Mies Van der Rohe (Germany 1886-1969)

“Less is more.”

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe iswidelylyconsidered one of the trailblazingtitans of Modern architecture. Mies joined his pioneering peers Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier in the search for a new style that would suitably embody the modern industrial age. Mieshad a major impact on a twentieth century architectural style that was centered around the ideals of clarity and simplicity.Mies, remembered for his dictum 'Less is More', sought to produce contemplative, neutral spaces through architecture born of material honesty and structural integrity.

Mies was asked to design the German Pavilion for the 1929 International Exposition in Barcelona. The pavilion would be visited by the king and queen of Spain and with that in mind, Mies created a ‘modern throne’ for their majesties, what would later become one of his best-selling and most highly regarded pieces of furniture, the Barcelona chair. Miescreated modern furniture using new industrial technologies.Pieces like theBarcelona chair and table, the Brno chair, and the Tugendhat chair are regarded for their craftsmanship, their unusual mix of high end fabric like leatherandmodern chrome frames.

Mies succeeded Walter Gropius as the director of the Bauhaus in 1930 and he stayed until the school closed in 1933. Miesemigratedto the United States in 1937, and just one year later the Illinois Institute of Technology appointedhimdirector of architecture. Mies devoted the remainder of his career to advancing the modernist style of architecture. His lifelong mission was to develop a new architectural language that would represent the modern era of technology and production. His vision was fully realized and continues to have a lasting impact on the architects and designers of today.