Barcelona Pavilion,(Barcelona, Spain);1929; Early Modernism

The Barcelona Pavilion became a staple of Modernism and the modern movement. Designed by Ludwig Mies Van De Rohe a German architect. The pavilioned was commissioned by Germany for the Barcelona International Exposition. Spain challenged Germany to build a small pavilion representative of their country. This exposition was to show the world that after the loss of World War I that it was becoming a power house for the coming century. The Barcelona pavilion was made using glass, steel, and various marbles. The pavilion was to accommodate the reception of King Alfonso XIII of Spain. The Barcelona Pavilion was very well received as it used modern design of a flat roof and a harmonious grid system. The marble that was used was Roman travertine, Green Alpine, Ancient Greek from Greece, and Golden Onyx from Atlas Mountains. Rohe choose marble not for their novelty but their purpose for the modern geometric styles of each marble type. One of many innovations that came from the Barcelona Pavilion was the Barcelona Chair. The Barcelona Chair was specifically crafted for the pavilion, the design was so popular that it is still in production today. The frame is made of polished metal and is complemented by the leather upholstery; the chair became an icon of modern design. Another art piece that was included in the pavilion is Georg Kolb’s Sculpture. The sculpture is a reproduction of ‘dawn’. Placed on the end of the smaller pond it reflects in the marble walls as well as the pond itself. This gives the idea of multiplicity. The pavilion has an open façade framing system which is supported by slim steel columns and the heavy marble walls. At the end of the Barcelona International Exposition in 1930 the Barcelona Pavilion was deconstructed. After half a decade passed the Barcelona pavilion was glorified as one of the greatest achievements in modern architecture and modern design of the 20^th century, as also Mies Van De Rohe’s great architectural buildings’. The research began in the 1980’s to reconstruct the Barcelona Pavilion in the same spot it was originally built in. Fortunately, there were detailed drawings and notes on the construction of the pavilion left by Mies Van De Rohe.  Construction began in 1983 and was officially opened in 1986 just three years later. It was considered to be one of the most beautiful building to come out of the 20^th century      

Works Cited:

Martínez de Guereñu, Laura. "The Sequence of Mies Van Der Rohe in Barcelona: The German Pavilion as Part of a Much Larger Industrial Presence." Journal / International Working-Party for Documentation & Conservation of Buildings, Sites & Neighbourhoods of the Modern Movement, no. 56, 2017, pp. 56-63. EBSCOhost, arktos.nyit.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bvh&AN=772240&site=ehost-live&scope=site.