May, 8, 2012,
2:57 PM

Up-Close in the Tugendhat

The Mies Society is on day three of its European architectural tour. Today, Tuesday, we visited the recently and meticulously restored Villa Tugendhat in Brno, Czech Republic. The level of detail in this restoration is phenomenal. The home, built in 1928, was made with an iconic blend of Miesian materials: chrome, travertine, glass, and steel.

Above: We were provided booties to wear on the tour.

Above: Guests stand “inside” the house; the window was moved down all the way.

Above: Feast your eyes on these dining room table details.

Above: Uncommonly green Barcelona chairs in front of an onyx wall

Above: Special cold storage for furs

Above: A chair sized for children

Above: Children’s chairs and an adult chair in the daughter’s room.

Above: Fully restored built-in closets in bedrooms

Above: Guest Sharon at rest

The tour guides attribute this door hardware to Walter Gropius, father of the Bauhaus.

Above: A pulley system opens the out-of-reach windows

Above: Note the reveal around the fixture; the cruciform decoration echos the columns.

Above: Wood exterior window shutters

Above: Mean, clean, bathroom tiles

Above: Note three layers of reveal at this door frame.

› Read more
May, 7, 2012,
4:13 PM

Visiting Vienna, Bon vivanting in Brno

Several Mies Society members have joined Director Justine Jentes on a tour of great modern (and not-so-modern) architecture in Czech Republic and Germany.

Here are up-to-the-minute snapshots from Day Two of our trip: we ventured through Vienna, Austria and Brno, Czech Republic.

Above: here’s part of the campus at the technical university in Vienna.

Above: our hotel’s lobby could be characterized as… well, you fill in the blank… and Mies Society Director Justine Jentes takes a breather on this silver sofa…

Shabby chic versus modern sleek: So why is this dirty facade considered distinguished (admire that chiaroscuro) but old Mies buildings can’t get away with a scrubby appearance?

Here’s a thought:

“With great simplicity comes great maintenance” (apologies to Voltaire)

Above: an architectural juxtaposition at the historic center of Brno. This city has lots of well-preserved old buildings painted in yellows, light blues, and pale greens. The glass and steel structure at left stands out in its simplicity.

That’s all for now, folks.

› Read more
May, 7, 2012,
3:48 PM
May, 3, 2012,
1:12 PM

We’re off to Czech it out

TO SEE PICTURES FROM ALMOST EVERY DAY OF OUR TRIP, CLICK “BLOG” IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER OF THIS PAGE AND VIEW ENTRIES PRECEDING MAY 15, 2012.

The Mies van der Rohe Society is about to leave for its much-anticipated trip to Europe, with stops at Villa Tugendhat in Brno, Czech Republic and sundry hot spots in Berlin.

For a taste of what we’ll see at the newly restored Villa Tugendhat, a breakthrough Mies home, read this insightful review. And stay tuned for our updates from Europe.

A view of Mies’ recently restored Villa Tugendhat in Brno, Czech Republic

› Read more