Foundation University

Student Name: Jericho Philip E. Magsipoc

ARC 114 -Theory of Architecture
Section B
Date of Submission: October 30, 2022

Analysis Essay of Mies Van Der Rohe’s Pavilion

Mies Van Der Rohe was commissioned by Germany to design the Pavilion to
represent the country in the 1929 Universal Exhibition in Barcelona. The location of the
building was chosen by Mies himself; it is further away from other buildings.

Mies van der Rohe's illusion is the ambiguity between the interior and the exterior,
or the uncertainty about where the transition between the two interiors begins and ends.
When you are in a pavilion space, you feel like you are both inside and outside of the
other spaces. It allows you to experience more than one place and atmosphere with the
least amount of effort. There are no set entrances or exits, so you can explore the
complex however you see fit. That's because it's not like any other house or museum.
The Barcelona Pavilion is an exhibition space that emphasizes the space itself. In
interior design, empty space is frequently mentioned as a tool for creating balance and
harmony. It's taken to an entirely new level now. There is no decoration. The story is told
through clean lines and materials.

The travertine plinth raises the space above street level with a series of open
spaces connected and separated by straight lines. This creates a very fluid space by
connecting the interior and exterior. The Pavilion has a clear distinction between
enclosure and structure. The structure is supported by eight metal pillars that are
cruciform with chromes to enhance clean lines, and the double symmetry reduces the
directionality of the space by giving equal weight to both axes. The main axes are
accessed through a stair parallel to the Pavilion's main volume, that also leads the
spectator to an open space before entering the building. This building's influence is still
felt today, and it has influenced some people's decorating styles. Modernism paved the
way for today's aesthetic principles and ideas.