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Bauhaus School of Design was a school established in Weimar, Germany in 1919 that combined visual arts, design and architecture. Although short-lived, the school left an indelible imprint on architecture substantially affecting the field to this day. Mies van der Rohe was one of the main figures of the school.
Hallmarks of Bauhaus architecture include functional forms, minimalistic colours, high-quality materials, balanced asymmetry and a holistic approach to design.
Simplistic, straight lines without any unnecessary decorations create a modern style on buildings. Likewise, this makes the foundation of the minimalistic Scandinavian design.
The Bauhaus style of visual arts displays clean primary colours as well as geometric and simplistic forms and compositions.
Mies van der Rohe was born in Aachen, Germany in 1886. He started his career in the family’s stone carving business, progressing soon to assist the architects. After moving to Berlin, his career skyrocketed once he landed a position in the offices of furniture designer Bruno Paul and industrial architect Peter Behrens. He had no formal training in architecture. He became the third director of the Bauhaus School of Design after Walter Gropius and Hannes Meyer.
In 1933, Mies van der Rohe moved to the United States, where he modernized American architecture. He designed minimalistic skyscrapers and houses with a modern-day spirit. He took the ideals of simplicity, rationality and minimalism to the next level. Mies’ philosophy – less is more – became the leading principle of architects from the mid-1900s.
Mies van der Rohe was not only an architect but also a furniture and luminaire designer. One of his most famous pieces of furniture is the Barcelona chair he designed with Lilly Reich for the Barcelona Pavilion.
Mies van der Rohe was given the task of designing Germany’s Pavilion for the World Expo in Barcelona together with Lilly Reich. The Pavilion was supposed to represent the new Germany after the World War I via architecture: a democratic, culturally advanced, prosperous and peaceful country. Mies van der Rohe also designed the furniture for the Pavilion. The most famous piece of furniture is the Barcelona chair, which is still being manufactured.
Germany’s Pavilion has given great inspiration to the following generations of architects and has had a strong impact on the development of modern architecture. The Barcelona Pavilion also inspired the design of our Lake Pavilion holiday homes.
