The Mies Van Der Rohe pavilion in Barcelona has become an important place for understanding the city's modern architecture.
Here you can spend some time away from the hustle and bustle of Barcelona.
The architecture has created an environment conducive to contemplation and reflection.
What is the Barcelona Pavilion?
What can you see on site?
That's what we'll be looking at in this article.
Mies Van Der Rohe pavilion: article summary
The short history of the Mies Van Der Rohe Pavilion
The German pavilion, also known as the Barcelona pavilion, was originally presented at Barcelona International Exhibition, May 26, 1929 by King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain.
The pavilion was intended to represent Germany's new identity as a peaceful, prosperous nation, signifying a new beginning after the First World War. The Weimar Republic was still under his rule, and was eager to develop a new identity and distance itself from its imperialist past.
The new identity was that of modernity, openness, liberalism and internationalism. These are still values that the site shares today.
Special materials are used in its design
Mies had an in-depth knowledge of stone masonry. He grew up in a family of stonemasons and was apprenticed as a mason in his early youth. This appreciation and knowledge is reflected in details, application and choice of stones for the Barcelona pavilion.
The walls are framed in steel and clad in three different types of natural stone: alpine green marble, ancient Greek green marble and golden onyx from the Atlas Mountains.
The ornate stones are polished, producing transparency and reflectivity, creating the perception of a larger space, similar to the effect of a mirror. There is also a series of glass panels, some clear, others translucent, in the structure.
Reflecting pools at the Mies Van Der Rohe Pavilion
By adding water, Mies adds an element of softness, relief and reflection. Sembla
hanks to the polished stone cladding inside the building, the surface of the water reflects the sky and the surrounding elements of the site.Opposite the large reflecting pool is a second basin. Walls surround it on three sides. The walls are lined with a green marble stone that reflects on the surface of the water.
In the rear corner is a bronze sculpture of a figure known as Dawn by artist George Colby. The sculpture depicts a naked woman who appears to be protecting herself from the sun. She waits patiently on a small cushion in the pond, isolating him from the crowd of curious onlookers.
What is the significance of this architectural pavilion?
The Barcelona pavilion was one of the first architectural works to "liberate space". Before the pavilion, buildings were conceived as solid shells encapsulating space in a clearly defined container.
In the pavilion, Mies has removed the boundary between inside and outside by extending wall planes, glass, reflections and materials. There is no defined interior and exterior to the building. Instead, an envelope, the building is made up of a series of dynamic moving planes that don't show the separation between inside and outside.
Several other buildings began to display similar qualities around this time. However, none was as successful as the Barcelona pavilion.
How to visit the Mies Van Der Rohe Pavilion
The Barcelona pavilion is open to the public most of the year. I recommend that you reserve the first slot at 10 a.m., before the afternoon crowds fill the venue.
Several methods of transport will take you to the pavilion. The easiest is to take the metro to the Espana stop. Then head southeast on Avenida Reina Maria Cristina towards the Montjuïc magic fountain. The pavilion will be on your right.
The Pavilion is a very special place to visit. Although it's not a priority on a first visit to the city, I'd recommend it to the curious who are already familiar with Barcelona's most famous places. You'll have the impression of always discovering more about the city.
Leave a Reply