Architecture in Nature - Farnsworth House (2005)
It is difficult for a fresh visitor of the house to pinpoint the façade to the building. This is due to the fact that the building is composed almost entirely of glass on the outside, making all faces similar in appearance. Only by walking through the building once or through careful studying is the visitor able to locate the defined façade of the dwelling. Mainly because of this, but also due to the lack of features, the building suggests little expression through the façade except for the fact that Mies was trying to incorporate imagery of nature into his work. Unlike some classical architecture, the building could not be read and understood from the outside if the curtains were pulled up and one could not see through the glass.

The interior décor to the house, also designed by Mies, does little to steal attention from the view of the nature outside. They are simple in design and arranged so that they create an uncluttered imagery. Thus, when one stands within the house, their direction of gaze is not instantly set on the interior furnishing but towards the view of the exterior.

As mentioned earlier, movement through the building is left unobstructed. This contributes to the continuity of the design and serves to promote the exploration of the building at one’s wish. The terrace, slid away from the house, requires users to turn and face the forest if they were to enter it. Set in a different positional alignment to the house, it also suggests the separation between the two, as if it was a structure that offered the protective sense of the house but the exposure to nature of the outdoors.

Mies derived the solution to the program of the house by mixing his interest in the continual flow of nature within architecture along with the ideas of modern architecture. His design was driven by the simplicity of form and disregarded all historical reference to architectural ornaments themselves. Modern architectural elements such as steel pillars are adapted to effectively create a frame towards the landscape around the dwelling. Technological advances in material such as the strength of steel is also adapted to its full advantage by lifting the entire building off the ground, supporting the idea of space flowing through the building. The Farnsworth House is recognized as one of the finest demonstration of modern architecture, yet ironically, it was never well received by the client, Dr. Edith Farnsworth. The house was accused of being inhabitable as living in it left the person inside constantly paranoid of watching eyes from outside the house. Perhaps, it serves as an example in the importance of walls as a division of privacy, but its incorporation of nature and the continuity of space are influential towards the idea of modern architecture.

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