Customer Reviews

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe: The Tugendhat House

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This book is a must for any fan of modern architecture. The interviews with the family are what are the most interesting aspects of this publication, and put the house in a human context. Architecture books rarely talk about how people functioned in the space, and if they do, it is not in great detail. This book really does turn this famous, "untouchable", far away structure into a family home with the myriad of family photos and recollections. It also discusses fairly thoroughly the fate of the house after the family fled in 1938, which is one of the more interesting parts of this homes history. Definitely worth the investment!

A thorough account of the turbulent history of Mies van der Rohe's most notable European residence. Several contributors explore the design, construction and critical reaction to this icon of modern architecture; its wartime occupation, postwar expropriation and subsequent uses; the depredations, from looting to bomb damage to botched restoration. The highlights of the book are the recollections of the Tugendhats' themselves as conveyed in an essay by Daniela Hammer-Tugendhat. Spirited defenses of the houses livability by the clients, as published in architecture journals of the day, are also included. These, along with the many family photos reproduced here, remind us that this was a home for living as well as a work of art.

Well illustrated with plans, elevations, perspective drawings, b&w photos and a small number of contemporary color photos. A comprehensive catalog of the original furniture, along with color photos of some of the surviving pieces, is here as well.

All in all, a worthwhile addition to any Mies fan's library.