Barcelona Pavilion, Mies van der Rohe 1929

The Barcelona Pavilion represents qualities such as geometry, precision, attention to detail and clarity of concept. It is one of the symbolic of the Modern Movement, perhaps represented by the material chosen, the high technology and innovate solutions, all of that expressed though the final character that the architect was able to transmit with the building.

 

The building’s design is conceived as a dialogue between architecture and materials: glass, steel, four types of stone and water. The plan of the building is a rectangle formed by a grid of posts among them there are various walls faced with stone, which are dividing and defining the spaces. divide and refine the space. The pavilion also features two rectangular pools. 

Mies believes that the poetry of a material enhances our experience of 'place'. The basement floor of pavilion and the main walls are resolved clad with roman travertine. besides, it was also used Green marble from Tinos and green marble from the Alps are also used as cladding, and finally the fourth different type of stone was golden onyx, which was used to build the central wall of the covered space. The crystals have glazing plays an important role too, crystals glass of different colors: transparent glass or translucent glass, green, gray or white combined with the marble create a stark and elegant form.

A grid of eight columns bears the load. The skeleton of the pavilion is made up of a grid of horizontal steel beams, while the columns were built with are composed of four steel sections forming a cross. The walls did not have a bearing function because there were eight pillars as support system of the roof. These columns negate the load bearing function of the walls.

The architect’s interest for the design goes further the building, reaching the furniture inside the pavilion.The building was dismantled in 1930 and in 1983 began the works to rebuild the pavilion which opened in 1986 on the original site.

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The Barcelona Pavilion of Mies Van der Rohe (1929-1930) represents qualities such as geometry, precision, attention to detail and clarity. It is one of the symbolic of the Modern Movement, perhaps represented by the material chosen, the high technology and innovate solutions, all of that expressed though the final character that the architect was able to transmit with the building.

The plan of the building is a rectangle formed by a grid of posts among them there are various walls faced with stone, which are dividing and defining the spaces. The building’s design is conceived as a dialogue between architecture and materials: glass, steel, four types of stone and water, because the pavilion features two rectangular pools.

The basement and the main walls are resolved with roman travertine; besides, it was also used green marble from Tinos and green marble from the Alps as cladding, and finally the fourth different type of stone was golden onyx, which was used to build the central wall of the covered space. The crystals have an important role too, crystals of different colors: transparent glass or translucent glass, green, gray or white.

The skeleton of the pavilion is made up of a grid of horizontal steel beams, while the columns were built with four steel sections forming a cross. The walls did not have a bearing function because there were eight pillars as support system of the roof.

The architect’s interest for the design goes further the building, reaching the furniture inside the pavilion.

The building was dismantled in 1930 and in 1983 began the works to rebuild the pavilion which opened in 1986 on the original side.