One Minute Architecture: The Farnsworth House

Some thoughts on the Farnsworth House designed by Mies van der Rohe and completed in 1951 for Dr Edith Farnsworth. This building is loved by many students of architecture but it has a deeper story behind it, something that seems to be worthy of a Hollywood production that should be on the big screen soon: variety.com/2019/film/news/ma...
Thanks for watching, please like and subscribe.
Follow me in Twitter @martintokyo
Instagram @vanderarchitects
my company: www.vanderarchitects.com

[@Dev1nci]

If I remember correctly Complexity and Contradiction basically alluded to these types of shortcomings in Phillip Johnson’s work.
This is lovely bite-sized video giving a real insight into the space and history. Thank you 😄

[@juliandavidac]

In an interview Tadao Ando says that we can see a reminicense of the Erechteion in the Farnsworth house, and if we put side by side, the Farnsworth house actually looks more like the Erectheion than the Glass house, and makes a lot of sense

[@OneMinuteArchitecture]

Although an interesting comparison, I don't think Mies would design by that kind of analogy. Mies hated The Glass House by Philip Johnson, comparing it to a Hot Dog stand when he visited it once, he refused to stay the night. Philip Johnson build his house earlier, and was most likely inspired by a model of the Farnsworth House when it was included in an exhibition that Johnson organised. Johnson was unapologetic in his influence and admiration of Mies.

[@fredunwin996]

There is drawing in the collection of MoMA of the reverse ceiling plan, showing drapery track which if installed would have divided the interior space at Farnsworth into separate "rooms". Lord Palumbo, owner of the house after Farnsworth, initiated a restoration and recreation of the house and lanscape which is what we have come to know in photographs as the Farnsworth House. I believe Mies intended the interior to be as progressive as the German Pavilion at Barcelona or the Tugendhat House in Brno but the project was halted by Dr. Farnsworth's legal action. I can only imagine what the interior could have been.

[@OneMinuteArchitecture]

Thanks for this very interesting comment. Indeed the original drawings are available online at Moma, which is really great to follow Mies' design process, especially in comparison of Philip Johnson who made many alternative versions before he arrived at his Glass House.
We can only wonder what happened if Mies had been able to push his ideas further through, but I think Dr Farnsworth brought a lot of interesting ideas to the project. Something similar, in a much more positive way happened when the Japanese architect, Kazuo Shinohara was asked to add some colour by the wife of one of his clients. She suggested Japanese sweets colours, Shinohara was initially sceptical but as one can see in his later work, after that input by the client, he loved the idea and used it in many of his future projects.

[@wthomas7955]

This is interesting. I spent six months working on a glass house down in Big Sur and I can attest it's not a comfortable place to be, psychologically speaking. I always ascribed this to the location, which was precarious, but now I'm thinking it's because of the lack of apparent sheltering created by the glass exterior walls. Too open.

[@OneMinuteArchitecture]

Thanks for your comment. I'm very interested in the concept of Prospect and Refuge. The glass house challenges that notion of retreating into space that gives comfort beyond the basic needs.

[@wthomas7955]

@@OneMinuteArchitecture It looks to me like the surroundings of the Farnsworth house provide some sense of sheltering from inclement weather. The same can't be said about the house down in Big Sur. It sits on a high bluff overlooking the ocean. Wind and rain can be unnerving. There are times when you almost feel like you're on a sailboat at sea. I suspect that's one of the reasons why the owners rarely visit.
Privacy feels like an issue as well, even though you're so high up that no one passing on the highway below can really make out people in the house. One of the things I did down there was wire for those J Geiger shades that integrate with the home automation system.

[@LucasFernandez-fk8se]

Yea that was my first thought too. Lizard brain stuff going on there where you can never quite get acclimated. Always looking into the darkness for predators and feeling watched

[@mottopanukeiku7406]

It’s nice for a single showcase room that has the best view, particularly of mountains or the sea. But agreed, a whole house that has this exposure is a bit much. As someone mentioned though, this house has a fairly serene environment. Love it, but would not want to live in it full time.

[@lndoia]

parfait

[@onlinealias622]

The music is way too loud

[@chrissmith1521]

How is it heated?

[@carolnorton2551]

I would feel exposed and therefore vulnerable.

[@stalematesibling]

Oh Bruce Wayne's house from the Snydercut was modeled after this.

[@agelualofa]

Whao… I always thought the design of this building was amazing?

[@Jackson-ln9oj]

How is this from 1945 they predicted the trends

[@sonnathanmaharaj7885]

his family pretty much. HER\\\
uncle phil and Guerillas