Mies van der Rohe
I have a passion for amazing architecture and special types of buildings. Hard to describe the feeling you get when looking at something beautiful, it is like a gut feeling and it feels pleasant.
I have been thinking for quite some time now of getting some posts up of favorite architects from the golden days of architecture, thank you janepeepshow for your inspiration ;-) First off is 'Ludwig Mies van der Rohe', usually just refered to as 'Mies van der Rohe'. Born in Germany in 1886, immigrated to America in the 1930s where he started his career in Chicago as head of the architecture school the 'Armour Institute of Technology'. A legend who not only drew buildings but also designed some great looking furniture. His most famous work include the 'Barcelona chair', the 'Brno chair', the 'Seagram' building and the 'Barcelona Pavilion'. His 'Barcelona' chair is considered a classic design piece of the early 20th century and if you want to get your hands on one will probably have to pay a small fortune for it today.
My 'Mies van der Rohe' favourite is the 'Seagram' building located at 375 Park Avenue in New York. Built in 1958 as one of the finest examples of corporate modernism. The building it self has been used as a back drop in numerous movies and commercials. The best example in my opinion is the excellent movie 'The Best of Everything' which is a time piece about working girls in New York in the late 1950s. All exteriors were shot at location. The interiors were obviously sets but very well designed sets which were based on the floor plans of the building. The movie is really good and I recommend anyone who likes light hearted dramas with a pinch of romance to see it.
'The Best of Everything', Seagram building mock up, 1959
'The Seagram building', New York City, Mies van der Rohe, 1958
The 'Barcelona' chair, Mies van der Rohe, 1929
I have been thinking for quite some time now of getting some posts up of favorite architects from the golden days of architecture, thank you janepeepshow for your inspiration ;-) First off is 'Ludwig Mies van der Rohe', usually just refered to as 'Mies van der Rohe'. Born in Germany in 1886, immigrated to America in the 1930s where he started his career in Chicago as head of the architecture school the 'Armour Institute of Technology'. A legend who not only drew buildings but also designed some great looking furniture. His most famous work include the 'Barcelona chair', the 'Brno chair', the 'Seagram' building and the 'Barcelona Pavilion'. His 'Barcelona' chair is considered a classic design piece of the early 20th century and if you want to get your hands on one will probably have to pay a small fortune for it today.
My 'Mies van der Rohe' favourite is the 'Seagram' building located at 375 Park Avenue in New York. Built in 1958 as one of the finest examples of corporate modernism. The building it self has been used as a back drop in numerous movies and commercials. The best example in my opinion is the excellent movie 'The Best of Everything' which is a time piece about working girls in New York in the late 1950s. All exteriors were shot at location. The interiors were obviously sets but very well designed sets which were based on the floor plans of the building. The movie is really good and I recommend anyone who likes light hearted dramas with a pinch of romance to see it.
'The Best of Everything', Seagram building mock up, 1959
'The Seagram building', New York City, Mies van der Rohe, 1958
The 'Barcelona' chair, Mies van der Rohe, 1929
Labels: architecture, design, photos
Posted at 3:30 PM | 5 comments | links to this post 
My name is Chris and I live in Sweden. I love the 50s and 60s lifestyle and design. I am very fascinated by the architecture of the period too, for instance googie, modernism, the work of Joseph Eichler, John Lautner and Arne Jacobsen's international style. I have a large archive with space-age, library, bossa, cocktail, retro soundtracks and exotica music. I also believe that things were better in the old days.
5 Comments:
I just tried to get my parents to buy an apartment in a Mies building, but no luck with it.
May 19, 2007 5:21 AM
Oh, would have been very nice though if you succeeded :)
May 21, 2007 8:08 PM
Great minds think alike
May 24, 2007 2:08 AM
Well, it wasn't the nicest unit in the building, they had looked at some higher up. They can see the building from the place they did get.
June 4, 2007 5:39 AM
I definitely need to take more pictures. I discovered some Mies van der Rohe wannabe buildings here in Bakersfield. If you are interested in anything googie, check out my blog (http://TelstarLounge.blogspot.com) and anyone can email me by looking at the "about me" section and I will post some things.
July 22, 2007 4:12 PM
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