It took two friends visiting from Spain to check out this architectural gem in my back yard. The Farnsworth House -located in Plano, IL- is one of the most famous examples of modernist domestic architecture and was considered unprecedented in its day. It was designed and constructed by iconic 20th century architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe between 1945-1951.
(Left) Source: wikipedia.org (Right) Source: lynnbecker.com
Its name derives from Dr. Edith Farnsworth, a prominent Chicago nephrologist who commissioned Ludwig Mies van der Rohe to design the house during a dinner party in 1945. The steel and glass one-room house was meant to be a weekend retreat by rural riverfront property.
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| Photo by Carlos Grima Matzner |
The architecture of the house represents the ultimate refinement of Mies van der Rohe’s minimalist expression of structure and space. It is composed of three strong, horizontal steel forms - the terrace, the floor of the house, and the roof.
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| Source: Carlos Grima Matzner |
To mimic the simplicity of the three horizontal planes, I wore this color blocked dress from Zara (with a color representing each one of the steel forms) during the guided tour.
Dress: Zara | Shoes: Topshop | Purse: Anne Klein | Watch: Michael Kors
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| Photo by Carlos Grima Matzner |
The visit was an unforgettable experience and I would recommend it to everyone, regardless of their design or architectural knowledge. I should admit that I didn't know much about the home or its story before the visit and now I'm left wanting more.
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| Photo by Carlos Grima Matzner |
One of the things that caught my attention was that Mies van der Rohe's philosophy (like many of today's fashion designers) was, "less is more."
To continue learning about the history of the house, I've included a snippet of a PBS video.
For more photos of the Farnsworth House, click here.
P.S. Shout out to the lovely friends that inspired today's post.
Click here to read this post in Spanish.
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