Mies van der Rohe Haus
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is one of the most important architects of the 20th century. He was the director of the Bauhaus at the time the Lemke House was designed and built. This private home for Karl Lemke and his wife was his last project before emigrating to America in 1938. Mies used a shaded red brick to create a refined surface that is both beautiful and lively. The house demonstrates Mies’ genius for using a minimum of material to produce maximum quality in order to satisfy the needs of modern living. To quote Mies, ‘It is important not to confuse simple with simplistic.’ Haus Lemke was an important step in Mies’ quest for truth in architecture.
Highlights
The Mies van der Rohe Haus is a gem of classical modernism. With this house, built for printing works owner Karl Lemke, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created a place emanating extraordinary atmosphere. Ceiling-to-floor terrace windows open the space to a small lake with park landscape. The clear architecture reduced to the essential unites man and nature both aesthetically and spiritually. Visitors find themselves drawn both to the details of the immediate surroundings as well as to the distant landscape and sky. The building’s strength lies in its harmonious fusion of architecture, nature and art and finds appropriate expression in its current use as an exhibition space. It is not only a space for art, but also a place for learning and contemplation.
Insider's Guide
In addition to the architecture, the garden and contemporary art, there is also a beautiful detail to look at and touch: the MR door handle. It is cast in white bronze like a work of art and is used for the first time on all doors, both inside and outside. Material and shape seem to gently caress the hand.