Barcelona Pavilion

MIES VAN DE ROHE

It is an important building in the history
of mordern architecture, known for its
simple form and its spectacular use of
extravagant materials, such as marble,
red onyx and travertine.
The pavilion was to be bare, with no
exhibits, leaving only the structure
accompanying a single sculpture and
specially-designed furniture- ‘The
barcelona chair’.
The pavilion was designed to "block" any
passage through the site, rather, one would
have to go through the building.
The visitors were not meant to be led in a
straight line through the building, but to
take continuous turnabouts.
The structure is created with eight steel pillars
in a cross holding a flat roof. Complete the
work a relieved from large glass structure and
interior walls.

The Barcelona Pavilion has a low horizontal

orientation that is accentuated with too low
flat roof that seems to float both inside and
outside
The walls not only created space, but also
directed visitor's movements. This was
achieved by wall surfaces being displaced
against each other, running past each other,
and creating a space that became narrower or
wider.
 The structure was more of a hybrid style,
some of these planes also acted as supports.
The floor plan is very simple. The entire
building rests on a plinth of travertine.
A southern U-shaped enclosure, also of
travertine, helps form a service annex and a
large water basin.
The floor slabs of the pavilion project out and
over the pool—once again connecting inside
and out.
Another U-shaped wall on the opposite side of
the site also forms a smaller water basin.

The roof plates, relatively small, are supported

by the chrome-clad, cruciform columns. This
gives the impression of a hovering roof
Another unique feature of this building is
the exotic materials Mies chooses to use.

Plates of high-grade stone materials like

veneers of Tinos verde antico marble and
golden onyx as well as tinted glass of grey,
green, white, as well as translucent glass,
perform exclusively as spatial dividers.
THANK
YOU !