With its transparency, the Farnsworth House pays homage to the beauty of its surroundings. Visits can be arranged by appointment with the organizers of the Illinois Landmarks Preservation Council.
By Amelia Cuesta
Editorial Staff El Inmobiliario
Located in Plano, Illinois, United States, is one of the most important designs by the German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
This project was first exhibited in 1947 as a model in a solo exhibition of Mies van der Rohe at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, MoMA, is considered one of the symbols of the Modern Movement in the history of architecture and is listed
as a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior.
With this work, the architect embodied his philosophy "less is more," by designing a rectangular metal structure with an open floor plan and glass walls that allow reconnection with nature, as the landscape blends with the surroundings and becomes part of it.
It has 140 square meters and is raised 1.5 meters above the ground and is composed of three horizontal rectangular travertine slabs, white painted steel edges that make up the floor, the roof and the podium.
The interior is divided into two blocks; the first contains the kitchen, fireplace, bedroom, bathrooms and a compartment for the facilities, and the second block contains the completely open-air areas.
The Farnsworth House was designed as a retreat for Dr. Edith Farnsworth. Construction began in 1945 and was completed in 1951. It is said that Edith Farnsworth was unhappy with the project and that the architect deviated from her requests and went over budget. To make matters worse, she had nowhere to store her belongings, as no
closets were built.
Another problem for her was that, due to the surrounding vegetation and the proximity of the river, insects were a constant problem, and the house flooded. In 1972, she decided to sell the house and move to Italy.
Its second owner, Peter Palumbo, bought the house in 1972 and hired the firm of Mies van der Rohe's grandson, Dirk Lohan, to carry out one of the most important renovations of this historic monument; he not only installed air conditioning and had the bronze screen that closed off the
gallery removed, but also restored it to its original 1951 appearance.
With its transparency, the Farnsworth House pays homage to the beauty of its surroundings. Visits can be arranged by appointment with the organizers of the Illinois Landmarks Preservation Council.
