Ludwig Mies van der Rohe – the architect who gave birth to the famous principle “Less is More.”
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was a German- American born architect who was commonly known as Mies. He is known as one of the pioneers of modernist architecture along with great names such as Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier and Alvar Aalto.
Mies is known as the last director of Bauhaus school, a movement which redefined architecture around the world. After the closure of school in 1933; Mies migrated to United States of America; serving as a Head of the Architecture department at Institute of Technology in Chicago.
Early life
Mies was born on 27th March, 1886 in Aachen Germany. He had an interest in arts and crafts from a tender age and started working in local design firms when he moved to Berlin after completing his early education. He started his career as an architect; by serving as an apprentice at the Peter Behrens studio in 1908 and continued to do so till 1912. This is the exact time he got exposed to the Bauhaus movement which was in its initial stages and developed a lustrous love for modern architecture.
Mies developed strong ties with artists and craftsmen’s’ associations and tried to advocate a sustainable harmony between art and technology. He envisioned this idea and gave it a meaning in terms of machine-made buildings – redefining the modern architecture.
This new “functional” designing aspect gave birth to the industrial age known as gesamtkultur; a totally new architectural culture which was totally functional and man-made.
Career
After World War 1, when the world was still recovering from its aftershocks; the architecture was also turning a new page and was ready to adopt newer style compared to the traditional neoclassical style houses and buildings.
The historic styles quickly received criticism as people wanted to get rid of everything that reminded them of war-stricken time.
Mies started his practice while developing visionary projects totally different from the prevalent styles of aristocracy and imperial ship.
During these testing days, Mies created a modernist debut in 1921 known as Friedrichstrasse skyscraper; which was followed by a glass skyscraper in 1922.
He joined avant-garde architects of Germany as he began working for the prestigious magazine G. Mies formulated his architectural mission on his interpretation of ideas which were different from the traditional designing theories. He was more attracted towards planar forms and rectilinear lines along with clean lines in order to use maximum exterior space.
Mies left for the United States when Nazism rose to prominence in Germany causing the Bauhaus to shut down. He was unhappy and frustrated but reluctantly left his homeland in 1937 in order to build a new life in America. He was offered the job as a Head of the Department of Architecture at the newly constructed Institute of Technology in Chicago.
Mies settled in Chicago and started his career there. He was commissioned to plan and execute the new campus. He designed the buildings of alumni hall, chapel and the it’s school of architecture building.
The Crown Hall is said to be the finest work of mies which defines his architectural style.
Famous work
Mires worked for almost 31 years in America. His work in America reflects his approach towards structural and a newer form of architecture for the future. He focused on adaptability and creation of universal spaces with structural frameworks such as sheets of glass and usage of steel.
His work ranges from residential blocks to offices to even huge complexes and homes of wealthy elites. Some of his famous work are:
Chicago Federal Complex:
This huge complex consisted of three unified buildings built on different scales. The high rise john C. Kluczynskik building, the single-story post office building and the mid-rise Everett McKinley Dirksen building.
The buildings depict bronze-tinted glass panes having shiny aluminum frames which were separated by steel spandrels.
860-990 Lake Shore Drive:
Ahigh-riseapartments building on Chicago’slakefront. Facades of steel and glass, an escape from the regular brick apartment buildings in that time
Seagram Building:
An urban design beyond time. The Seagrambuilding is said to be an example of innovative “fast-track” construction process.
National Gallery, Berlin:
This was Mies last work and it is considered as a statement of his architectural approach.
Some other popular work is:
- Martin Luther King Jr. memorial library, Washington
- Lafayette towers apartments east, Detroit
- 201 Corot, Montreal
- High field house, Baltimore
- Barcelona pavilion, Spain
- Lemkke house, weissensee
- Haus Lange and haus esters, Krefeld
- Villa wolf, guben
- Verseidag factory, Germany
- Farnsworth house, Illinois
- Museum of fine arts, Houston
- Bacardi office building, Mexico City
- IBM plaza, Chicago
Last years and Death
Mies worked till the very end. He was a commemorable architect who revolutionized the world of architecture.
He was awarded by Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963.
Mies van der Rohe died on 17th August, 1969 because of esophageal cancer which he acquired due to excessive smoking.
He was cremated and his ashes were buried in Chicago’s Graceland cemetery.
His work has been archived and is placed in the Museum of Modern Art’s Department of Architecture and Design. It was Mies desire that his entire work should be bequeathed to the museum.
Also Read: Le Corbusier – The Father of Modern Architecture
