Barcelona Pavilion, Mies van der Rohe, 1929

Barcelona Pavilion

     Built in 1929, the German Pavilion of Barcelona is an outstanding example of media architecture. The pavilion was designed specifically for the German section of the 1929 International exhibition. Due to the placement of the solid and glass walls, a distinction between the inside and outside of the structure is hard to see. The simplicity of the walls was transferred to the design of the furniture such as the Barcelona Chair. Placed on a quiet site, the pavilion is a nice place for someone to relax while passing through to the other exhibits. Two pools of water sit on different ends of the pavilion, one in the large open area and one in the small secret garden.

Barcelona Chair                                                                       

     The diagrams indicate the circulation around the pavilion. Due to the placement of the walls, a person cannot simply walk up the stairs and straight through. The person must experience the space as he walks through the pavilion. The model shows the simple placement of the solid walls and the effect they have on the circulation of the spaces.

 

Plan

Circulation

Erich Mendelsohn - Petersdorff Department Store

          At the turn of the 20^th Century, the Modern Architecture movement began to take hold. This movement would attract many famous architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius, and Mies van der Rohe. In the early part of the Modern Architecture Era, Expressionism began to develop in Northern Europe. The Expressionist style adopted some of the characteristics of Modernist Architecture.

          The Petersdorff Department Store building is a great example of this blending of Expressionism and Modernism. Built in 1928, the building contains layers of brick and glass stacked on top of each other. Mass production of brick, steel, and glass allowed for more possibilities in architecture and structure, and allowed the expressionists to create interesting organic forms. This is evident in the façade of the store which is created by a large overhanging structure that bends itself around the corner of the two adjacent streets.

          I like how the use of the steel and glass in the structure seem to make the brick layers float on top of each other. The streamline look of the building is also interesting as it makes the front façade seem longer than it actually is.

          In my drawing and cutting of the building, I focused on the façade of the building and the vertical layering of the structure.