Mies van der Rohe--Chicago Federal Center Building

Author: [Switzerland] Werner Burckhardt
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-09
Features: Mies van der Rohe's architectural achievements have secured his place in 20th-century architectural history. His rich experience with materials, innovative spatial design, and ability to integrate architecture into its environment all reach our senses through the medium of photography. Therefore, this book's introduction is primarily based on the author's photographic materials—some of which have never been published before. On one hand, it traces the era in which these outstanding buildings were created, and on the other hand, it explores their continuous development to this day. This documentation describes Mies's initial passion for architecture and introduces his gradual approach to the essence of architecture, reflecting the tacit communication between him and the built environment. The numerous examples selected in this monograph comprehensively reflect Mies's architecture. It is also a practical manual designed to help architects seeking the correct methods for building and planning. The expressed architectural aspirations and the power of instruction in this book remain highly beneficial today. Thus, this introductory series on the outstanding buildings of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe focuses on his most important individual buildings. Overall, the foundation of this detailed series is a serious and thorough engagement with the entire captivating works of Mies van der Rohe. The text is written by the author and accompanied by an article from a resident who once lived in the building. The black-and-white photographs included in the book were all taken using the same camera and the same methods. The text and images were carefully selected and meticulously organized to objectively present the true state of Mies van der Rohe's individual buildings. Decades of personal interaction gave Werner Burckhardt the opportunity to engage with Mies van der Rohe's entire works, making the publication of this series possible. Through these unpublished photographs, we can visually revisit Mies van der Rohe's creative intentions and outstanding achievements. For those with a critical perspective, the abundant textual and visual materials provided in the book offer them the chance to deeply and comprehensively engage with excellent architectural design. Other volumes: Lake Shore Drive Apartments, Farnsworth House, Illinois Institute of Technology, Crown Hall, Illinois Institute of Technology Campus Planning, Meeting of East and West.