Architecture and narrative: the formation of space and cultural meaning, by Sophia Psarra

Reading aligned with lecture: Modern Urbanism: Garden city and functionalism.

Personal summary of reading pages 43-64: 

This article is a review of ideas that influenced the critical history of Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion, which has been variably described as ‘classical yet modern, a symbolic house, an abstract temple, a small landscape and a domestic house.’ I have personally experienced this piece of architecture and as a current Interior Architecture student I have learnt to appreciate something as beautiful as the Barcelona Pavilion and even though its been described in a universe of words and terms I think that it is an architectural gem that is highly influential to todays modern functionality.

It becomes apparent that Rohe was very, very strategic regarding the design through asymmetric, axial lines and the overall experience he intended to create. As an audience you walk up to the pavilion but are purposely made to change direction to go up some stairs to enter the grounds of the architecture; on doing so you see the pavilion from a different angle as you do on the platform, enabling you to assess and view the parallel facades. Routes around and throughout the pavilion ‘contrast between symmetry and asymmetry’ and space has appeared to be ‘sliced’ with large slabs of marble. On plan the pavilion appears very horizontal, however when inside I did not feel pushed by the parallel horizontal planes; more than anything they seemed to help guide me through the space as the planes block certain elements of the view in which you need to move around to see the experience the rest of the space.

The original pavilion was used in an exhibition of works featuring Rohe’s work. It was highly criticized but overall it was concluded that ‘ the Pavilion exemplified the characteristics of the free plan with the asymmetrical arrangement of the walls and the roof contrasting to the regularity of the structural system.’ It was also critiqued against classicism architecture that the Pavilion ‘replaced a privileged point with multiple viewing positions.’

The reconstruction of the Pavilion in 1896, that I visited in Barcelona had some purposeful choices based on materials. For the free standing partition in the interior Mies van der Rohe ‘chanced upon a large block of onyx doree’ a very rare and expensive marble. Rohe made sure that the Pavilion was twice the height of the block, a distinctive phase in the design.’ This decision snowballed into proportions and height of the building was altered in accordance to the marbles dimensions.

The article is interesting in showing the proportions and intuitive thinking behind what looks like a very simple piece of modern architecture; further more it is thought-provoking in reading different views from different critics and architects on even the minutest details. It has been highly critiqued and I believe it always be, but I see the Pavilion as inspiration as a great piece to learn a lot of design skills from.