Prior to 1927 Mieś van der Rohe had such a strong position in Germany that he was appointed as a Director of modern projects of residential housing in Stuttgart, called also as Weissenhofsiedlung. Many other leaders of developing modern styles were invited to take part in this event (e.g. Behrens, Gropius and Le Corbusier). All exhibited projects provided grounds for construction of the whole estate in new style. Mieś van der Rohe was an author of the largest project, three-storey apartment building along with a flat roof, smooth, white walls and wide windows, so elements characteristic for architecture of the international style. Other exhibitions hold in 20 and 30 gave Mieś opportunity to show his concept of designing. In case of many projects he cooperated with Lilly Reich (1885-1947) that probably participated in creation of furniture like chairs type MR with frame from steel pipes bent to provide for a bracket covered with leather and supporting seat and back. Austere simplicity of designed interiors where colours and textures provided only for decorative materials became meaningful demonstration of faith of Mięś under his „less is more" concept.
Mieś van der gained international recognition due to the Project of German pavilion on World Exhibition in Barcelona in 1929. The pavilion was located on a wide marble platform with two swimming pools. It was the object of simple construction comprising from eight steel columns that provided support for the flat roof. The building was without external walls and was provided only with glass and marble screen walls, located irregularly at straight angle with some walls going beyond into external spaces. Guests may stroll on open recesses, admiring expensive materials, abstractive composition of plans and some contemporary carvings. Light steel chrome colour of columns and marble walls in deep green and red orange colours, scarlet fabrics and transparent and opalesced glass made this object for an abstractive work of art. During official visit of Spain Royal Couple simple chairs were provided along with sofas with chrome frames and leather cushions and tables with glass tops. Patterns of furniture made for modern classic and are still being manufactured. It was in the pavilion in Barcelona that the first time modern engineering technology was applied, namely steel and concrete, what provided for any option regarding location of partition walls - walls providing support for a roof no longer needed, and interiors were planned according to wishes, without division for particular rooms providing for as much space as required with functions.
Mieś van der Rohe adopted a similar concept Chile designing Tugendhat House in Brno, in Czech Republic (1928-30). The house was located on a slope of the hill, and an entry and garage are located on higher level (from street side). Bed rooms are provided as spaces of penthouse form at the highest storey. The main daily room was located beneath and it was an open space with division provided with by marble screen between a room and a library connected to a workshop and an ebony carved partition wall limiting a dining room space. Glass elevations from the slope side and from the gable of the building were provided from the floor up to the ceiling. Mechanisms located in the basement provided for curtains moving away and wall lowering to offer open and not limited space .
Narrow steel columns comprised subtle almost unnoticeable construction elements due to polished surfaces. The pavilion in Barcelona and interiors in Tugendhat house significantly influenced modern interior decor, with emphasis on abstractive layout of spatial elements and replacement of ornament with colours and texture of used materials.
In the late period of his carrier in America Mieś van der Rohe realized projects of apartment blocks in Detroit, Newark, New Jersey and Chicago, office buildings in these cities and in Toronto and New York (with assistance of Philip Johnson). One of the most famous American skyscraper was Seagram Building (1954-58) in New York (See page 323). The most known lately project of Mięs was Farnsworth House (1946-51) in Piano, Illinois. The house was located in the open and unoccupied area near Fox River. The floor was slightly raised over the ground and was supported on eight steel columns that provide support for the roof with size the same as size and shape of the building. Almost two/third of space between the floor and the roof was closed from four directions with glass walls - remaining space is covered with patio, to whom access is provided with five wide steps from an adjacent platform. Columns and steel edges of the floor, roof, and platform were coated in white colour. An open glass box that houses internal space was limited only with a closed „Island", where a bathroom and utility rooms were located, providing the same time for a back wall for furnishings of an open kitchen. Some pieces of furniture (all designed by Mięs) were located within an open space of the living room.
One of the biggest and also the last projects was National Gallery building in Berlin (1962-68). On the platform of patio there were galleries, office spaces and restaurants. On the higher level there was exhibition spaces located centrally and enclosed with glass walls. A steel roof was suspended with eight columns at external corners. On the highest storey there was an open space limited with glass walls from the floor up to the ceiling, intended for temporary exhibitions.
Ludwig Mieś van der Rohe, German Pavilion on World Exhibition in Barcelona, 1929.
An open space without partitions and limited only with glass or marble screen walls determining spaces became the basic rule with regard to contemporary interior designing. On the right there are glass walls from the floor up to the ceiling, and supporting structure is provided with Barrow, steel columns. Spaces finished with posh materials as marble, travertine, onyx, green glass and polished steel. Chairs and sofas at present under name of „Barcelona", were located according to an original plan.
Mieś van der Rohe, Farnsworth House, Piano, Illinois, 1946-51
While living in the USA, Mieś von der Rohe had an opportunity to apply a concept of an open living space limited with glass walls in case of a country house that he built for Edith Farnsworth. Wall elements visible on the left side provide for part of „Island "construction along with fireplace (Visible on figure), bathrooms and utility rooms, adjoined to the kitchen from the other side. Storage area walls comprise a screen (at the background). All furniture was designed by Mieś ran der Rohe.
Sourse: John Pile "Historia Wnętrz", Arkady 2000
