Jennifer Hagler
Originally designed by Mart Stam but introduced Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1927, Mr. Chair the tubular steel and cane seat still somehow feels incredibly relevant. Actually, I would love a Mr. Chair myself, one of the leather variations ideally which is now produced by Knoll. I can’t say Mies van der Rohe chair is my dream one because then I’d have to pick only one, which is highly impossible.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was a famous German modernist architect, author of Barcelona furniture collection, and Bauhaus leader.
His love of glass and steel, simple geometry and the principle of “less is more” defined the architectural look of modern interiors.
The main theme of his work has always been absolute functionalism and the rejection of formalism.
He got his first lessons in the art of architecture from his father who was a skillful masonry worker. After a difficult period in trade school and various workshops, he moved to Berlin in 1905, where he joined the architectural bureau of the German classicist Peter Behrens.
His style was highly regarded by peer experts, but he faced lots of critique since some people did not understand his minimalist aesthetic.
Villa Tugendhat is still considered a symbol of architectural modernism of the time and is also one of the most famous works of the architect.
The villa was designed for the Tugendhat family in 1928 in the Czech Republic, Brno. Mies first used an iron frame to get away from the supporting walls that blocked the light. Great emphasis was placed on design and furniture that’s led to the introduction of famous Brno chairs or Knoll chairs to the villa’s interior.
There were no picturesque paintings or additional decorative elements in the house. All this was superfluous, as the impression was created by materials with natural texture (onyx or wood). An interesting feature of the onyx wall is that as the sun sets, it changes its hue. Also due to the fact that the Villa is built on a hill, owners could enjoy the view from the extremely large windows that erase the borders of humans and nature.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was so passionate about this project that he created furniture suitable for a that interior. The Tugendhat and Brno chairs also known as Knoll chairs are still in mass production and can be found as Mr. Chair, and even the change of era didn’t prevent Mr. Chairs from aging well.
