Born Ludwig Mies in 1886, Aachen; his mother's family name, Van der Rohe, he later appended.
Apprenticed under his father (Mies) as a stonemason; he never academically trained as architect. Post WWI; a contemporary of Walter Gropius, worked under various Berlin architecture firms. Architect; Berlin 1918-1937; then Chicago, where he died in 1969. Design philosophy: "Driving to the Essence of Things". Designed a chair (for Barcelona '29); thin steel frame, very comfortable, very famous, often copied.
The aphorism "
LessIsMore" is, by superficial scribes, ascribed to both (Ludwig) Mies Van der Rohe and R. Buckminster Fuller; both did exemplify its concept, in their respective designs. However, if M.V.d.R. or B.F. ever laid claim to coining the phrase, well .. then they were just "
EmbracingAndExtending" or "innovating". The phrase, in English-language literature, dates to an 1855 poem by Browning; which poesy puts it on the lips of painter Andrea del Sarto (actual historical figure; 1486-1531).
Did a lot of work on Charles Center in Baltimore so his work feels right at home with me. -
DavidBrantley
a mies software is also available, it's called
MiesForAll
See other great architects
FrankLloydWright,
LeCorbusier.
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