Farnsworth House was design by German-American Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1945 and its construction was completed in 1951. The building is located in Plano, Illinois, USA and was built for Dr Edith Farnsworth as a residential country retreat on the bank of the Fox River.
However, in 2003 it was purchased by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and currently stands a public museum. Farnsworth House, along with other buildings of Mies' such as The National Theatre in Mannheim, Germany and New National Gallery in Berlin, Germany have all been recognised as defining contributions to modern architecture. Their simple structure and open plan, the bold and clear shaping, use of materials, they are all attributes that can even be seen within 21st century architecture. |
(1) (2) The house is a single story, built in a 10 acre secluded wooded site. It is built on a 5foot platform with eight steel shaped columns. The entire house has floor to ceiling glass walls on all sides instead of the traditional brick walls, this has opened the building to natural tranquil surroundings. The open floor plan also provides further natural minimal living. Farnsworth House has precast concrete floor with radiant coil used as heating set in the concrete. Instead of shutters Mies envisioned the trees in the area to provide privacy and shading, he had also wanted a minimum boundary between man and nature. Even though the house faced problems with maintenance, flooding and poor ventilation it was still a very important accomplishment which gave inspiration to other works.
Ideologies
“I wanted to keep everything reasonable and clear – to have an architecture that anybody can do.” – Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
These words do not only hold the essence behind what has driven Mies towards creating his clear span buildings but also the ideologies of the modern-day times. Considering many aspects of modern western culture, we have moved into a time where less is more. The designs of today have such simplistic layouts and yet can communicate so much. The same principle is applied to Farnsworth House. Its simple frame and glass box look give the building a sharp and simple appearance, however its intricacies are all hidden in the design and the ideology behind it. (1)
Farnsworth is clearly not just a residence, but was also built as an art piece. It was an opportunity that Mies took to create something new and different to what has been done before. With architecture being “an expression of the times”, he has introduced the ideas of a more modern era with this clear span design. It embodies the emergence of a new age. Mies’ clear span buildings are about defining a space of potential alongside its purpose. Focusing on the space within buildings, and clear span buildings especially, Mies developed an interest in separation the frame and structure from the functions and on goings of the interior. Farnsworth House is a fine example of this as there are is an abundance of space that could accommodate and variety of potential purposes. It is almost as if the house stands to distinguish a designated area with the forest; a defined spot that provides a person with shelter, warmth and an opportunity to really admire the nature. The amount of open space puts a person in the position to decide what becomes of it. This is parallel with the modern ideas of straightforward application for everyone. Everything comes instantly and we want to understand it just as instantly. The minimalistic layout of Farnsworth House is also continually executed by the way complexities and intricacies are hidden away from the main spaces in the house. A mechanical core is centred between the bathrooms, kitchen and fireplace disguising its presence. This is a typical aspect of Mies’ clear span buildings. Firstly, we are great with a square or rectangular shaped glass box displaying a minimalistic interior and miscellaneous space. Next within the interiors, all technicalities are hidden. Particularly with Farnsworth House, the supports of the building are positioned around the outside and removed from the inside. There are also those essential furnishings that define spaces such as a bed, toilet, stove… other then these obvious indicators, the remaining space was left to freedom and interpretation but most importantly to bring the nature as a focal point.
These words do not only hold the essence behind what has driven Mies towards creating his clear span buildings but also the ideologies of the modern-day times. Considering many aspects of modern western culture, we have moved into a time where less is more. The designs of today have such simplistic layouts and yet can communicate so much. The same principle is applied to Farnsworth House. Its simple frame and glass box look give the building a sharp and simple appearance, however its intricacies are all hidden in the design and the ideology behind it. (1)
Farnsworth is clearly not just a residence, but was also built as an art piece. It was an opportunity that Mies took to create something new and different to what has been done before. With architecture being “an expression of the times”, he has introduced the ideas of a more modern era with this clear span design. It embodies the emergence of a new age. Mies’ clear span buildings are about defining a space of potential alongside its purpose. Focusing on the space within buildings, and clear span buildings especially, Mies developed an interest in separation the frame and structure from the functions and on goings of the interior. Farnsworth House is a fine example of this as there are is an abundance of space that could accommodate and variety of potential purposes. It is almost as if the house stands to distinguish a designated area with the forest; a defined spot that provides a person with shelter, warmth and an opportunity to really admire the nature. The amount of open space puts a person in the position to decide what becomes of it. This is parallel with the modern ideas of straightforward application for everyone. Everything comes instantly and we want to understand it just as instantly. The minimalistic layout of Farnsworth House is also continually executed by the way complexities and intricacies are hidden away from the main spaces in the house. A mechanical core is centred between the bathrooms, kitchen and fireplace disguising its presence. This is a typical aspect of Mies’ clear span buildings. Firstly, we are great with a square or rectangular shaped glass box displaying a minimalistic interior and miscellaneous space. Next within the interiors, all technicalities are hidden. Particularly with Farnsworth House, the supports of the building are positioned around the outside and removed from the inside. There are also those essential furnishings that define spaces such as a bed, toilet, stove… other then these obvious indicators, the remaining space was left to freedom and interpretation but most importantly to bring the nature as a focal point.
Materials
Farnsworth House was very much built with nature and terrain taken into consideration. The principle materials used in this house are glass and steel. The walls are formed using clear plate glass and steel pillars are used to create the supporting frame of the building. The roof panels and flooring are made using steel. The steps porch and terrace are all paved with travertine, which naturally comes with an earthy tone to complement the relationship the house has with nature. Alongside this, all exposed steel is painted white. Within the interior, primavera wood is used to build the service core and teak wood for the wardrobe. The ceilings are plaster and shantung silk is used for the drapery.
Concerning its evident relationship with its surroundings, the glass walls of Farnsworth House and its slender steel frame allow the outside to enter the house, becoming its main feature. This in itself is an important aspect of the design. The materials and colours of the building also resonate with its forest surroundings. Mies has used neutral colours, which act as a complement to the surroundings rather than subtracting and distracting the natural beauty.
Concerning its evident relationship with its surroundings, the glass walls of Farnsworth House and its slender steel frame allow the outside to enter the house, becoming its main feature. This in itself is an important aspect of the design. The materials and colours of the building also resonate with its forest surroundings. Mies has used neutral colours, which act as a complement to the surroundings rather than subtracting and distracting the natural beauty.
Flooding Issues
Before the construction of Farnsworth House began, flooding was taken into consideration. The nearby Fox River was a threat and so Mies, after researching the flooding history and the hydrology for the area, calculated the elevation measurement to reflect the anticipated, highest predicted floods that occur every hundred years. This then effected the design and the site placement leading Mies to reconsider his plans. Mies then constructed the floor of the house at an elevation of 5 feet 3 inches of the ground and approximately 100 feet away from the banks of the river.
Three years after the construction of Farnsworth House, in 1954, the house had its first flood which damaged the house. It had submerged 2 feet of the house from the interior level. This was caused by water runoff due to the development of Chicago that Mies had not foreseen.
Over the last 20 years the flooding of the Fox River has increased and intensified, this has mainly been due to the increased urbanisation in the area. Also the past 20 years, USA has been experiencing unheard of flooding levels, leading them now to renew the flood risk maps. The worst flooding Farnsworth House experienced was in 1996 where several feet of the houses interior level had been submerged. One of the plate glass window had been smashed through from the force of the river.
Over the years since its construction Farnsworth House has had six flooding, each varying in severity.
Trying to help prevent the risk of more flood damage to Farnsworth House, the present owners, the National Trust For Historic Preservation, have been trying to work on solutions. One of their ideas was to move the building, but people had decided that it would then destroy the buildings original context.
"One shouldn't just move it to high ground where it would never flood. It was designed to be in the flood plain. In other words, the flooding was part of the concept of the house." - Dirk Lohan, architect in Chicago
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Three years after the construction of Farnsworth House, in 1954, the house had its first flood which damaged the house. It had submerged 2 feet of the house from the interior level. This was caused by water runoff due to the development of Chicago that Mies had not foreseen.
Over the last 20 years the flooding of the Fox River has increased and intensified, this has mainly been due to the increased urbanisation in the area. Also the past 20 years, USA has been experiencing unheard of flooding levels, leading them now to renew the flood risk maps. The worst flooding Farnsworth House experienced was in 1996 where several feet of the houses interior level had been submerged. One of the plate glass window had been smashed through from the force of the river.
Over the years since its construction Farnsworth House has had six flooding, each varying in severity.
Trying to help prevent the risk of more flood damage to Farnsworth House, the present owners, the National Trust For Historic Preservation, have been trying to work on solutions. One of their ideas was to move the building, but people had decided that it would then destroy the buildings original context.
"One shouldn't just move it to high ground where it would never flood. It was designed to be in the flood plain. In other words, the flooding was part of the concept of the house." - Dirk Lohan, architect in Chicago
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