Customer Reviews

Mies Van Der Rohe: A Critical Biography

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While much is known about the works or Mies van der Rohe, little is ever revealed about the man himself. After reading Franz Schulze's book I found myself reflecting quite deeply on my own direction in the great field of Architecture.

Schulze gives readers a honest perspective on the mysterious personality of Mies. He tells much about his marital life, his relationship with his daughters, and his political life; three aspects of the man which had significant influence on his career.

In the end Mies is painted as one who did what was necessary to become great, but never lost sight of the true essence of arguably the most influential of all art forms.

Schulze appears to have a deep respect for Mies and is therefore very frank in this book. However, he is not merely spouting rhetoric. Much of the biography is based on interviews with those close to Mies, including his grandson, Dirk Lohan, who himself is a successful architect in the Chicago area.

This is a great book you'll come back to again and again and if you don't have it, then your library is incomplete. Shulze has obviously did his research and come up with a readable and fascinating story that tracks Mies's work all the way from Aachen to Chicago. I can't say enough in praise of this work. Where other authors skim the surface when writing about Mies and his work, Schulze dives deeply into the pond and reveals some fascinating background information on the man, his time and his work. I cannot recommend this book enough and feel it should be a text for all architectural students. My only regret is that I should have read it 20 years ago.

As a fan of modernism and a resident in a Mies Van Der Rohe-designed Commonwealth Plaza building in Chicago, I have an acute appreciation for Mies' vision and mastery of form and function in architecture. I borrowed this book from a friend and was mesmerized by the depth in which Mr. Schulze chronicled some of Mies' best works. I received incredible insight into the philosophy of this master architect. The text was accompanied by black and white photos of the buildings and designs and was perfectly matched. The black and white layout of the book focuses the reader on the form of these buildings and its importance, thereby giving a glimpse of the thoughts behind the designs. The book is incredibly comprehensive and a must for anyone with an interest in architecture and modernism. Unfortunately, the book is not in print and I have been constantly searching for my own copy, preferably new. I hope that the University of Chicago Press, itself part of a highly-regarded academic institution, to quickly offer a reprint of this valuable book. I would love to obtain a hardcopy version, as I strongly feel that this is a collection-quality book.

This is a biography and a very complete one at that. It is not strong on illustrations, drawings, or theory but it is the best book at understanding Mies as a person and in his private life. If you are interested in his work more so another excellent book is David Speath's Mies Van Der Rohe the two of these books together will give an understanding of of mies the man and his work, which to really understand both are nessisary. This book is about the man who reminded us that the simplest solution is the stongest solution.