Ludwig Mies
Ludwig Mies
Born Maria Ludwig Michael Mies and known professionally as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe or simply Mies, this German architect was responsible for such modernist masterpieces as the Barcelona Pavilion and the Czech Republic's Villa Tugendhat.
ProfessionArchitect
Date of Birth27 March 1886
deepening despite efforts life oriented remain tendency time toward wholly
The tendency of our time is wholly oriented toward the secular. The efforts of the mystics will remain episodes. Despite a deepening of our conceptions of life, we will build no cathedrals.
drawings model quarter send
We made drawings the size of a whole quarter of a room ceiling, which we would then send on to the model makers. I did this every day for two years. Even now I can draw cartouches with my eyes closed.
aim form problems recognize refuse work
We refuse to recognize problems of form, but only problems of building. Form is not the aim of our work, but only the result. Form, by itself, does not exist. Form as an aim is formalism; and that we reject.
areas avoid chicago cities large silly slums spread suburban thousands
You can use up all the slums for new development. In all the cities of the world, there are large areas of these. Also, you can avoid the spread of these silly suburban houses. Chicago has thousands of them all over the place.
general students technique work
You can teach students how to work; you can teach them technique - how to use reason; you can even give them a sense of proportions - of order. You can teach them general principles.
architecture depends inner time unfolding
Architecture depends on its time. It is the crystallization of its inner structure, the slow unfolding of its form.
activity cultural dependent factors familiar ourselves possible spirit spiritual time understand
Just as we acquaint ourselves with materials, and just as we must understand functions, we must become familiar with the psychological and spiritual factors of the day. No cultural activity is possible otherwise, for we are dependent on the spirit of our time.
less material specific
Each material has its specific characteristics which we must understand if we want to use it. This is no less true of steel and concrete.
clearly ideas main objective reasons relationship scheme time took understand understood wild
It took me a long time to understand the relationship between ideas and between objective facts. But after I clearly understood this relationship, I didn't fool around with other wild ideas. That is one of the main reasons why I just make my scheme as simple as possible.
achievement ages antique circumstance creations earlier entire full roman structures works
It is not architectural achievement that makes the structures of earlier times seem to us so full of significance but the circumstance that antique temples, Roman basilicas, and even the cathedrals of the Middle Ages are not the works of single personalities but creations of entire epochs.
analyze clear differs epoch forces motives others points respects structure three time understand
We must understand the motives and forces of our time and analyze their structure from three points of view: the material, the functional, and the spiritual. We must make clear in what respects our epoch differs from others and in what respects it is similar.
becomes build packaged
I do not think it is an advantage to build planned packaged houses. If you prefabricate a house completely, it becomes an unnecessary restriction.
according clearly office organized pattern work
The office building is a building for work, organization, lucidity and economy. Light, spacious working rooms, clearly arranged, undivided, only organized according to the pattern of the firm.
hence material trade
Industrialization of the building trade is a question of material. Hence the demand for a new building material is the first prerequisite.