlng method
In Germsny.
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1 Row Houws plan
2 CourtHo\.!se WIIh garage
3 Gf'OUD ot CounHo .. 'Ss
KfY
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2 l.Mng area
3 Oonong area
4 BednxUl
5 CourtyMd
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1 Enlrance
2 t.rw>g alGa
30nngroom
, Guasl sSeepItIg Moa
S Bod,QOI'n
6 Sludy
7 ~
8 Kllctoen
9 Mad"s I00I ..
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COURT-HOUSE PROJECTS
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87
GERICKE HOUSE
Gericke House (1930)
The house dre\v lIS Insprallon 'mm he Concrete Country
House (1923). but here was the first exomple o' Mies'
mteres! m he lIS lower level branches out
10 enclose a coun on !:\NO sldes. wlth Ihe thlrd Slde
dosed bv a retalnlng wall and Ihe lounh left open As In
the Tugendhat House. a semH::ircular stalrcase leads
fmm the slfeet level tO the living areas on the lower
000,.
The chent. an art hlstonan. took Ihe unusual step 01
hOlding 8 competl11on lor the deslgn 01 his Qwn house
on a slopmg Slte bordenng the Wannsee In BerilO. Five
arctulectS were mVlted 10 submll deslgns. but none 01
the projects was bullt - Gencke preferred hls own
des.gn
1 InletO' persp6CtM! of 0II'Wlg
arro lelt!. 3Ild III/II'IQ rOOlT'l
Irqht!. StX'I1lrom co,ft
2 U::peI" floot plan
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1 Enlrance
2 Garderobe
3 room
4 Ma"fs room
5 SefVilllIS' Wlng


,
Hubbe House (1935)
The laSI house Mies designed for a speclftc chen! In
Germany was Ihe HubOe House. The $Ite was on an
Island In he Elbe Rlver In Magdeburg. and he chen!
hved on her ov-m bul entertalned frequently,
80th the lange and Hubbe prOJects show Ihe perfectlon
10 whlch Mies brought the courthouse. The use of
carefuUy selected and ftamed VleW$ was Insplred by
tOOll10nal Japanese archllecture,
1 Perspect!V8 01 IMng room !lnd
le' " " ' ~ Wlttl EIbe Rrver
2 Ground fIoor plan
KEY
1 Entral"Ce
2 LIVIf1!I area
3 "'""'" '""
4 " " " ~
S p""",""
,
6 SefVllnlS" QUllrters
7 "'Ichen
a GGrderobe
9 Guesl bedlOOrn SUlle
10 Ma,n be<jfoom sul1e
11 Sludy
HUBBE HOUSE
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ULRtCH LANGE HOUSE
Ulrich Lange House (1935)
Tt)!;! Lange fomlly 01 Krefeld were very klnd 10 Mies
dunng he Nazi years. n)! IC,<tlle IndustnahSfs son.
UInCh. commlSSl()(led Mies 10 deslgn hlS house. ond twO
schemes wete proposed Thc f,(S1 PfOJect was S\III
iOSP1red by he Concrete Counlry House - he dl\llSion
1f'I10 separata Wlngs: whlle he second prOJeCI carne
closer 10 lhe c1asslc Mles1an courthouse -lhe confifle'"
rnenl a Single rectangle.
NCIlher scheme was built beCiluse he local authOnlles
refused 10 issue a permll unless he house was hldden
Irom Ihe street by sn 9mlh berm (and modem
archllecture was 'banned' In 1933) tI is intereSIU'9 10
note lhal In each project here are twO beds In Ihe mOln
bedroom and lhe beds could bO screened from one
another

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2 flf'St schome ptan
3 Second seheme !n
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1 L"""I.1 <11'63
'2 D, .... rog .:lfiM
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5 Entr;)n()EI
6 StW>.'
7 bo'd,oon' :!.Ij,1i!'
8 room
9 Q\,I.vt1l"S
10
Single Space Projects
From chlldhood Mies had hked sparsely furnlshed
rooms. Ho remembered the whlte-washed Interiors 01
peasant houses oround Aachen; the simple. bare rooms
ha<:! to serve many functions. In the early twentes Mies
House on a Hillsida (1934)
In the Tyrol Mies produced a number 01 deceptively
casual sketches lar country houses_ One panlcutarty
stn"krng sketch IIh.Jstrated a glass house jUttrng OUt lrom
the hillside on St lltS - a floatlng. sell conl8loed cage. MI8S
realrSed Ihis concept ro the Famswonh House (1IIinOls.
1945,50),
I
Brussels Pavilion (1934)
Mies van der Rohe submined an entry rn the competl tlon
10 deslgn the German NatlOnal Pavihon a l the forth-
oorrung BrusseIs International Exhlbltion (1935). He went
to BrvsseIs wlth a group 01 Inends lO sea lhe Slle.
Sorne 01 the ftrsl skelo les (drawn by Serglus Ruegenberg)
shQl.'II a square. single space pavilion. glazed on \Wo
sides. This project Inspired Ihe large. fl.Jlly glaZed pavilions
Mies was 10 design and build in lhe fulure. (The final
Brussels scheme became more complex. bul 11 was
modem and provoked lhe wlath 01 Hitler.)
,
,
- ',,- ....:

,
used to crrtrcise Hugo Haring lar Imposlng o l unctronal
arder on hl s bulldlngs: he suggested that Hallng deslgn
Iarge. Ilexlble spaces Instetld.
1 Elevalron
2 lotellor perspeclNe
Page 92
3 Slc.etch plan and perspectrYe
(d!'8'N'l by SetgIUS Ruegenbergl





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BAUSSELS PAVIllON
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Resor House (1938)
In 1937 Mr and Mrs Stanley Resor Invlted Mies to
design a vacatlon house far thern al Jackson Hole.
Wyoming Hewent to he UMed SIetes 01 Amenea on a
prolonged VlS,1 (all expenses patd by tlle Aesors) and
firsl viSlted the VVyomlng sl te. In New York he preparad
the draw1ngs with the help 01 two American ex-Bauhaus
students. John Rodgers and WiUiam Pnestly,
,
,
3
A long reclangle in plan. he housc was deslgned 10
bndge a mlllrace. lIS 51001 and WQod Irame reshng on lwQ
piers and on plalforrns on ellher shore. IThese plallOfrns
replaced an exishng bndge stl\JClure In arder to btJng lhe
house closer to he groundl lt was 10 have been
sheathed In cypress planklng Wf8pped raund el thef end
and plned by two indemed Slrelches 01 glsss. IntE!fPOSed
waUs sub-divided he IMng area which otlered framed
views 01 he mounla,IlOUS landscape and stream.

RESOR HOUSE
1 Modo!
2 Intenor Ptlfsoec:we 01
Irv.ng I 00i ., lOoI<.rog lIO.Ith
(h,0U{t! WIt'l()( h '
3 V_110m onlf!nOj
93


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Mies van der Rohe:
An Appreciation
ADRIAN GALE
Mies :;poke lUla and.wrOle Iess. In conversaHon he appOOred
almos! reluctsnt 10 dlSCUSS hlS work. VVhaI he dld wnle er say
was terse. aphoristic and al limes ef'Iigmal!C. ThIS can partly be
explained by a dlffio.llty lha! remarned Wllh Me> all his Me - a
dltllOJltv in speaking English.
'
As Mies' bographers have
tended 10 catalogue lhe building prOjeclS. wilhoul anat.,.s1S er
Cflt lcism. he doak 01 obscurny has neYeI' been penelf'ated No
essay has illum!(l8led his wOlk er auernpted 10 examine he
worlc oltheofflCe In a resh hghl. The firsl monograph. \vnlten by
Ph!lip Jotv\son in 1940 al he time 01 Mi es' firsl exhlbitoo in
America al lhe Museum 01 Modem AA In Nf?','11 Yoc. and
receotly reprnted. r(!r'!IalrlS he most Informauve 8nd
observan! SUlVey 10 dale. Phlfip Johnson was lespDnSlbIe for
Mies' 'rst visillO lhe uSA wnen he asked MtaS 10 deSJ9Il a rl(M'
apartment for hlm in his brOWf1Slone tqrraoehousern NewYork.
Mies' productrve lile as an archiIect consiste<! 01 IWO
separate penods 01 thlflV woli;: lhe flfSl In Europa trom
1908101938. and lhe second fOllowing nlS arnval in the USA
In 1939 10 hlS dealh In 1969. These two phases 01 hIs
archllectural deltelopmenl are descnbed as one !oglal
sequence stanmg wlth the Alehl House In 1907 Ihrough to lhe
New NallOnal Gallecy in Berlln 011968. lhe las! 01 hisWOrics. 11 iS
Inu;!resl1ng 10 note lhal In lhe lasl len years 01 his lile. Mies was
called back 10 Europo 10 be commiSSloned on a I'lJmber 01
proects. lhe Now Nal l()nal Gal!ety beIng the only ene 10SUr'V1\I6
to constructl()(l.
ThlS essav examines thiS develOpl'nenl , shOwlO9 how Mies'
work responded 10 lhe expenmental aod riYIOV3li\1e peMod in
Europa Irom 1910 to 1930. a petiod 01 MI(l:S' rnOSI ll'igorous.
actMt woO; . It lhen goes en to Show how lhe emphasis 01 hIS
W(If1( shoned retrosoectrvelv. IoIlOwing hi:s SElltlernenlll"l Chicago.
10 become more OI1hOdox. mote convenllOf\al aod more
NnetOt'l"UtK:enUJry 11'1 cnaracler
lhe background to lhos is a lile spbl in hall by lhe \lde 01 NazlSm
In GeHnany, lorc.ng Mies 10 SOOk a luture n lhe moto CfI(1aln
condtllons 01 lhe c<rIl ldB'lt and opl lmtShC AmeflCiln Mdwest.
Was MISS Influenc;ed by l he amb.eoco 01 the economic aod
phllosoptllcat cLmDle lhal he loond around him? HIS emlgrahoo
10 lhe USA 1i'M)1v'od comll"lg 10 tet'ms wllh n ntJ'oN culture,
tea Tlng 10 sr eal( ti fW1.N 1anguage, aod &CQliOtnlll'lg hlmsell Wllh
a roew bOildlflQ lect'\noIog( lhal $Iemmed Irom l he sk.n and
booes archltecture 01 the Cl'lcogo Sch001. logehOt. lhase


resultad In a ne.v archrteclure. an an::hJlecture, tt>wwer. v.t"ch
was posslbly ITk.Jch doser 10 hJS Iotmal fW'IeTeet\th-oentulY
ong.ns than were the mote l!"M!I'IttVe proe<:ted aod exeQJted
,Europea"! sct)emes 01 the twenllBS and Ihirlte$. The senw'lal
European \VeO:. celebratlO9 the use 01 gtass. concrete and bti...
101lllad lhe b.lsis 01 hlS inTet'nallOflal reputatlOfl. estabhshed
overnlghl. and was an al'tPlC<ll deviallOn Irom the malr\Slream 01
Mies' wOl'k which preceded aOO lonowe(l IhIs peood.
TIle Impot1an11nnovatMl prOjeels were never IconocLaStlC. They
were not an allao: upen contemporafY convenhCl1. Thev wer8
danng examlMll()l'\S 01 whal m.ghl be done wllh ne.N materialS
In lhe art 01 bulkhng COI'\SUuctlOn. They had no or
sooalzeal. Mes chd not mlerprel hJS role as ... chtect as beng_
conne<:ted Wllh SOCIal radlcallSm. In lact he remaflad apolotrcal
lor lhe whole 01 hiS prelemng 10 keep OUt 01 art( POM1CaI
J1meligh1. Shy 6nd tacilum In ConversallOfl. he seemed aruOOus
10 8VOId any tlQtll 01 cmeos;on or contrO\'E!fSY beIng shooe en.
his wonc, HIS wn,ngs In Gesralrung and lf'I the PlpelS pubhshed
by the Novembergruppe \ \ 'efe terse and enigmallC \vtthoul
taking up any consecul,.,-e argumento MIEI6 preferred lhe
d lSOJSSIOfl to be IllTIITed to 'how' ra1her than As the
bUlldll'lgs were f"eIeI' If\Slrufllents 01 reform lhev dld no! SI9"31
any meantng beyOnd 1helf own programme. Mies' WQrlo;. 01
whatever PEriod. does nol appear 10 QUE!ShOI\ he orthodo.w or
status quo 01 lhe lime If anyThtng. 1I achieves the rev8fSe.
endorsi1g lhe moderaTe W!W 01 lhe bourgeolSle.
Mes bagan hl$ Me an conservatMl arch1ect.
develoPIflQ Itvough lhe \Wef'Itl6S by poinllng 10 lhe dramatlC
po5S'bl!lt16S 01 the tecmolOgiCal revolltlOn Wlth tvs tJOe'I,eculed
sl i.ld1es 01 glllss towers. Slngfe.storey houses. and concreTe
cantllovered office bulldlngS. Eveo the semlf'lill building. the
Barcelona Pavitl()f'l, has a rea5$"fance about 11 lhal oppoored
orthOdox and conveotlOrol, Later. altef tl'le lIuf1'V ancJ exCITe-
ment 01 the prt)JElCtsol lhe eartv\IACflhes, MIOS settJed baCk I!'tO
mote eusl ere aod COnservatlVe solmons. Alter a!l. 01'\'(1< and
tf\l\lOl'1rne are nol materialS normaliy assoc:)atedw,th r6'JOlhon
fJIV ()( InnovallVO archltCCTuro. Once ha had secured Ieco!)nlt on
by WTue 01 l he extreme prOercts underT31.:Cfl Ifl Eutooe, and
lound a sale havo'\lf'I the USA. MIOS (lppeared able 10 as an
avantgardl$I. ThlS sudden sMt In empha5<S 10Mo\wIQ h&S ani'val
In can be iJllsTlated bY studylng MIOS' sPaCGS <U'ld the
wiIf In whtCh \'olumo and SQ.'ICe bcebme t1,< a
cICvolopng attl1ude towards structure .
95
"'--------------..........:---=""
,
I
MIES VAN DEA ROHE: AN APPRECIATIQN
Space
Although Mo Mies emalnad ooncemed Wllh
twO dlflerenl building typOlog,es. the PolVlIIOfl and l he tower.
tnevwvro both madc up ent,rcly 01 s'ngle-.stoley spaces Thus
Mies tem31ned soIeIy Inlerested In lhe pav1hon Ot slngle-storey
tll.JlIdII"G he was preoc(\lpoed by horllOntal space The vertICal
emphaSIS 01 lhe tO\vers W3S dependen! upoo the number 01
SIIlQkHi toreysp.JCOS tul \\1lfe stacked on top 01 each other. and
del not el'lecl tJnI l1,emaI programme ex vertICal orgarllSal()n
10 the cdge, In lhe IX.l1ldlflg prOecIS theedgeol the rool was the
equivalenl 01 the edge 01 the De 51111 PlClure. Wllh lhe sp&ce
runnlng out boyond I\. Tho 1fT'IP&1uS 01 space was always l orong
,tsell OUI\..-ards. '1'1 the case 01 Ihe Bf.elo: Counlry House the
e:cploslOllw(lSCQuaf on both 3.IIes. tn lhe bulld.ngs thallollO\.\iOO
l he voIume COntrone<:! the prOS$Uro, clchmng majO( Kes anc!
dlfoclton. Thesp.1Ce b e :ama Iess dense If'l progressiveconlours
as .1 r;)l1 outwards from the re'llre. Mies used IhiS spallill
technq.,re 10 define a h!et(ltchy 01 sub'spaces w.tt'lln lhe plan.
Baltvooms. k.tchens and slorago spoces are denscIy conlined
In the CEt"ltre 01 lhe plan, aod as the volumo became freer
IOWClrds lhe penmelet'. SO lhe use 01 space IfTlpllCllty became 01
moreconsequence. Ullmalely lhe accommodaltoo agalnst lhe
invisible. outer wall 01 glass became synorr.mous wllh the
pubbc reatm beyond - a oassage bom he pafllO.JlaJ' 10 lile
genetal. Tb,s lhe reStrSlnl 01 Mies' lacades, whlCh rever aliow
the partICUlar or empirical <Jft( evldence In the publK: reaLm,
The onIv e;.:ceptlOnS 10 ttv:s hOflzontal perceplrOn 01 space are
the compel,Ioon pro,ect lar lhe NatlOMl Thea1fe al MarY\he!m
(1953), the pteldTlll'\1lry StUdy foI' !he F r.1 NilllOf'\11 CIty Bank al
Des MOIOe$. lowa t 1958). boto unbl.ult, and lhe Bacardi Olfice
Bud:lIng ., SantIagO de CvOO "957). al 01 wtucI1 have v.'KIefy
plCfccd 6I's1 Iloors ptOVIdong o double-helght space Slretchlng
fromground fk:xy up 10 fifSt f\oof ceihng above. Novcrthelcss. Ifl
each case the predominan! stalerTlC(ll remnlllS a rnDjOr space
fIoahn9 abOlle amUlO' . The lruth 01 ooe SIngle space C()I"II'leCl!ilg
lhe t\vo IS thlf
The 1\\10 a"cherypes 01 Mies' man1pulal lOl'l 01 space moderated
by column and saeen are the Barcelona Pa-Illion and T ugendhal
House 01 1929. The Batcelona PaV1lion was lhe abstraet pdOt
prO,lOCt whiCh cwnployed Ihe principies In a building without
function, These sama principies \Vere lhen applied 10 the more
challeoging Sltuatioll 01 a houso on a sloPlf1g srte. Not \Yp1Ca1 01
thoperiod. Mtes' design 101' the Tugendhat House eoncerved \he
enlrance and supplcmentary rooms at St fOOt leve!. Sloping SlIW
j)fovolo:ed house designs that usually eahe.- swept out honzon-
tatty into space 01"1 concrele stalles. ()( used the space encJosed
betweena flat rool al lheupperleveland thes!ope be!a.v 10giYe
a descending arrangemenl 01 f100t \eveIs CJJrrllnallng In a
doubIe--heIght S8C\Ion.
The Importanoo 01 lhe ceihng plane as he uppef defirllllOtl 01 lhe
InIQtlOf 5p;w::e IS einforced ,n l he lornler !'No prOJec1S by a
practlCe peaJlICIIIO MIeS. n..1mely lha! 01 posillonlng the trusses
ooIS!. abo.<e therool wfoueh hangs beneath them. SUggesllng
a downwill'd force wtwdl SQUOOles lhe space horizontal..,.. The
enclosing plane CI'JeI'he<Id 1$ complenlE!l'1ted by the encIosIf1g
pIaoe tXidEJfoot. made 01 a dense and Impenetrable
malN sr..ch as marole Of graf'lIte. The hontanal prE'SSllre 01
,
soace 1$ agalO e>.aggerated by the transpareocy 01 the arl -glass
per1meter watt pL.YIe Itvoogh whIch the space escapes 10 lhe
Oiltside.
ThIs exd.isNe coreen lar the t>on2onlal <;pace defined between
ce.l:ng and fIoOf planes CS lO strong contrast to lhe vertICal
emphasis that le Cotb..ISIef gave 10 <pace whlCh \Vas 'Isl.Ial..,.
prescnbed between -..erucal planes 01 wall. SectIOnS IJlStrale
laUe lO Mes' v,llt: lhal e> nol appatOOt fromstucJi!ng lhe
plan. 0'1 lhe Other hand. tor a fon UndelStandlflQ 01 Cortis
spac:es. ex<Il'TlInIhon 01 the seChen IS as Important as the plan.
These two QUlle dllterent II'Iterpretall()nS 01 space by MIeS and
le CoIbuSlet can be more e.lS1t-,- ullderstood by examll'lallOl'l 01
heIt .,ndMdualt-,- dlflerent lechniQues 01 handling a SlatreaSe
COMe<:t.-..g anv tWQ 1eveIs. Cexb makes play 01 lhe diagonal
generatl\l1! goorTle1ty 01 a st&r ex ralTlSl by use 01 the solld
bak'Slrade. MIeS. ontheOlher hand. suppresses anysuggestlOl"l
el vertICal con\lgU'1V Wllh Impceptlble. minlmalcsl steel tubed
()f bar handrailS ......tl!ch II'\Clse lhe ... w<I( prOOSe!y Ilvough the
-
bke Me;, was COt'COliOO Wllh hOrt.zonlal spoce buT
expiof"ed '\5 vertICal tav(YlOg by COf'Innually Percing ftat celll'lQ
planes 10ie<Ne IheYer't1Cat edge:ol the punccured strala runnU'lg
COf'II'1'VOustv roond lhe vokJme. Irequentlv Wllh a CIeiWIOf'y
bet'.,oeen lhe !ayos.
lJIy Rech hef 001..)108\I0I'l WlIh Me; In 1927 when
togelh$ Ihcy designad a $ellOS 01 f);t.bns ler the SlIIo: and gIass
II'dJstry. These ret.ed 0fI tl!i(hlE!S and glass betng used as !Spl:ry
sereens 01 \'arvng helghts Ilnd lfTIPOI"Iance. The saeens. free-
standil'lg Ifl a SIng!e..oome. VIere not If1terrupllOl'\S vI space bvI
allo.Wd soaoe to fIoy., arQUnd, between, and In some cases
o;'er the dISPlay. QJW19 COI'llll'lUlty 10 lhe composnlOl"l, A ser e!
O r'f'IIfl()r SP<JCeS boc.1me 'fT'QllCltly defU"l WlII'wl the lotal
SOOCe. The effCC1 1t\1t thase exhtOOIOfl Pl'OfOCts had CM be
sro...n tf'\ lhe 0Ians 01 !he proects. bUllI and unb.llll thal
followoo all(ll'Wwds whl1e M_ was SIl he
11 wan manrles1ltJOn 01.,. "'/\I ( ... of ce
.tsett lt'I the p/arI of !he
WclSnoc al ' ese,
a PD\fI.a tA 111 le 01 dmImc.
96
Mies always femalfle(l embaTassed by Sltes lhat not flat,
so he lncorporated IntO lhe concepllon a podium which lermed
a plalorm on which lhe bUlldlng could then be constnJCled.
ExampJes 01 II\is borh rus "rst and tasI European com-
missions. namely the RlehI HOlIse 01 1907. hiS entry lor a como
pellllOfl fOf me BlSmarck Monument 011912. me Gend<e House
01 1930 (a developed vanallOn ollhe Tugendhat Housej, the
Seagram Building. New Yor1<. 01 1955. lhe 8acardr Off.ce
Building. Cuba. 01 1957, the Krvpp OHice Building 01 1960
and finally lhe NI!'N Gallery In Booln 01 1962.
Allhough Mies wnles aboul slo:eletal Sln..rCtures In an essay
publlShed in lhe first issue o, Gestalrung In 1923. it is nol
1933 lhat lhe column and floor both appear 01'1 lhe lace 01 the
bulldlf1g In lhe same plane. 80lh lhe lactOry al Kreleld and the
Sitio: In(ijsry 8dmlnl$IrallOn are examptes 01 Ihis firsl
exprE!SSlOl'l 01 skelelon.
Howe.ret. I1 was nol untll MIOS had made hlS firsl studles lar a
steet Structured building al lhe Ukn06: Il"IStltule 01 Tec:Mologv
aher has arrivat lf1 the USA. lhat a contn.rous 8XPfElSSlOn 01
nbbed column and beam 1$ e\tIdent. E...en so. lhe unciJial1f'lg
10 lhe fIoor is concealed aboYe a hJng plMer
cei!ing. ma"I8INng an 8KPI'GSSIOn 01 a flal-slab e B'r-.g plane. 11
was onty SUbsequOOlly thal the nbbed ceillOQ skeleton became
E!Xpas: d. WIIh the lIT Ct\1pet and Commonsbuildlr"lgS ba ngthe
frn eKample 01 Sleel W()I1( 10 appc Y 1"1 lhe ce.hng plar'eol one 01
MISS' buddrlgs,

MIES VAN DER ROHE: AN APPRECIATION
1 __________________________________ __ 97
,
MIES VAN DER AOHE: AN APPRECIATlON
Ic.'EI Md lhe n'lan\ forma! IMr'lg spaccs I>enci'Ilh. TI'IEl only
ImnlC<MZ90V \'O$,bIo on lhe twO 'loor plans wtllen lockS
thefn toge1/$" is lhe $CfIl,OtOJlar wroc:!ong stOlI wtuch dnlls ,IS
w &{ down IMlugh lhe ground fIoor enlranco!a-'(?I 10 the rfIaijl
fIoor below. Al lhe m<l1I'l IoIl1er lave( lhe sta,r '$ secretee!
bel\\'E!e"I twO \V3fl planes. c!eEP '" the centre back 01 lhe housO.
From Ins pon! 01 amval en lhe I\oof. lhe space ebbS 0U1
100 .... ards he d,ttCf(!f'lI pnnopaI IuncllOOS around the gtazed
pem'l8llY wal.
NElIthef loor admls l he p-esente 01 lhe 01her. Imense con-
cenunh(H'l 1$ forced upon l he W'luaUy rMSIbIe connectlng
S1l:IIrca.se tI IS a Slngle-S10reV building spIol .n hall Wlth (he 1\-..0
fracrured poe:ES p.Icd on tOl) 01 ene anolher. In lhe same way
Iha! he sharP edge 01 !he Roo'lafl IravenlOO ground fIoof al
lhe Barcelona P..,..,1ion descnbeS the pemnetet 01 lhe 1\\'0 pooIs.
so does lhe entfano:t laV'eI fIoor \'("lEer round lhe Slalf al lhe
Tugendhat HOJSe The glazed. SCffi1' ClrC\Jlar wal! around lhe
head 01 lhe sta,. torces lhe space outwards. gnonng lhe
operllflg lMI IS so OJI ""0 he tr3\.'E!I't lne surface on l he
groond plane. The lop of lhadl/lgonal handlail descendlng \V11h
lhe hne 01 lhe slaircase IS kepl down, OUt 01 Slght. beIow lhe
leve! 01 lhe fIoor S\l'face. TIle only elernent hinllng at the
prescnce 01 an QPeMl9 In lhe f\ooI' L$ !he honrontat. square.
polished ctvome !\lOO bning the IrY'lef edge 01 the starrwell .
The plan forms 01 the Evropean bI ..llkflngs \Vare QUIte differenl
from lhe Amencan. The European ores have en asymmelncal
ct-,.namc .... hllsl !he Amencan rever! 10 a more format.
synvnelncal plan !hal lemans In repose. HO\'1evef lhe Euro-
pean ct-;namIC ;vas unalf"led .., Ihe WiI{ In \VhK::h some ma)Of
goups 01 Amencan \\I9I"e assoaaled Wllh one
anolhet. Th& lowers 01 860/880 Lakeshore OrIVe
were sal at OW"'lle 10 ene another and (JI.'eflappecl each
OlntY by ene bav. The two dl$Stmltar butldlf"l9S 01900 lakeshore
Drwe. !he sama In I"IeIghl and eP,IS. (JI.-eriap each olner by ene
ba'f. The office oocommodallOO 10 bolh lhe Fed!!fal Cenlre
COfTl)Iex and lhe Toronlo DoIYUnI()l) C8I1tre IS an-anged II"Il\vo
buljjngs ..... hi<;h dlffer lf"I bolh helghl and lellgth bul which
slllldatty sl,OO pasl one anolher. n-.e IWO 1000ers In each Cenue
are complemenTad and oonlrasled "",th a SIngle Slorey iXlVlOOn at
gound fIoor Ievel. III one case a Post OlflCe and In lhe !alter a
banIt. The C()mpOSIIOl of tho PfOlocted bullncomplele scheme
lor tho lour Cornrnoov.-ealth 10000tS IS symmetnc:al about one
ilXIS - .., rn,se. ancl asymmotnc:al about tho Olher _ dynamic.
The Pfnople 01 hoolontal space was retOll"lCd by MI!l$
{tvougt-ovt both ElJ"opean and Amcncan periods 01 hlS WOf1c.
althovgh 1he re\auonshJp between Slructuro ane! space III he
Io, .... er bvddlngs ""mi IhrOUgh SfMlral d'Ianges. due 10 a
fundamenl&l deoSIOI'Ilo abandQn lhe Sleet S\c.elelon frame In
f8\'OUr 01 a conoete slab and cok.IlM SVSIem.
StnlC:twes
The FamsY,;OtIh house IS UI'"IC).Ie Ihal 1I appears 10 be lhe
Ooss-feftlllsabOn 01 !he two al1::Mect\.Ife5 01 Mes. namety the
dynam.c ollne European pIa"I and lhe reJ)OSe ollhe Arneocan
SUuctule. It IS lhe emboclLmonl ollhe OmafThC 01 plan
\"Jlth !he struclural danty 01 Slteleton. II 'emans lhe onlv
Amerita"! bulld.ng (and lno lirsl 01 orW IWO ha,"ses mat MII!IS
c:onslructed 11"1 me USAl ""'th an asvmmetncal plan. NQVoI
OWT"$:I by en EngllStYnan It 1$ kept 111 'lJlJle :cab!e condI1:lOn.
resp\er1drJ"ll Wllh a COIIectoon 01 MIOS' tumture.
In lhe European PlOJ(lCts. tho It\SI:SlenI. VIQOtOUSfy .. 'O'",,,.
SIf\K;tUral gnd becomes .. modo aI.lO o.alslothehe
space. TIla OfT"InI-dr8C1lOr"\81. round or cruclorm CIOUrm ' '11 d
as a PfOP IS on enor$ement 01 lhe
bav. mall1tallWlg cist.ata the
much as a PI! prop 11"18 mne.
01 S'l1\JCtIJre. WIth !he coUms
f!JI.lSler\otl " .. Ihout ISu : tl"G
$truaIQ W8I rXII "lId.
englllC'Cl\l"lg as an archlleclural IlV1C6 which. togelt-.ef wlth
lile hec-standlng screens. cIoscnbes Ihe perpelUllyOI space The
viSible COI'llll1.Jlty 01 the arC<ldlng IS COfISltIJ'Illy InlOlruptoo by lhe
saecns wnch havO been shd as InletVQOllOnS into the hOl'l,zonlal
spaco IMI separales floor from No OOwnsland boom IS
all(JI.ved tO " leare Wllh lhe plane OVEIfhoad. Space beoomes
moderaTecj by saeen and Ofderoc! by COIumn: lre
arcadu"lg1S used 10 OfI8OIa!O and counler lhe 1I0\V 01 spocc. The
.syncopallOn 01 saecn Wllh screen ane! scre8n Wllh coIumn
a ctvnamlC wruch prevents lhe space from beng
c:onclIded and comlng 10 res!.
IIIUSlrating lhe ptagm8\.1C alllludo 10 S'lructuro lhal a closer
took ruveals MICS 10 have h..1d in Europe. lhe Of'9lnal wor1ong
drawtngS 01 tlle Sarceloo.:l P!Nlhoo. wtuch were on stlO'vV III
london during 1978. reveal ad(1It1Of\31 Sleet supportS am
bedded IrMSll*f Ifl lhe screefl walts bet\lnd the onyx vencer.
VVhaI is cerlaln is lhal MIes relied 10 a gre.1t extenl en lhOse
working \Vlth him. Thc evenlual qual!ly 01 any p<lI"IlOJ!ar wor1c
belllg undertal<en In lha office al lhe lune depended on lhe
commllmenl. detem'1lr\Bllon and s\c.dt ollhe IndIVidual WOf\c.lng
on lhe pl"Oect wl lh Mies. 11 Il'"I.JSI be lerT\embered lhal all Mies'
assislants had beel1 Irained alfil before coming 10 lhe 01f1Ce In
ChlcagO. Thete was an unwnllen expeclahon lhal all lhe good
studerlls would come 10 \VorIC In theolflCe. 11 therewas ples'iUfe
01 .....-orle. sludems could be drahed In 10 woOc. in lhe rnodeI shOp
al SIlon nota The dlSlinctlOn belWeen Sludenl al liT ane!
assislanl!n lheofficewasvefy Ihln. Mies Irealed all hlSassaslanls
as Qualllied arct"le<:ts and expecled lhem 10 work as such. AA
ablhty 10 make good accurale modeIs In lhe weUfiUed OUI
model st-q) was as Importilnt as belng abIe 10 dr)\.Y....-eIt
Mies used models lO dENeIop lhe d6Slgn 01 a building as earty as
1912 when he bud, a 'uU-slze rnock-op 01 lhe KrOtler MGIIer
House al The Hague In HoIland Surpnslngly. MICS was
urx:ertain an<! somehmes dllfl(!enl HIS bulldlngs WCle nol
designad by a convet'1llONl melhod seose. The developmenl
01 a bulkllflg was subjecled 10 lhe masl ngorous sludy in modeI
formo The process slaned 'Ni lh Simple llmoo- block modets
Showlng lhe accommodatlOn reqUlred In varying mass con
figuralJOI"IS 10 eslabllSh the moSI sallSlaclory propQI1on ane!
relallOl'tShlp between Olher" bulldings on lhe Slle as well as lhe
f"l8lghbouring buildlngs. The assislanl Ifl'IOIved In lhe proJ8CI
wovld make lhe modeIs In the shop and when lhoy \\tere readv.
Mies \vould spend lengtl?,- SE!SSIOOS Studvlng the blOCks trom all
angtes. Such sessrons were freQUenllv IIlconclusive. 81lher
because Mies prelerred 10 POS\pOne tilo c\ecIsI()n or beCS<JS8
anolher SOlullOn appeared possll)le and Mies feqUIled to see .1 In
block fOfm. The developmenl edged bward. the
rhytlTn 01 structure and lhan rrutbon becolT"lln9 EMdenl aseach
SUCCc-.. .... e slaga 111 the Proooss hard(red up. As the des9'
becarne more resolved so lhe SOJIe of lhe SIu6( modelS
!I"O"NS 3d. Dr8"MllQS were no! ma' s a d unid the nformallC)n lhey
.... -ere 1IlIended lo:show had b 9& I venfied If'l modal fo"". FinaIty
fullsae mocIc. ups 01 a wW'Idow tMrv WOOId be COIlSbUCIed. In
elfect the W8S constI\lCted Inlhe offic:e befote be '-g
transmtttlCf ento mear as a 'M:II"kng ctawng for site .. Bs-.g
lItlered 'MIh haifrnodhr:l haIt ..... dBc' 1T'(+h1s lhe oIb

t embled a 'm ID mods 11 _didtc:Cln..
I
4 New NIlIIOf"\al Gal!ory.
1952-68. pian
-
-- ,
,
'1
I

O

f;t
)
I
c
) V'/

BUI certainly 01 all M'os' 10WOf'S. BBO/ B60 Lakeshore Orive
reflect mosl strongly the nflvence 01 lhe Chtcago School on lhe
bujng being desIgned in lhe ol1ice al lhal t.me. As wrth lhe
rT'Ia,lOl" gll)Up 01 bullcings al liT. a qUlle sepataleweathemg sJcio
01 Sleel lS applied as an ouler coal 10 lhe conaele fire-proofing
SU1round.ng lhe slructural SleeI. Slmultaneously. lhe SleeI
daddll"lQ represcnlS lhe malenars characl en511CS 01 lhe If"MSIbIe
slNct\JIal trame buned In lhe COIlCfele.
For Mies a more exacl and new architeclure had logicalty
evotved out 01 his recenl acQuainlancewilh lhe steel Irame. TIlo
gnd 01 rnJllions. spandreflS and cofumns appears 10 impose a
denser, more opaq.e penmelef walf lO lhe building. The
presence 01 the column al lhe edgo 01 lhe building appears 10
impan lhe wall with a Ihickness opproximallng 10 lhe lhickness
01 lhe OOIunYI rtself. Likewise. internally. lOf lhe same reasons.
Mies IflOO la avood a hall cotumn proOChng from a walf.
The mcpIanatoo 101 lhe colJITV"l being po.$llIoned al lhe
perwneler appears lO have Iess 10 do wllh the queslion al
sWctural dan1\' . and more 10 do wilh lhe practlCillJty 01
steet-.'iOfk c:onslruction. A cantilever catY"IOl be acheved Ifl
struC\Ufa1 steeM-'oO: al lhe edge 01 a /loor wllhoul Introduclng a
fongJtUd.na1 oerimoter doVi l'\Sland beam paraflel wilh lhe
ed9ll 01 the ro lhe cenlre line 01 lhe perlmeter c:oh.lmns.
ThiS IS neti,' 'MY ., order la connec1 lhe canlikM,!l'ed ed9ll 10
!he fIoor Wlth colInYiS s! back from lhe edge. ti IhIs
downstand IS rollO project benealh lhe 00111'19 piare. so
intCfTUPI!ng honzOfllal ifllegrtty 01 lhe spaco. a lafseCEllhng is
feQUlrod lO be I'I,ng benealh lhe beam lO cof'lCOOI il. If \he
Qp\llTlum C9ting heoghl iS theo 10 be retall"lOd en each fIoot. rt
has a consequenhal otfect on lhe helghl 01 the building and so
on \he costo
HQY.IeIe- lhe ovorafl elfect 01 lhe bulldlf19 IS sl'ffIy. c0nve01lon-
ally el !llc::et MIOS staled a preleo-ence lor lhe dIsoohneol 51001.
rrustrustll"l\) tt-e ClOIOO ed and somewhal haohalard process 01
PQt6ng OOtOllle 11"110 a mouk:l . MI$$ Etltoved lhe absok1lo
ch8racter 01 SlNCIUf8I steet Msemblies Wllh lhe xact and
pr8(;iJe mamar .... wt"Ich al! COIYl8Ctic:>ns are rnOOe. 1I was
It.elQtfJ pert\IIJ)5 surpRsing lhal MIOS was so versatlle when I1
became MI" E 1 5 5 n 10 choose COf'ICfUto as lhe principie S\NC1Uta1
mattntl. as al Barcarc;ll. dIJe lO lhe scarc1\' 01 steol in
Cuba 01". Ior '''''''11$ 01 eoonomics. as In lhe Iat61 apann'l6l'll
10001' b.l1t tor HOIbe!1 Gres loVsld WI\h l he 8.wep1.JOn 01 IhIt
lIPIWtITIent bbo;p" folewart.. NGw JGllW. wtoerelhe ground
fIoot .-wj (o,... oolJrTns .... 0111 nak:ed oonoelo. tho
lMIerW on \he lace of lhe building. 0fI lhe
MIES VAN DER ROHE: AN APPRECI ATlON
rnullOns. spandrel:s and clJsng <XMlr$ \O comer ond Orourd
fIoor was metol. As a result lang.Jage 01 Slet4
lacing &Iomed lO( liT Campus bUlIdll'\gs aod l he B80/860
to\vors. UlO COfICfete Sll\lclures 01 900 l akeshore Oave and
Commonwootlh apanmenls rroe! as melal ramed struc.
Mes. 11 was generally acceptcd 10 he office nal they were
made 01 OOf"ICrote because 01 me dlffiCllnv 01 set\IIQng lhe
peflmel Of convedor Wllh ha! or ook! water via VMIC(II risers
wl1h1n he coIumn casing when the collrm was out al lheedge
01 lhe Iloor. There is. howEM!t.lhe POSS.bof'lIvthat MtO$ prefEned
lhe Itghter. more eIegarIl 01 lhe hori2ontal exPff!5sionof
lhe edgo ollhe IIoor onty. allowing lhe impflClI pro:serce 01
COlurTV'l 10 Ile be/Wld lhe glass and $O requinng lhe use 01
COOCtete as toe structural malcrlals 10 ad'I.eve the
Elsewhete. MIEIS dld use conaete as a natumlty exprns:ed
material, as al lhe liT dom'IIlones 01 1953. he PromOnTOfY
apartmenls 01 1949 and Highfield House. BallJmore 01 1960.
exploltrng lhe quaflty 01 he malel'lallo ns folles! extenll:1( sudl
t edvvQueS as prOJE!Cling {he COlImn irNa( from lhe laceo! lhe
skin, and a1lowing illo redoce flan! 10 bock as thelOad IurthefUJ)
lhe building decteased.
What IS II"Ilerest.,g 10 note iS lhal MIeS. whether 1.1511"19 steel Of
concrele. frequenlly detailed OOlh rT'Ialenals as 1I lhe'{ hacI
eQually plastic proper1leS. The problems 01 corYleChng SleeI
WoOt by conllnuous presenlS coosiderable problems iI
dlSlOflion IS nol QOIng 10 resull from the ooncenlric heal 01 !he
... lelde(S lorch. PrecaulJOnS musl be 10 releare lhe
Slfe5Se$ sel up In lhe melal. SIee! prefers 10 be dry c:ornected l:Pf
txllting. There a-e neve' a", V\$IbIy bolled comectl()l'\$ in MIeS'
work. Foflowing Vv'eIding. lhe welds musl be ground StrOOlh lO
mergo lhe profi!e Wlh lhe neighboumg ffiE!(aI. Ths IS neoer a
strictly slralghllOfWard and e<X)o"lOnloC business. A good ex-
ample 01 lhe rnanner In wtUch Me> orefOfS lO elimnale lheOlf11
IS !he complicaled halved )Oml 01 lhe trame 10 lhe BalCelona
Chair Which is flfl$t'..,(t 10 amJlale a cashng. The steel c:offered
rib tool members 01 lhe tv.'Q-WiJ'{ spaMtlg rool SlructUIO of the_
BMn Nal lOf\al Gallery appear similar 10 he concrete nbs 01 lhe
B&eal d, OHice BUilding. l!lIe Cl'lppend.ale. MM!S delibefalely
suppressed lhe fegiblfltyof lhejo,nl . However. al lhesamebme.
Mies was atways careful to make en explanaban 01 lhe
alteg.ance and relatlOrlShrp 01 elemenls 01 conswctlOfl one 10
ano!.her The \oWldaw Imme and spandret panel beo-.eath Il St.IP'
poned berween lhe vertical muRions 01 l he office lower
each havo lhuIr own framing Plofile surround!ng aY
tour SIdas and dearty describmg lhe dlscreet chafScter 01 each. a
Iect'nlQUe whlCh invoIves ledYlIcally compbcaled delails 10
achleve a Slmpfe seMl()rl.
Parac:loxlcalty. bulln paraJlol. examLn8lion 01 lhe monumenl 10
Rosa luxemburg ilnd Karl l.iebknechl shows a b3sic QJbe
design lhal m.ghl halle been executed 1)( any membef oIlhe De
grouP. sudl as VantOf'lefQIOo. Van Esterefl . or Van
Ooesbutg: a design concEmed Wllh pto)Ccted and rOCU;lOO
planes. a design suoerlicla!ly appeanng lO be COI'ICEltned wilh
surlac::e. Vet. lhe mamer 01 OXOOJhon \S In ar1lCUlated.
dEeply raked joinlS 01 cfnker bnckv-lOr1t. Thus. !.he detailed
Implemel1!allOfl 01 bolh \he Barce' CM Cha". on lhe ()(\O hand.
and lhe UobknechtILuxemburg MO'"'-lment on lhe Olher.
fevealS a J)OI\IEtSIIy lhal botders on ma""et\sm. In lhe case el
lhe Liebknechl/ltDIemb.ug Monumeol. lhe 101015 MI rol
delalled '" a llWY'I(lt whIch endorSeS lhe dal'lty 01 lhe 8I(h1ec--
turalldo.'l. In lhe case 01 lhe Bafc e/coa (:hof. lheconnection iS
nol one IMI expfoilS the nature 01 lhe malenal.
II i.s Inlerest '"9 10 rol61MI MIOS butll on). Itvue 'whIO' hous.ng
PfOreCIS '" Europe. AlllkiVllSChe SlflI$SO. lhe IlJlsal
and !he Tugendhat House. Th6 remancter wi!le '" bnck.
No ..
1 lhnIe',e I s alter Moes NI(! CIk ... _ !toe eod.-.oIIItUe tt'II
o.iiCtO 01 u-.. .,., NIlM$oI TiId"""""" _ '60M 10 r'I$INCt
Iwn 1DOO.CI ..
99
00
Mies
JAMES GOWAN
A Mies bulkMg 5115 en the surloce 01 1he earth WlthOut
compromlSC It demands aUenhon. focuses me senses ando
1,1(0 many a mlracle. 11 del les reason The slyIe 15 Simple and
dlrect and mOle lhan a fe w mchl leclS have mls)udgcd lho
stratcgy by aSsuml1'lQ 1110 be as ct'Hldlsh as ll lOoks The prose
should have W<lfned them:
'The long p8lh frorn morenol through luncflon 10 Clea/lve
has onfy a single gool: ro CTf){J'e OIder out al rhe despemle
confuslOfl of OUT rime. -. Mies eoded hls Inaugural address to
the ArlT'lQUf Instltute 01 Techf'lOlogy Wllh 11 senlence lha! mus!
have sen! a wavc 01 pante Ihrough lhe aud,ence 'Nolh,,'Ig C.!Jn
express (he Blm and meanmg 01 OUf ",",rk belte, lhan lhe
profound" Otds o ( Sr Augusrme .. 8eaury 1$ mrhe spJendoor
o ( Tmfh '
me thlnklng betm'ld 11'115 arcMect's won: 15 eLabOfate. c;onvo.
luted and IllCOflsislenl The fragmented commenUlnes make
sense only when one remlnds oneself mal lhl5 IS a neocLaSSlC31
arctutee! addressing hunsell 10 htgh an, nol 11 ral lOr'\hsl Slrugg'
111'9 'Mth twen\le!h<enlury lechnology In an Alchl tec.tUfaJ
AssooatJOn Ouarterly artide en Mies al lhe Bauhaus. Sandra
Honey tells us 01 hlS parable 01 he two Slslers: ene ugly, one
beaulrful bul olherwise equalln every respecl - whlCh would
Ihe slvcfem Choose to marry7 - whlCtl. by my reckonll'9. Mies
gol wrong If he had been Slronger en h!S fa,ry tales he would
have known lhat Ihe p\aln gl rl becomes beaulllul when k,ssed
by Ihe pnnce
Olleachlng he says: 'fcJucarion must Iead us Imm lffespolIslble
opmlOll to true responsiblevdgment. 'Mosl 01 US \vould agfOO
'Mth IhlS bul would. however. be less than happy Wllh lhe
Iocat,on 01 the two departments in lhe Arts and Arcl'lItecture
bu'ldlng al he 1III00,s Instltute 01 TechflOlogy (Un: ono on lhe
sp!lC1OUS. well-lIt ground 'loor. and the othef In the basement
'EduClItIOIl . ' he saVS. 'must Iead us 110m ch8nce 000 (lf/)
tranlless fO f8tlOfl8l c/Qnry olld intel1ectual order_
The steel-lrame build,ng has two pronounced characte"stlC$;
one. II boles extremety clegant. ando two. '1 coIlapses QUICkty ,n
lire So. 'neY"ltabIy. '15 place In the SCheme 01 thlngs 15 al lhe
bottom 01 the pile. PfOPPlf'I9 a pnm,trve ,ntegumenl A concrele
l rame also has two ma,n characlenslJC5; ono. ,1 has a clumsy
appearance. as the MI8S 1923 ol flCe block proJf!Ct ,IIUStrl.lIOS.
and. two. ,t has reslStance 10 (re M,es van der RQ/"Ie comblnos
the acIvanl oges 01 both 01 thaso by screwing them logelher In
h,s lator. multt-Slorey proectS - Iho Ch.cago Commonweal\h
apartments. Seagr.lm ,n Park Avonue and 50 on ThIS has the
elloct 01 reduc,ng the role 01 lhe Sl ool compooenlS to appI,ed
dS-fOf311On; an assembly lhal is "nkOO l ogether by on Intncal e
technoeal artlCUlaoon thallS l ar removed trom the SO\Jrte ol'IS
pracllcal,ty bke vesltgaal olements on a Done entoblatul C
He 10115 us- 'Ar rros pomt rile pfOb/f1m o, rechnology 01 con
stfIJChOIl anses. We sha/I be COf'I(;f!I11eCI 'MtII genenc probkJms-
xOC'ems rtMted ro too VMue 8nd purpose o, 001 tec/moJogy.
We shWI $IIOw ",., tec/IIlOIogy flOr only promSO$ gteatnes$
ttndX;WBf". but aIsomvolves diJnt}efs.
10 II lIS 10 iJI hUfFlll'lllCrlOflS ' lhal tt 1$ OU' ta$k 10 moHe 1116 nght
-$>M .
The ConSl ruct'oo 01 mesl bu'ldlflgs .5 besel by cmmpmg le-
StrlCl lOf\S ond fegu\aIIQnS. partlCUlal1y those 019Lass Ir-cleed. II
wouid seem l hat MI8S ,s atlrac:l ed 10 the two meSI twardOUs
types 01 SlruCl ule. steel and glass Tt\ere ,s a Cede on glass.
numbefed 152. wh,ch puts archltecl s ,n o POS'llQn 01 culpable
IIIesponS,b,hlY " they use glass al IcJw Ic.WIf\ hous'ng or In a
conl e)(1 where Ihe voung ale Iroldang 1\ IS a 10M,..
1I0n 01 whlCh Inosl. bul certalf\ly not all. an:h, tects ere aware.
and ' 1 has obvlous aesl hel lC consequences whJCh mosto but
aga,n nalal!, engage Mies e)(pIa!ns' Wemust ulldefsrand /he
moflVeS alld 100COS o { OUI flme orw::llJna!yse fl"lev Sl fUCtrJre ' roro
rIlroo POInts 01 v.ew. lhe materia/. tIIe lunctfOll3( 8nd rhe
spmtlJ8/
lo \he corpus 01 M.es van der Rohe's wor1I: lhefe are several
lown plann'ng proteclS 01 assenrve nex lassocal bluntness _
and here I am Ihml:,ng partlCUlarly 01 \he 1928 remodelbng 01
the Alexanderplatz ,n BertJf\ - Splle bIocks lfI a bleai:. urbatl
enwoomanl. fedOOrned onty by an ,nternal inventNeness ll\at
mUSI Iargety be presume<! The slte prelimlf\aOeS 01 !he lIT
campus and the ChlCagO Convenoon Hall 01 1953 are vast
ground-teveU'ng undertak'ngs; c\earances tl"\al prOVIde a pIane.
e pn5\1ne surfoce lor build'ng upon_ As the prOfOC!S 'rocrease ,n
scale the!1 beauty becomes mole ephemeral en lhe ene nand.
more VICIOMO en lhe other; open loor spaces lumlShed Wllh
workers. structures fOOolenl wl lh overtenes 01 the Lasl cenlurv
Wllh 115 tall1CCS and !IS 'ron industnahs.atlOf\. As Lale as 1954. In
the Seagram BUlld,ng whOfe l hale .....-ere dearty no lilst<osl
,nhlbttlOf\s. the use 01 s,ngle. t'nted glass sugge5IS It"tat lhe
concem was more l ar heal eolcong the bUilding lhan \e.wlflg,t
In mese urbao proects. !.he boxy bu,ldlngs and tt\ell proMera-
1I0n 11nd verv 1,t1le bacIc-up ,n \he assertion thal We s/uII
examine OfIO by OfIe evety IUllCtlOfl o, a buildlflg {lOO use " 8S .J
biJSJs 101 101m.' The conte)(1 and the SUffOUndrngS 01 lhase
exeloses could reasonably ,nvolco' . BUikJlngs 01 stone as \VeA
wfl8t (l{Jtural/ceIng they express . _ whor bertcr examples
101 yoong 8rclll/ocrsl'
As M.eS van der RQhe' s \\iOf1I; e.:.:tendS trom 1"115 earlv housong
SIIJdIO$ and lhe perfectlOfl 01 8r"no. '1 becOmes less preoct\I
PlOO Wlth human clCll\lllles. more general more obstract. ancl
Ihrough Ihls ononymlly g:nhers 10 11 new aUl3l'"lCes lhe buSI-
ness. lhe corpomto, and lhe orgafllSllllOOa1 .... 'OIkls The
arch'lecMe lhat has dlSengagcd 'Isel! Irom ,IS ,nspnred roots
In lhe sensas _ .ndlVldual pleasure. lOOCh. leehng. ilnd Slghl -
h.3s lound through DO nccumulallOll 01,15 ",helenl ambogu,UOS
unsuSpectod and cMllCf usages.
One wonders whal would have l\appened ,1 MIOS had SUlve<l !O
Europe' would he h..1VO SImpty betln a!1owed lO Sl iltve gr3Ce-
lul ly? he Sl atus. beloro he undersfood the New WO<1d
C\Jlturc i10d 115 dem3ndS he $lid. Wllh wh..111lOW Oppc ....rs 10 be
a cooSldaroble ,nnocenct) 'Syou1 prachCi1I6IfTIS. arobof.Jnd
to me spl!CIflC Slfllcture 01 OUt epodt au, 011 me
othor h:Jnd. 1Jf0 fOOtBd '" the spdltwl fUturO 01 mM!
NlQUOD1011S ' Ul ftom M .. s PI" " .)oI"ln#n IMuseum
01 Mm""" ArI. NfM' '1'0'1..1. pp 191...s!>
101
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe:
Chronology of his life and Work in Europe
1886 lud\"Jig Mies bom on 27 Match In Aachen
(Oled 17 Augusl 1969 In ChtCilgo)
1892- Educated al the Volksschule, Domschule.
1904 and Abern:kmd-Sonntagschule in Aachen
1902 Tralnee on bUlldmg Slles; worked for hls
falher
1903 4 Apprenttced 10 a 11m) 01 archttects and
designers In Aachen; worked as a
draughtsman
1905 Moved 10 Berlln; employed by Berln
Borough 01 RfXdorl 10 fumlsh COunol
chamber
1905-7 Apprenticed 10 Bruno Paul; designed
YlOOden fumtlure
1906-7 Auended Slaatliche KunSlschule des Kun-
stgewerbe Museums zu Berln
1907 ViSlted ltaly
Villa Rlehl
1908-12 Employed by Peler Behrens; Job archltecl
on German embassy In SI Petersburg
1911 Villa Perls
1912 VISlted HolJand
KrOller House project
Bismarck Monument project
191 3 Opened pnvate praCllce In Berltn-
lichterfeld; mamed A.dele Bruhn; changed
surname to van der Rohe
Villa on me Heerstrasse /destroyed)
Villa Wemer
,
102
1914
1914-5
191 fH;
1919
1921
1922-5
1923
1923-4
1923-,5
1924
1924-6
192fH;
1926
Moved to Ber1inTiergarten
House for the Archrtect projects
Villa Urbig
Mhlary seNice
Villa Kempner project
JOlned the DeUlscher Werkbund
Glass Office Bwldmg project
Villa Kempner (destroyed)
Villa Petermann pro;ect
Joined !he Novembergruppe
Skyscraper Pr<ljeCI
Villa E1chstaedl
Director of archltecturaI exhibrtions for the
Novembergruppe
Concrete Oftiee Building project
8nck Country House project
Concrete Country House project
Villa Eliat project
Virla lesslng proiect
JOlnt edllor 01 the magazme G
Chairman 01 Ihe Zehnerring
T raffic T ower project
Villa Mosler
Haus Wolf (deslroyed)
Memonal lo Rosa luxemburg and Karl
uebknecht (deslroyed)
1926-32 VICe-Presldent 01 me Deutscher Weri:.bund
1926-7 Director 01 Wer1cbund exhlbltion The DNeII-
Ing' at We'ssenhof, Slungart
1 Offlce 8ung. 1921
2 ah" Stvtc:t .... 1921
3 Bncl Hoo..s. HI1J
.. el _ N.bQIW Pe. "P. 191'9
6 He" i 'ldI .. 1. 1928.JO
e Hn..1I ra-,..Br "'Bubiog

, ,
Apartments on Afrikamsche Strasse
Apartments al Welssenhof
Industrial exhiblls al Welssenhofsiedlung
, 927-38 CoUaboration with lJIty Reich
1927 VeJvet and Sllk Caf' (sllk exhibn Wl th 1I11y
Reidl)
1928 Extension to Villa Fuchs (preYlOUsly Villa
Perls)
Remodelhng 01 A1exanderplatz project
Adam Building project

Stuttgart Bank Building proJec1
Haus lange
Haus Esters
1928-9 Directora! German contnbuUon 10 Barcelona
IntematlOnal Exhibition
German National Pavilion and AEG Pavlbon
lboth dismantledl
Industrial exhibits al Barcelona (Wllh LJI Iy
R";chl
1928-30 Haus Tugendhat
1929 Office on Friedrichstrasse projeclS
1930-2 Director of the Bauhaus at Dessau
1930 Interior of Phillp Johnson's New York apart-
ment (with Lilly Reich)
Krefeld Country Club project
War Memorial project
Gencke House project
NoIde House project
1931-8 Member of Prussian Academy 01 Arts

1
,

1931
1932
1932-3
1933
1934
1935
1937
1937-8
1938


Jaln! director (wnh lIlty RelCh) 01 Werkbund
exhibitJOn !he Dwelhng 01 OUI Time' 10
Berlln
Model House. Apartment for a BacheIor
(both dismantled)
Court-house projects
Row Houses project
Haus Lemke
Krefeld Silk Factory CompleJ<
DIrector 01 Benln Bauhaus
RE!ldlsbank project
Mlnlng and ex>al exhibrt In 'German PeopIe.
Gerrnan Wor1( exhibloon
Fllhng stallOO prOject
German Naoonal PcMbon prqect (for 1935
Brussels Intemanonal Extubitionl
Countrv House projects
Mountain House for the Ard'utect proiect
Hubbe House pto;ect
Ulrich lange House projects
Krefeld Adml mstratlOn BUilding Protett
Visited United States of Amenca; appomted
Director 01 the Armour tnstitule. O"ucago
Resor House project
Group of Three Court-houses project
Emigraled lrom Germany and settled In
Chlcago

. --
,




103
Bibliography
Writings bV Mies van der Rohe
1M t haS ocen cxffXred (rom Moes van del AOhe by PhlltJ) e
..JohnSOtt p221. wncro mosl 01 rile .wMgs ron be found
rransI4:ed IfIt o EngltSh (Xl pfJ 187-96
'Hochhauspro,ek fUf Bahnhof Fnedrichsltasse In Berlln',
FtuhIJCh( Jonuary 1922. pp122- 24
G June 1923. (repnnted In pan by Adolf
MUnlch 1926, p701
' Sauen' , G. $epteml)er 1923, pI .
'Gef6s1e Aufgaben: Elne Forderung an unser BalM'esen ,
Die BaU\velt, 27 December 1923. p719 .
'BaUKUnsl und Zeltwille' , De, Ouerschnm. Apnl 1924,
pp31-32 ba d M' ,
fAel/iewl 'P Tropp: Entwicklung und Auf u el lele .
DieBaugilde. 15 Match 1924, p56 .
'Induslriahsierung des Wohnungsbaus- elne Material
frage',DerNeubou.10ApnI1924,p77
'Induslrielles Bauen', G. June 1924, ppS- l1
'ariefe an Die Form', Ole Form, January 1926. p 179
'Zum neuen Jahrgang (an 01 AtezJer)' and 'Rundschau:
Zum neuen Jahrgang', Ole Form. February 1927. PP 1
aod 59
'VOf"'VOIt' and 70 menem Block', Wetssenho(slfJdlung
(Deulscher Werkbund exhrbrtion cataloguel. Slutlga"
1927, pp7 and 76-85
'E,nleltung, Werkbundausstellung Ore Wohnung Slun-
ga'''. OIf!FOIffl. September 1927. p257
'Zum Thema: Ausstellungen', Dte Form. Apnl 1928.
p121 .
' Bauku!'\St In der Wende der Zer!". InnendekoratlOn.
June 1928. p262
'bel Sinn und Aufgabe der KntJk'. Das Kunsrbfal1. June
1930. pl 7a
'Ole neue Zer! SchluBworte des Aeferats Mies van der
Rohe auf der VViener Tagung des Deutschen Werk-
bundes', OteForm, 1 August 1930. p406 (repnnted op
en 15 Oetabe! 1932, p306)
'Haus H, Magdeburg', Die Schlldgenossen. no 6. 1935.
pp514-515
'Museum', Archlrecturaf Forum. May 1943. Pp84-85
UntroduCl1Ol1 tolludw1g Hl lbersel mer. TIle New Ory,
ChlCago 1944, pxv
'A Tribute 10 frank lIoyd Wnght' . The Callege An
.1Ollmal. Autumn 1946. pp41-42
IAddress 10 he 37th Associatlon 01 Colleglate Schools
01 Archfleclure Annual ConvenuonL Journal 01
Atchrrec1uraIEducatlOfl, Summer 1951, pp13- 15
The End 01 the Bauhaus', North Carolma UnivefSJty
Stete CoI/ege 01 Agriculture and Engmeenng, Spring
1953, ppl6-18
IAcceplance Speech Upon AeceMng lhe GoId Medal 01
(he AmerICan Inslllute 01 Archll ectsL JOUrnal 01 the
Amencan /nstlture ol Archrrecrs, June 1960, ppOO-S 1
AddllJOnal, In part unpublrshed WTltlngs In Pt"u1tp C JOOn-
son, MieS van de' Rohe, 3rd reVlsed edllJon, Nev.r
York 1978, ppl 86 204
Booo..
8111, Max, Ludwtg MieS van der Rohe, MIan 1955
8lake, Peler, The Master BUlIders, New York 1960
- ,M(Js van der Rohe.' Architecrure StnJcrure.
Harrnondsworth 1963
B1aser, Werner, MI6S KJIJ d6r Rohe: Ths Att o( Srruc-
ture, l.ondon 1965
'-, AfterM .... O>irago 19n
-- ,Mies VIIJ del Rohe Fumitute lInd Intaus.
Woc<bJry 1982
104
) Bonta. J p. MIes V(ln del Roho ' eorcelona 1929. Barce-
lona 1975
Carter, Pelor, Mies van derRoheat Work, London 1974
Ore>cler, Arthur, Ludwtg Mies van der Rohe, New York
1960
Hilberse,mer, LudWIg, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, New
York: 1960
H,IChcock:, Henry-Russell and Phlhp Johnson, Thelnter-
natlonalSryle; Arctlltecturesmce 1922. NewYork 1932
Johnson, Philip C, Mies van der Rohe. New York: 1947,
1978
Jordy, Wilhnm, 'The l acon,c Splendor 01 Ihe Metal
Frame: Ludw'g Mies van der Aohe's 860 Lak:e Shore
Orive Apartments and Hls Seagram BUilding', In
Amedcan Bwldiflgs and Thell Arch,recrs: The Impacr
01 EUlopean Modermsm m the Mld Twenfleth Ceno
tury, Wilham Pearson (00), pp221 77, NewYork: 1972
Pawley, Manln, Mies van del Rohe, New York: 1970
Schulze, Franz, Mies van dor Rohe: Imenor Spaces,
Chicago 1982 ,
---, A Cricaf B>graphy. (pubhshed In assoclatlon
wilh the Mies van der Rohe Archive of l he Museum
01 ModernAn, New York), Chi cago ane! London 1985
Spaelh, David A. Mf8s van del Rohe, l oreword by
Kenneth Frampton, london and New York 1985
Speyer, A James, Mies van der Rohe, Chlcago 1968
Tegethoff, Wolf. 018 Vrtlen und Landhausp'OJkre van
Mies van der Rohe, Essen 1981 (Enghsh edltlon. Mies
van der Rohe The Villas and Counrry Houses, New
York: 1985)
Wingler. Hans Mana, The &uhaus We,mal. Oessau.
Berfm. ChlCcgo, Cambndge, Mass 1969
Articles
'Archllekt Ludwig Mies' Villa des Prol Dr Riehl In
Neubabelsberg'. Modeme &ulolmen, no 9, 1910,
pp42-48
Beeby, Thomas, 'Vi truvi us Americanus: Mies' Orna-
ment', InlandArchirecr, May 1977. ppl2- 15
'Ole Bewohner des Hauses Tugendhat sich', Ole
Form, 15 November 1931, pp437-39
Bier. Justus, and Walter Riezler. ' Kann man 1m Haus
Tugendhat wohnenl', Ole Form. 15 Octoba, 1931.
pp392-94
Bler, Justus, ' Mies van der Rohes AetChspavlllon Barce-
lona', Die Form, 15 August 1929, pp423--30
Blak.e, Peter, 'Ludwig Mies van der Aohe', Arclllrectural
FOlum, November 1947, pl32
Caf1er. Peler. ' Mies van del Rohe: An AppreciallOn on
the OccaSJon. lhls Month. 01 his 75th Blrthday',
ArchltecruraJ Design, March 1961. pp95 121
'Cf'O'M'l HaO, IIlinois Inslltute 01 T echnology', ArcIutectural
1956,ppl34 39
Orexlef. Arthur. 'Seagram Buddng', Archttec:tIIlIIRecorrI.
July 1958. ppl39--47
'FamSWOrth House', ArdutecturBI Forvm, October
1951, pp156-62
Gammar, Watther, 'Der Oeutsche Pavlllon aul der Inter-
nationalen Ausslellung. Barcelona', Die &ugIIde, no
11, 1929,ppl654 57
Glseser, Ludwig, and Yulo Futagawa, 'Mies ven der
Rohe: Famsworth House. Plano. IIhnois 1945-50',
GbI! AteJ-"tectute. no 27. 1974
'GIass House SIenIS: Flmsworth House', Ns""-K88k.
8June 1963. peo
Jr 1181. 'RefJlttiOnS on the Mies CantenniaJ',
At<NI&t:rutrI".." Il0l68, no 1. 1988
..,GIaJenlr:wttp. C),Jrt. 'MIel wn der Roto,. Gil,,,, .. In
,Berhn', Das Kunsrblatt, Apnl 1930, pp 11 1_ 13
Hllberselmer, LudWIg, 'Elne Wrdlgung des Prolelctes
Mies van der Rolle IOr die Umbauung des Alexander
platzeS' , Das IY,au,e Ber/ln, Febn.ary '1929. pp39-4 1
Honey, Sandra. Mies at the Bauhaus', Archltecturol
Assoclatlon OU8rrerfy, no 1, 1978, pp5 1-59
- - , Who and What Insplred Mies van del Rohe In
Arc.hltectural Design, no 314, 1979
, The Ofllee 01 Mies van der Rohe In Amenca'
UlAllntemartona! Archltect, no 3, 1984 '
' l iT Dedlcates Crown Hall. New Oesign BUi lding by
Mies', Archltectural Forum, June 1956, pp1 7 ane! 21
Jordy, vyil ham: 'lhe Aftermath 01 me Bauhaus inAmenea:
GroplUS, Mies and Breuer', PerspectNes in American
History, no 2, 1968, pp485-543
Kuh, Kathenne, ' Mies van der Rohe : Modern Classieisf
$awrday Review, 23 January 1965, pp22- 23, and 6 i
'Metal s and Mlnerals Researeh Building, minOIS Insti tute
01 T eehnology' , Architectural Forum, Novembel
1943, pp88-$O
' Mies Designs Plans l or the World's Largest Conventlon
Hall', An::htectural Fotum, Oece: tlber 1953, :p43 and 45
'Mi es' Farnsw orlh House Wins 25 Yr Award', Amencan
Insdtute of Architects JoumaJ. March 1981, pp9 and 12
' Mies' One-Olfiee Olliee Building', Architectural Forum,
February 1959, pp94-97
' Mies Speaks " 1 Do Not Design Buildlngs, I Develop
BUlldi ngs" ', Architectural Review, December 1968,
pp451-52
' Mtes van der Rohe', Arts andArchltecture, April1955,
ppl6-1B
'Mies van der Rohe: A Chapel ', Arts and Archltecture,
January 1953, pplS-19
'Mies van der Rohe' s New Buildings' , Archltecturaf
Forum, November 1952, pp93-11 O
'Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin', Die Bauwelt, 16 Seplem-
ber 1968, pp1209- 26
Pel ersen, Steven K, 'ldealized Space: Mies-Conceptlon
or Realized T ruth?', Inland Afchitect, May 1977, p4-11
Rawls, Marion, 'An Exhibi tlon 01 Archi tecture by Mies
van der Rohe', Bulletin 01 the Art Institue of ChictJgo,
December 1938, pI 04
Read, Helen Applelon, 'Germany al Ihe Barcelona
Work:l's Falr', Arts, Oelober 1929, ppl 12-13
Ruegenberg, SerglUS, 'Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
(1886 19691', Deutsche Bauzeitung, 1 September
1969, p660
Serenyi, Peter, 'SpulOza, Hegel. and Mies: The Meanlng
01 I he New National Gal1ery in Berlln', Joumal of the
Socieryof Ivdlltectural Histonans, Octobet 1971, p240
Sweeney, James Johnson, '1nbute tO Ludwig Mies van
der Rohe', IIlinois Instltute 01 Technology, 25 OClober
1969
Weslhelm, Paul, ' MteS van der Rohe: Entwlcklung
elnes Archttelcten', Das Kunstblatt, February 1927,
ppSS-62
Winter, John, 'Mlsconcepl lOns at)ool Mies', Ivchltectu-
ro' ReVIfJw, February 1972, pp95- I 05
Zervas, Chnstlan, 'Mies van der Rohe', Cahl6rs d'Arr, no
3, 1928, pp3S-38
Zevi, Bruno, 'Mies van der Rohe e Frank Lloyd Wrighl :
poel l dello spazio', Metron, Juty/AuguSI 1950, pp6 18
Intervlews
Cadbury-Brow
n
, H T, ' Ludwig Mies van der Rohe at Ihe
AA', AFchltecrural AssooB(lOn Joumal, August 1959,
pp2646
Canel, Peter, ' Mies van der Rohe', Bauen + Wohnen,
BIBUOGRAPHY
July 1961, pp229-48 {contalns excerplS 110m an In-
tervlewl
- -, 'Mies', 20rh Cenrurx Spnng 1964 ppl38--43
Conrads, Ul nch, 'Mies In Berlin', Bavvveft A,chN 1 (Iong_
plaYlng gramophone albuml, Berhn 1966
ConVf3r$8rlons Regardmg the Futvre 01 A1chlrectvre
Reynolds Metals Company, Kentucky
IExcerpls from an IOterviey. wilh the Bayrischer Rund-
lunk on the occaSlon 01 his 80th blnhdayl Der
Alchltskr. Oelober 1966, p324 '
Kuh, Kathertne, 'M ies van der Rohe: Modero Classiclsf
, RBVlSW, 23 January 1965, pp22- 23 and 6i
Mies Speaks', (Eng,hsh translal ion 01 pan 01 recorded
Inl eM 6W wlth Ulnch Cooracls), Architecrural Rewew
Oecember 1968, pp451-52 '
' Mies van der Rohe: Ich mache nlemals eln BIId' Die
Bavwelt, 6 Augusl 1962, pp884 es
among other thi ngs, exeerpts Irom a 8BC IntelVlew oi
May 1959)
Nelson, George, 'Archll ecl S 01 Europe T oday 7: Van der
Rohe, Germany', Pencil Points, September 1935
.
Norberg-Schulz, ChnSl tan, '1alks wlth Mies van der
Rohe', L 'Archltecture d'aujourd'hUi, September
1958, pl00(ln Gennanas mlt Mies van
der Rohe', Baukunst vndWerkfonn, November 1958,
ppSl 5-161
Schulze, Franz, '1 always wanled to KnoW about truth'
Panorama (supplemenl 10 the ChlCiJgO Daily NelVs):
27 Apnl 1968
Shankland, Graeme, 'Archttect 01 Ihe MClear and
Reasonable-' Mi es van der Rohe', The l.Jstener, 15
Oetober 1959, pp620-22
'6 Student s talk Wlth Mies', (mleMeW 01 February 13,
19521, Master Builder, Nonh Caroltna State College,
Spnng 1952, pp21 - 28
Catalogues and Spec::ial Publications
Earfy Work of Mies van der RO/lB, catalogue 01 the
exhibltlon at the Building Centre Trust. Londan 1979
Four Great Makers of MocJem Archltec1Ure (verbatlm
record 01 a SymPOSIUm), Universiry 01 Columbia, Ne-.-v
York 1963
Lu(jwg Mies van der Rohe: Furnl(ure and Furnlture
Drawings (exhlbtllOn catalogue' text by Ludwtg
Glaeserl, Museum 01 Modern An, New YOlk 1977
Mies van der Rolle {exhib!tion catalogue texl by
Fredenck Kcaper). Art InstlIJIe, ChK:agO 1968
Mies van der Rohe: The Barcelona PaVlIion 50th
AnnNefS8ry (texl by Ludwig Glaeser), Museum 01
Modero Art, New York 1979
Mies van der Rolle: Drawmgs m (he Collection of (he
Museum of Modern AA (text by Ludwlg Glaesar),
Museum 01 Modem An, New 1969
MIes vander Rolle: European Work 1901-1938(exhlbt-
Ilon catalogue: Oamsh texl by Sandra Honev), Sels-
kabet lor At1citekturhlslone, Copenh9gen 1980
Smithson, Ahson ane! Peler, MieS vander Rohe, (English
and Gelman texl ), Technical UnlV9f$l tY, 8erhn 1968
Bibllographles
8iockwel
l
, Jesste F F, MIes van def Rolle A Bib/IOgr8PIw,
Royal Instltule 01 Bntish Al c/lllects (limit ad e<huonJ.
London 19&1
Spaeth, David A. . An
ratOO York and
LondOn
lOS
RESUME
Rsum en
Un Cilrtaln paradoxo. un pal mi tanl d'autres.
allhge I'awlude des cnhQues actuels de rar-
ctllle<:lure des pres londatours du mouve-
mem moderno. La plupart des archi lecl es tes
plus connus se dlngent malntenanl vers un
renouveau du style no-classiQue. lout en
relenan! la lochnrque du mouvement
moderne. Cependanl, ils sombrenl prouver le
plus gtand mpns 3 I'gard du plus class1que.
en sensrbrht du motns. de ces anclres. Mies
van der Rohe. le paradoxe eSI done;e SUIVsnt :
commenl I'oeuvro d'un tel archllecl e $1
ment fonde sur un hmage classiclsl e, paut -
elle etre dclar hors de comba! dans le dbal
actuel domin par les problemes d'hlsl oriogra
phie el d'dec\lsme alors qu'll elan. el se
voy311 lui-mme. profondment concern par
I'hntage de la tradillon claSS1Quel
le suje! de ceue pubhcal lQn repose sur la
jeune carrire de Mies avanl qu'il ne qui n e
r Europe pour I'Amnque en 1938, alors qu'il
avM dja eu le temps d'exercer son talenl el
de se l alre un nom dans les canons. la
premlre mol l i de sa carnere poul elre dlvi
se en deux partles, Ccel vers 1922. l'essal
bIographique de Sandra Honey prclse bien
que IUSQU'S ceHe opaque, Mies lait un anl.
san e:ctremement habi1e, conSINlsant dans un
style dpouill el austerement classlque qUI
dut beauooop 11 Mutheslus, Berlage et surtout
s Schlnkel et aux produCllOns du bureau de
Peter Behrens. 11 semble que le moment
dcl sl f de sa vle artlva Iorsque Walter Groplus
relusa d'cxposer le prOlet de Mies pout la
MalSOll KrUer dans son 'ExposltlOn POOl
Archltectes loconnus' de 1919 SII 'on en erOlt
Mies, Groplus justifla Sil dc:l sion alnSI; 'Noos
na pouvons pas /'exposer, nous sammos a 18
recherch6 do quelque choso do complre-
m6n! dlffren! '.
Une Simple CtltlquO comme celle-c:i cont nbuo
aux pllodes lgantos de I'hlstolre m8IS na
lall pas toulo I'hlslol re Son ImmerSion dans
t'atmosphero passlOnne du Ber1ln post.Ver-
53ll1es, alnSI que son propro sentlment de
I'espnt do I'poquo, contributrent reRemen!
su changement survenu 11 V eut gaternent se
propre approche fondlmentabste. Pour Mies.
les Q\.IestlOl'lS taient toujours embItieuHI:
qu'est-ce qu'une 81ructure, qu'une endoIure

quun Son upflnance nonl 'IllU
pon .. , qu' " 'Q/''I11 d'une recherdte PlrIOfr
neUe, entrfIPI\M IVIO cfautlnt pIua di fer'l.
qu'd n ... ah ... ItICUtlln de GIDSJiuI.
toe
M31S SI nouS on revenons su trallement para-
doxal que Mios maintenanl. peuHHre
n'esloCe pas plus cett e queshon de fondamen-
talisme qUI le rend si dlf!lc!le a comprendre7
Les Smlthson n'onHls pas dcl ar publique-
ment : 'Mies es! grond mais Corb communi-
que'. D'autres ont qualifl son oeuvre d'archl-
l ecture du silence.
Si Jamals Mies s' attaquM a des quest lons plus
fondamentales el pouvai t y rpondre bril1am-
ment, ces rponses se Ifouveralent sous la
l orme d' archtypes, copiables parce-qu'l ls
menent a des sol utlons convalncantes. Mals
bien sur, on reproche a Mies le molndre bUIl-
ding revtu de murs rideau, la mOlndle glllle
de logement et le moindre intrieUl neutre, A
examlner certalns points fondamentaux, Mies
s'oUre IUI-mme presque de (acto a do telles
accusatlons. Son travall est de 10uto facon
indissoJublement h a la tladltlon classiclste et
les premlres construCl ions en furent bien la
pleuve.
Contralromen! ate Corbusler, MIes n'tM pas
vralmonl commumcallf. Sa rticence S parler
en public, sa lalble produCl ion de pieces
c: ri tes suffisent a l' carter el ti interprter son
aUltude, bien facilement d'atlleurs, comme
une Inlentlon monomanlaque de travalller sur
des Idees personnelles ot Inconlestables Son
attl tude au travall se lapprochall cepandanl de
celle d'un invanteur En rahl, il fuI le premier
a ludler la posslblht de bAtir un de
verre, le plemier S mtroduire uno machlnelle
dlscrete el sllencleuse-pensoz aux moteurs
qUI actlonnent la fermetule et J'QiJvorture de
celtO immenso balo vltlo dans le 5310n de la
Malson Tugandhst--el le premler 8organ.sor
une vlllltable manll estatlon du Sty10 InlematlO-
nal ti Wel ssenhof en 1927
La grandeur de Mies repose au moins sur son
aptltl.lde 8 rechercher los limites de ,'oxpri-
mentatlQn architecturale. Se c:onl.snce en la
matll!tre prevlant moln. d'un approfondiSIl
men! sneux de ses connalssences historio
qu .. et phdosophiQUQ, bien Qu'i llut c:.rtain.
Ma:lt un homme cultiv6 d'un gen,. QUt n. pu
exlster Que daos le BerUn de )'entre<feux
guerrea. Que de son nvolr construire James
Gowan. ce,.".mem un dea an:hItectes les
== ::1:, ':t'::n=.etc:s:.r.:. e:
....r tWIl;,," \1M) fJcbdne InlDUChl'lCt
tgard _"'7*1 liJA .. tn'dIl .......
conStruchons de Mies ont la nature des solu,
IIOns universelles. Si ce but est atteln\.
commo Paul Rudolph a remarqu, en c:artant
les problemes, il eSI galement l i, comme le
dlt Gowan, 'aux deux matnaux les plus hasar-
deux, le verre el facrer',
Adllan Gale dba! ce probleme dans son 05SaI,
en tant que personne ayant enllepris uno
priode d'apprenllssage chez Mies Pour IUI 11
na s'agll pas tanl de l onctlonnaht que d'un
devoll moral de rechercher l'expresslOn la plus
conomique d' une percepllon idahse. La
Malsan Farnsw orth en eSI peut-tre la preuve
irrlutable, un espace dos avec un vaSIO
placard Indus dans le plan de lacon prvOIr
d'autres espaces.
L'conomle du geste es! sremont ce qUl rend
MIes dlfficlle lt comprendre, d'autant plus que
la professlon architecturale semble avol r t s
celle poque riche en ornements el en artlC\l-
latlons. Ce qUI est loutelols manlfesle dans
son oeuvre, c'est celle ide de I'archllecture
qUI inSiste sur le falt que toute Idee d'espace
devratl tro s la source de toute productlon.
Deutsche Zusammenfassung
Ore heutigen Knt lker, die 51Ch mil der Architek-
tUI der 'GrOndervliter ' del modernan Bewe
gung befasser., leldon In Ihren Ansichlen an
enel gewissen Paradoxie. die OUf cine von
VIcIen 1St Ein G/oBlorl der mOISllrtu:men Ar
chllekten tendlert lU elner Wlederbelebung
der neoklasslschen BllderspraChe. w!lhrend
sla 51Ch glelchzelt'g wellerhln del planenschen
Technrken der modernan Bewegung be-
drenen_ Ihre 9r0l118 Verachlung schelnt aller-
dmgs dem zumindestens In bczug au' some
Senslblhl1i1 klassl$chsten aller Klassrker untcr
diesen Vo/laulero. Mies van der Rohe. VOl-
behalten IU sem. Das Paradoxon 1St also
dieses: Wie kann man das Werk cines solchen
Archllekten. das so erndeutrg aul klassl$chem
Strl bestreben und Erbgul beruht, In der heu\t
gen Debatte fr hors de combar. also fUr
erledl9t erklti ren. elner Debatte. die van Prob-
lemen hlstonscher und eklektischer Natur be-
herr scht 1St. wo er doch-auch In seiner
Elgenauffassung-selbsl so eingehend um die
ererbten klasslschen Tradltlonen bemOht war?
Thema dieser Ausgabe Slnd die IrOhen Jahre
in Mies' Karnere. bevor er 1938 von Europa
nach Amenka 91n9. Zu jenem Zeltpunkt hane
er beretts genug gebaul. um Slch selnen Plall
im Kanon IU slchern. Diese ers!e Hijllte selnel
laufbahn UiB! slch In lWel AbschMte unter
tellen, die Trennhnle 1st das Jahr 1922_ Aus
Sandra Honeys blographischem Essay gehl
helVOf, daB Mies bis dahln em auBerordentlich
verSlerter 'Geselle' war. dessen Baustll die
entblOBte und ntlchlerne, klasslsch ollentierte
Sprache wlederspiegelte. wolcho weltgehend
Mutheslus. Senage und vor allem Sctunkel
und dan Arbelten des SOros von Peter
Behrens IU verdanken iSI Der Wendepunkt
war olfenbar erreicht, als Waiter Groplus es
ablehnle, Mies' Projekt lr das Kroller Haus In
seme 'Ausstel1ung unbekannter Archltekten'
von 1919 aullunehmen. lau! Mies rechller
l.gte Groplus saine Entscheldung so: ' Wir
knnon das Pro/ekl n/chr ausste/len. wlr
suchen erwas vollkommen anderes/'
Eino elnzelne kllllsche AuBerung dleser Art
machi sich gut m der Geschlchtsschreibung,
sagt abertlng!.t nlchlalles. S(lIn Emlauchen i n
die T, ol bhausalmosph3ro dos Borl ins nach
dem Versalller Vetrag und sel n olgones
GespOr 101 den damahgen lOllgelst Slollon
emen glaubhalten Belllng IU dem Wandol
dar, dOI Slch VOl1log. Auch war da die mnore,
fundamontahSllScho Elnstollung--dlo Fragon.

die Mies sich sl ell te. waren Immer hOhorer
Ordnung : Was iSl elne SUuktur. eine Fl3che.
Raum? Der Hlmergrund lijBt vermulen, daB es
slch hler um el n privatos Forschungsstrebcn
handelle, das ob der mangolnden Unterstt
lung seitens Groplus nlcht wenlger ellrlg ver -
lolgt wurde.
Um Jedoch aul die paradoxe Behandlung
lurcklukommen. die Mies heutlutage e;
fahrt . hegt es nlcht vlelmehr gerade an dlesem
Fundamentalismus. der es so schwlellg
machI. ihn IU verSlehen) Ole Melnung der
Smlthsons 1st bekannt: 'Mies Isr groBaNig,
aber Corb teilt sich mrr. ' Andere belelchnelen
seine Arbeit als elne Archlteklur der SlllIe_
Wann Immer Jedoch Mres slCh Fragen
fundamentalerer Nalur zvwandte und diese erloq.
relch beantwortete, lrugen diese AnlWOrten die
Form von Urbldern. koprerbalen Or.glnaJen. wel!
sre Oberzeugende lbsungen darstellten Aber
dafr nlmml Mies natulhch auch die Schuld fur
Jedes mlt Vorhangwnden verblendele
Hochhaus. jedes Huserrnster und fur lede sanlte
!nnenanSlcht aul slch. Dadurch, da!1 Mies be
stlmmte fundamenlale Fragenkomplexe
erforschl. glbl er SICh bemahe de (acto solchen
Anschuld'gungen plel s. Selne elgene Arbell ISI
Jedoch unt.ennbar mil der klasslsch ausgench-
teten TradlttOll verbunden, saine Iruhen
Bauwerke machen die mehr als deutllCh.
1m Gegensau zu le CorbuSler war Kommuni
ka!lon flIcht Mies' SI!'irke. Selne Abneigung
gegen 6ffenlhche Reden, selne gennge Pro-
duktlon an geschnebcnen Abhandlungen
machen es nUI noch olnlache . Ihn als elnen
Monomanen abzulun, der nur daraul aus 1St.
seme elgenen, unbestnttenen Ideon baulich
umlusetlen. In seme. AfI, an selne Arbelt
heranlugehen. wlfkte er Jedoch bernahe WIO
ein Ertinder. El war dOI elste. der sen6s die
MOghchkel1 emes vollkommen verglasten
Wolkenkratlers studlorle, der erSle, der in
uneuldllnghcher. bedechlor Welso Maschrnen
In seln Konzopllntegrlerte--man denke en diO
Motolen. werche diO Ileslgo Glaswand 1m
Wohnlimmer des TugendhatHauses hoban
und senkton-und 1927 OIganlslorl e el als
erster eine ochl e MefllleslOton des 'Interna
tionalen 5111s' In Welssonhol .
Mies' Gr6Bo liagt zumlndestons In selner
Flhlgket, In dor Archl1ektur den Sp
1
el
r
8um
lum Expenmontleron zu Ilndon Das hlorzu
RESUME
er10rderhche Selbstverlrauen mu!1 el wohl
wenlger aus seinen IntenSlven Slrelllugen In
die Geschichte oder In die Phllosoph,e ges,
ch6plt habefl-()bwohl el slcherhch elner Jene.
kull lvl erten Menschen war. die nur 1m Berhn
der lell zwischen den Wellknegen exist ieren
konnten. als aus semem Wissen, wle man
baut James Gowan, der zwellelsohne der
besle Handwerker unter den Archltekten 1St.
welst aul d,esen Aspekt hin und bemerkl
dalu. da!1 dles zwar stlmme. daB aber damlt
auch elne gewlsse Gle!Cl"IQlttgkelt In bezug
aul die spelJl ischen Elgenschaften elnos
Standortes elnhelglnge. well Mies' Gebllude
die Merkmale l6sungen tragen.
Wird dtes, wie Paul Rudolph hervorgehoben
hat. durch die Eltmlnlerullg aller Probleme
el/elcht. dann ISl diese Unlversahtlil !aut
Gowan auch 'an dIe rwel gefdhrlichsren (Ma-
tenallen). nAmlich Gfas und Slahl' gebunden.
In selnem Essay seut slch Adnan Gale mil
dlosem Problem auselnander als elner, der
elne Art von lehrzelt In Mies BOro durch-
gemacht hat Fr ihn gehl es nlchl so sehr um
die Frage der 'lweckma!1igkelt'. aJs um die
morahsche Plhcht. den Okonomlschsten Aus
druck emer idealisierten Idee IU Imden,
Wahrschclnlich SI denn auch das Farnsworth-
Haus die am weltesten gehende, liu!1erste
AuBerung: ein umschlossener Raum mlt
elnem sehr geraumlgen Schrank, der so In den
Plan elngelgt ISI. so dall andere R3umllch
kellen enlstehen.
Die sparsame Gestl k IS1 zwellelsohne der
Grund. warum MISS so schwer IU verstehen
isl. vor allem IU elner lelt. In der der Archllek-
tenbeNI von olnem dcrartlgen Aelchtum an
Ornamenten und Anlkulatlonen Obel-
schwemml IU werden Schellll Aus scincr
Arbel! tntt jedoch klar der ellldcultge Vcrwel$
aul Jenes archrlektotusche Konlept hervor, das an
der Idee festh3I1, da!1 am Ursprung edes Enl
wurles der Raum stehen soll 16

107

Sommario in italiano
Un certo paradosso. uno del tanli , re
atllludlni del cmlCl conlemporane
l
deU ar-
d'lIleUura del maeSln 'andalen del Movlmento
Moderno. Motti dogh archllell
l
PI!,)
si dUlgono ora lIerso una nnascl la delllcono-
graha neoclassica. mantenendo allo Slesso
lempo le tecniche di progenazlone
MOVlmento Moderno 11 lOro dlsprezzo plU
profendo sembra per venga riservato per il
pu) ctaSSICO, almeno In quanto a sensibihl a. di
ques\i anlenau-Mles van der Rohe 11 para-
dosso sta qUlr'lcl! In qUe510: come pu6 llavoro
di un lale archllel1o. basato casi chlaramente
Su un re1a991o classlchegg1anle. lIeMe
dlchlClrato hors de combar nel corso del pre-
sente dlballlto domlnato da ploblemi di
stOrlClsmo e di ecle11lsmo dar momento che lui
era. e SI conslderava egh Sl esso, profon
damente interessal o nel retaggio della
Iradillone dasslca?
l'argomento di Questo numero trana della
camera inll iale di Mies pnma che lasclasse
rEuropa per rAmerica nel 1938. e a quel
l empo aveva COStrul tO gia abbastanza da mCI'
de/e il suo nome nel canone. Quesla pnma
mela della sua carriera pu6 essere suddlVl5a In
due partl Intorno all'anno 1922. 11 sagglo bio-
gratico di Sandra Honey rivela che fmo ad
allora Mies era slato un glornaliero estrema
mente ablle. costruendo con un linguagglo
cJasslClllato nudo cd austero per il Quale era
deMore verso Mutheslus. verso Berlage. e
sopratt uUo verso Schinkel o i progetti dello
SludlO di Peter Bohrens. La svoha deciSiva
awenne, sembra. Quando Walter Groplus
rlfluto di esporre 1\ progotto di Mies por
r Ediliclo Kroller alla sua 'Mostra por Alchltett i
SconoSCluII' del 1919. Secondo Mies. G10plUS
glusllllcOla plopna decisione In questo modo:
'Non pass/amo espolio; Sllamo cercando qua/o
cosa di comp/efamenre diverso. '
Una cntlca Unlca come questa al uta a suddlvl'
dele la storia In poflod, chlsn e pl eCISI. per6
non pu essole 11 raconl O completo La SUD
ImmerSlone m quel1' atmosfera di serra della
Berllno posI -Versallles. asslome al suo sen.
IImento per lo Splll l O di quel l empo, offrono un
conlnbulO anendlbi le al cambtamento che St
avver6. E VI ors moltre l'apprOCClO londamen.
lallsta dall'l nterno-. probleml per MI6S erano
semple grandlOSI: che cos" una struttura, uno
spallo chiuso, lo SPllIO? I SUOl precedentl
sU\)gerlSCOno Che questa era une ncerce pri.
vata. tnuapresa con non m. no lelo pur senze
108
-
r appogglo di Groplus,
Ma, per fltornare al lIaltamento paradossale
che Mies flceve ora, non si trana forse plul -
toSlO d quel londamental ismo che lo ronde di
cosl dlfllclle comprenslone? Si aflerma che gh
Smithsons abblano dlchlarato: 'Mies grande.
pero Corb comunica.' Allri hanno descll lto la
sua come un'archltettura del sllenlio.
Se comunque Mies aflr onto alcuni ptobl eml
pni fondamental i e Ji ttsolse con successo,
quoste risposte avrebbero forma di archetlpl,
che possono essere copiati In quanto danno
risposte convincentl. Ma poi naturalmente il
Mies viene blasimato pet ogm l abbricato con
muri petimetral i non portantl, per ogni plano
Ufbanistlco resldenllale, per ogni int erno
blando. Investigando certi problemi fondamen-
tali. Mies SI espone pressoch de lacto ad una
talo accusa. La sua opera e per6 Indissol ubil -
mente l egata alta tradll lone classlcil lante, e I
SUOI pnml edi ficl lo dimostrano molto
chlaramente,
Al contrano di Le CorbuSler, Mies non era un
buon comumcatore. la sua rilunanza a parlare
in pubbl ico, la searslta delle sue pubblicazlonl ,
rendono se non alifO pi faclle di liquidarlo
come un monomane mtento a costrui re le sue
propl lO incontestabih Idee. Per6 il suo approc-
CIC nei tiguardi del proptio lavoro era quas!
queUo di un inventore. Fu il pri mo ad investi-
gare versmento un gl anacielo completamente
vettato, il pnmo ad incorporare i macchinari in
una maniera calma e sllenl iosa-pensate al
motori che sollevavano e abbassavano
I'enorme parete \letral a del sogglCmo di Casa
Tugendhat--e 11 pnmo ad organlllare una vera
e proprta mani lestal lone dello Stlle Inter-
nazionale 8 WeissenhOl nel 1927.
la grandezza di Mies glace per lo meno nella
sus capaCIta dI cercare un margine spenmen
tale nell'arcM ettur8. La confiden18 per lare
questo dewt essergh Yenuta non tanto da uno
StudlO intenso dalla storia e della filosofa-
QUantunque losse certament. un uorno di
cultura, del tipo Che poteva esUre eslstito
soltanto nella Berlino del periodo mlerbelllco
quanto pluttoato dalla conoscenza della lec-
NCI COSbuttiYI. James Gowan. ceR8Mente
uno degli architeW plfI erdglanall. aoIlava
queeto punto ti OfII8M cha. mentre questo
etI e'l lb,; nm.vta lM\bre al acoamplgnlul
ed W\ CIrtD chtfile slse .... rIO le quema
specl fl che dell'amblente. In quanto gil edlllcl
del Mies possledono II carallere dI Solul;onl
umversal . Se questo viene ollenuIO, come
Paul Rudolph ha fallO notare. lasclando da
parte i problemi, e anche allealo, come dice
Gowan, 'al due (mareno//) pi perico/osi, 1/
ve/ro e racCtalo, '
Adnan Gale dIscute questo problema nel suo
saggio. parlando In qualita di uno che pass un
periodo come dile di apprendlstato nello
sludlo del Mies, Secondo ui non e tanto una
quesl lone dI 'I donelta allo scopo', quanto un
dovere morale di ricerca della espress!one pi
economica di una percellone tdeahzlata La
Casa Farnsworth e quindl forse la
dichiaralione Ilnale. uno SpallO chluso con un
armadlo moho SpallOSO Insento nel plano In
maniera da creare alm hpi di SpaltO.
l'economia di espresslone certamente ci6
che rende MIes di cosl dlfl lcile comprenSlone.
speclalmente m un pellodO quando la proles-
sione degli archi teni sembra essere inondala
da una tale ricchezza di ornamenll e di art l-
oolazlonl . QueUo che tunavia OWIO nella sua
opera un ri ferimento chiaro all' idea di ar-
chitenura che msiste che una Idea di spalio
dovrebbe essere alla radice di 09nl creal ione.
'.
Resumen en espagol
Entre muchas paradojas una aflige a las actItu-
des de CrltlCOS modernos hacia la arquitectura
de los fundadores del MOVImientO Moderno.
Muchos de los ms publi cados arqUitectos
estn mOVIendo en este momentO hacia una
reanimacin de Imgenes neoclsicas. mlen
(fas Que conseNan las tcnicas do plani fi ca-
cin del MOVImiento Moderno Sm embargo.
parecen desder'lar ms que a nadie al ms
daSICO. en sensibilidad por lo menos. de esos
antepasados-Mles van der Rohe. la paradoja
es entonces la sigUiente: (cmo la obra de un
lal arqUitecto. lan claramente basada en una
herenoa clSIca. puede ser dedarada ' fuera
de combate' en la diSCUSin actual dominada
por problemas de histonClsmo y eclecticismo
mlenuas Que era y. adems, se veia profunda-
mente Impli cado en la herencia de la tradiCin
clsica?
El tema de esta edici n es la primera parte de
la cartera de Mies antes de Que sall de
Europa en 1938, con destino a los Estados
Unidos, cuando ya habra const ruido bastante
para establecer su nombre en el gran cann.
Se puede dividir la primera mitad de su carrera
en dos partes, aproximadamente en el ao
1922_ En su ensayo biogrfico. Sandra Honey
explica Que hasta entonces Mies fue un oficial
expertl Slmo. construyendo edifiCIOS de un es
tilo escueto. adusto. y clSICO que debla muo
cho a Mutheslus. Serlage Y. sobre todo, a
Schlnkel y a las prodUCCiones de la oficina de
Peter Behrens. Parece que el cambio deCISIVo
VinO cuando Walter Gropius se neg apresen
tar el proyecto de Mies para la Casa Kroller en
Su 'ExpoSIcin para ArqUitectos Desconoci
dos' de 1919. Segun Mies, GIOPIUS se justific
de la sigUiente manera: 'No podemos presen
tarla, estamos buscando algo completamente
dis/lnro',
Un tal ClltlClsmo solo puede formar perfodos
bien arreglados en la historia pero no una
VISIn completa de conjunto. Su Imersin en el
ambiente creado!' del Beriln pos Versallles.
Junto con Su propiO sentimiento del esplntu de
la poca, dan una contribucin estimable al
cambiO que ocum. Y tambin habla el enfo-
que lundamentahsta dentro de t-siempro
tueron grandes las preguntas para Mies: qu
es la estrUCtura. un cercado. el espacIo? Sus
antecedentes sugleron que fue una busca
panicular. realizada de una manera entuSisti-
ca a pesar de la lalta de apoyo de Groplus.

Pero. a volver a la conSideracin paradjica
Que recibe Mies ahora. qUlzas es tan difiCil de
entenderle a causa de ese fundamentallsmo,
Los Smlthson han diCho que: 'Mies es grande,
pelO Corb comunica.' Otros han descuto su
arqUitectura como la del silenCIO.
,
Sin embargo, SI Mies se encarg de solUCIO-
nar, y con xito, algunos de los mas funda,
mentales problemas, esas soluciones serian
en forma de arquetipos. que padrlan ser
copiados porque son conVincentes, Pero, de
esta manera, Mies lleva la culpa de todos los
rascaCielos de muros como cortinas, de todas
las rejas de viViendas y de lodos los intenores
Sin carcter . Por haber investigado cienos
problemas fundamentales Mies se abre, caSI
de hecho a una tal acusacin, Su propia obra
est. sin embargo. liada indisolublemente a la
tradiCin clsica por lo cual sus pllmeros
edificios testi fican claramente.
A diferenCia de Le Corbuster. Mies no comunl'
caba bien. El hecho de Que no le gustaba
hablar en publ ico. su pocha produccin de
obras escntas faCilita su conSideracin como
solo un monomaniaco resuelto en construir
sus propias Ideas indiscutibles. Pero el enfo-
que a su obra fue casi el de un Inventor. Fue el
primero en investi g81 verdaderamente un ras-
caclelo totalmente Vidriado, el primero en
Incorporar mqUinas de una manera tranquila y
calmada-basta con considerar los motores
Que alzaban y bajaban el muro enorme de
vidrio del salan de la Casa Tugendhat-y el
pllmero en organizar una verdadera manifesla
cin del Estilo Internacional a Weissenhof en
1927.
La grandeza de Mies yace. por \o menos. en su
capaCidad de buscar el margen de experimen-
tacin en la arquitectura, La confianza necesa
na debe haber surgido no tanto do la lectura
inlenslVa de historia o de 1II0solia-aunque
fue ciertamente hombre de cultura do la
manera de los que solo podlan extstl! en el
Berhn del perIodo de entreguerras-como del
saber de como construir . Ciertamente James
Gowan, uno de los arqUitectos mas hbiles.
ampli este punto haciendo la observaCin de
Que ml(lntras que esto era verdad, parece. que
fuera unido con uno Cierta despreocupacIn
por las calidades espoclflcas del solar. porque
los edifiCIOS do MIOS tlonen carctor do solu-
ciones umversales. SI eso se realiza, como
dice Poul Rudolph, prescllxile"do de problo-
R ~ S U M E

mas. est tamblen unido. como observa Go-
wan, 'a los dos maleflafes ms 8ff1esgados, el
vldflo y el acero,'
Adnan Gale discute este problema en su
ensayo. hablando en el papel de uno que hil O
una especie de aprendizaje en la oficina de
Mies. Para l no se trata tanto de 'la fmalldad
de la propiedad' como de un deber moral de
buscar La expresIn mas econmICa de una
percepcin idealizada Entonces la Casa de
FarnSworth, Quilas es la ultima afllfTlaCln, un
espaCio cercado con un armario muy grande
dentro del . plano para crear otros tipoS de
espacIo.
La economa del gesto es seguramente lo que
hace de Mies un arqUitecto tan dificil de
entender. Sobre todo cuando estamos en una
poca en la cual la profeSin de arqUitecto
parece estar Inundada de una tal nqueza de
adorno y articulaCin. Sin embargo, lo que es
eVidente en su obra, es una referenCia clara
haCia atrs a esa Idea de la arqUitectura que
insiste en que el espacIo debe yacer en el
ongen de toda prodUCCIn

____ ~ ________________ IOO
AHCl IITECT UItAI. DESIGN i.:- II"" ' I Hl liuIlUll } "Cl:f)f!II,iscd
as: bcin; (uI'CIII O:;: 1 n lll o n g H tlull1hc ,' pulohe:lllUll to
IJI' o\idint;: IIP- l o-.l lI h.' i ufo ruHlt iulI 0 11 (Ir
alltl pus!. Ell c h i:;::OI Il ' pn:.c III S 1111 m. d e!,t," Imnl)'sls
of 11 ,h(' ml.' of ,-d c\ Im cc.' 10 lu ' c!nl c t'llll"lt l w:u;ln'c.
whClhe r il be 11 ... \\ol' k llf :1II i l11 1>01' 1 1111 1 Il e \\ tu 'cllIli"t' I . n
1: 11 rn,' l1 t Ir i llOm' l1 t illl ti !;u n ' o,' ml" e l ll\' 111. 1) 1' I he CIIl Cq ;:l'IIt;c
or a II l' \\ o,' n lll"I' II SU$ of Ol' illioll . The hi gh slflndn ni uf
"rlill " . 1< I' [l'(,.' li,11I !lItI "I"C::Cll l ll l ioll ha:. made
I l ' . ,
Ard,;li'C",,.al IJe!' ip l Olh' o ( .11 \\' nl' I S 1I \ll$1 p" o g r' CSS Il'C
nt' chih' c tm'nl III l1gazincs ull d cssc n l illl ' J.! ud ing for fl lI )'OIl C
int crcs tctl in rhe a l' l of III'c hilccILlIe.
1'0\ I't.'("e llll )' by ti ,.c/litcc:wrall)pgll iud ud{:
lhc polt.' !1l ictl.1 " 01'1 .. of L.c(lll Kri.'r, 1I 1C llu:.:t)I'(:l'i clIl
,,'r itings (UI(I tetl.c hin; of Ihe Hussinll COIISll'II Cli,' isl Inko\'
Che rnikJ10 \. Ihe Ut A E).h ihil ion i" Cni l'o , fTOSS-CU .... CIII S
of Ame ri ca n Arc hilcClurc nnd Ihe col1('cl ioll of tlre hi -
tcclurnl \\ olks in Ihc l'cccntl y opcll cd Gel' lIJun A"c hil cclurc _
MuseulIl . Forlll coming i&; lI cS nelude tlu.: fi "SI detniled
of 1 he Arcllil ec l un' S(' lIool uf V c ui ee, I he ' c una:
Orc:lJlI :11111 Il eali l,. E:\ hibi lioll cooldi ll tl. ICd b)' Hnl1S
Holl eill , ami Trmlilion: COII\'t.!1I ti o n :lIHI lunm tioll by
Lucien Slcil.
AHT & DESIGN is nlrcnd) ncknowlcdecd as Ihe bes l llIul
onl ) I,C\\ lIIae:lzinc cOl c l' ill l; Ihe wholc s pectl ' ulll
of the alIS. Eac h i:.s ue Cl) lIlui ll S edilol' i:! 1 fC:IIIIl' eS 0 11 the
Ja lesl de\' clopmCIII S i .. a l' l, a lc hil cc tlllC. dcsigll. fas hi o " ,"
lIIusic a lld pil olog"a phY, logclhc,' \\ ilh a t'ouudup of II CII'5
CO\ c riuf. prodUCIS, 1>001. 5. :;:.ICI001ll5, g08sip. rccord I'C\.iC\\'8
a ll(l c'l:tensi\'f' 1i1!o tings of IJolh publ ie nlld pril' al c ball cli es.

--
HOIJ'OFS. 1'.\ l AO .... (-n IF.s
110
Irl uddili un 110 !l it' h igh qu:tlil ) ,)f (' d i l o ria l b)
1,(' II- kl, O\\ n t'(IIII,' iIJIIl ul's 10' 11(, Il r e e 'pc r ls i ll II1('i ,' ficld ,
1IIj' l' IU' ,' c ut i":-III'" ( ' !I .. h 1'01l 1ll i l l fl fr Cl' I) I' ihoi 1Ul1 lilho,
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lII ukc SUI' C )' HU 1;;(' 1 )' 0 111' COP ) )lHI ca n Inkc ()ul a joi nl
slIbl"('I'iplion toA r , & 1J(,f;gll rI ' a l Archi ,cctll rnf I)f>_, igll h)
t:olllpl(' ting Il u s uh;: I' I' ip l ion fO/'1II I) ll llOSilc.
Fcatu ,' .. s. in A," & /)(' ,' ;g ll lI al'c I'cccrr ll ) incltu\(d : Arl -
n . B. Kilaj , Ht) IJ I'1 1I 0ward Hodgki rr :llul
Davi d Il oc k ncy : \!-c hil c c lurc - \Jch yn Urag:; inl cn icl'
wi tl , Hi!'!wt'{! !l O!!e l's, 1I 1IIIIps llirc COUllt ) Arc hil cclS, Koski
SOIOIll OIl POt' tW' rship; FIIs!.io !! - 13i11 Gib!>. J SI)CI' COIl I'tIll .
,Ie.m :\luir nnd ' llI'inglSull llll c l' '86 previc\\ :. : Pholography
- T h(' B:l III HIII S. Le c ,\ l ill c ,' nnd Eileen r\ gal' . In nddii on
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A SUb SCI' iplioll wil l hoi\C' yOI! tlll.ll uall ) ::. ix iss uC':. of
r-I r e/;u'clflrfl! Dcsigt/ :lIId " ch e iSMI CS of Art & Dc,tiS" u
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111
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FOATHCOMING:
le Corbusier: Works al
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The Ilrsl works 01 Le COI'bus.er were a senes
01 small houses and a CInema bull! In collabor-
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first decade 01 lhe r.ventleth centuTV. This
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wgether Wlth reassessmenlS 01 the beginrungs
01 le Corbusle,'s ard\l tectural practlce by
Geoflrey Baker and Jacques Gubler.
IIlustrated Ihroughout Wlth carefully redrawn
plans. elevallons. secllOns and specaUy como
missioned axonomelrics, and Wlth a wealth 01
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112 pages, ove! 200/lIu$rrations, Wlrh many In
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ISBN0856708046 [12.95/ [17.50
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