Barcelona Pavilion: Statement of Modernism

Barcelona Pavilion (formerly known as the German pavilion) is an incredible creation

of the path-breaking architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, known as one of the
pioneers of the modern international architectural style.
Mies was an exceptional creator. Despite not having many real building projects in his
kitty, he was seen in his motherland Germany as the future of architecture due to his
brilliant theoretical works on the modernist style. Germany wanted to showcase its
progressively modern culture that was still rooted in its rich classical history and giant
strides it had taken in different spheres of life after the end of the first world war. The
opportunity came in the form of the 1929 international exposition in Barcelona, Spain;
Mies was appropriately chosen to design the German pavilion for the event to display
architecture’s modern movement as the face of a modern Germany. And he produced
a structure for posterity.

An intriguing space
Mies used a very simple, grid-like plan for the structure and yet made it most
intriguing through his ingenuity. The entire pavilion building rests on a plinth of
travertine, the walls are placed in such a manner that one always encounters
something new and unexpected while turning through the corners. Two
U-shaped travertine walls create two ponds- one large and one small. While the larger
one is kept empty, the smaller one has the only exhibit of the pavilion- a sculpture by
Georg Kolbe. The sculpture is reflected in the glass walls and marble surfaces giving
an impression of multiplicity. Another milestone of the structure is the low roof that is
supported by chrome-clad cruciform columns, which give the impression of a
hovering roof.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created a historic design that proves that the concept of
minimalism can be combined with spectacular, extravagant features to produce
amazing results. The Barcelona pavilion remains a source of inspiration for the
architects the world over even today. This structure, being a part of the exposition,
was demolished in 1930, but was recreated in 1986 due to its significance and
popularity. It stands proudly as a symbol of the modernist architecture to inspire many
generations to come.

Less is More
Freed from traditional design constraints (i.e. no-one had to live or work in the
building, and the only 'exhibits' were a few chairs designed by Mies- which tourists
today love to lounge in), Mies was able to construct a building which came to
epitomise what Modern architecture should be: clean, uncomplicated in appearance,
with no apparent reference to past historical styles, and using modern technology to
explore new ways of construction.
The building still looks modern today, partly because many of the design features are
still copied by 21st-century architects. The glass appeared to be load-bearing which
made the thin concrete roof seem to float above the stone podium on which the whole
structure is based. The roof is held in place by cruciform steel columns which are clad
in chrome. The walls are marble and travertine. The open-plan nature of the Pavilion
allowed Mies to experiment with space, creating ambiguity about what is interior and
what is exterior, and there is a tranquillity about the place despite its completely
open-ended structure.
The simple emptiness of the Pavilion was in itself a revolutionary feature. Despite the
perfect vertical and horizontal lines, the building appears in no way hard or industrial,
and yet it was new technology and methods of utilising concrete and steel made the
whole thing possible. The two reflecting pools and Georg Kolbe's classical and curvy
female statue combine with Mies' geometry to create a space which is amazingly calm
and meditative; one in which Mies's famous dictum 'less is more' seems perfectly
appropriate.

Influence
Today architects and students flock to the Pavilion to admire Mies' achievement, and
to see for themselves a building whose influence can be seen in every building which
seeks to do away with stone walls and replace them with sheets of plate glass. Mies
himself went on to perfect the corporate glass and steel skyscraper in the United
States, using many of the techniques he applied so successfully at his Pavilion. And
although the Pavilion is, in a sense, pointless, in 1929 it stood as a monument to what
the Modernist architect could achieve.