Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe

ARCHITECTURAL BOUNDARIES: LUDWIG MIES VAN DER ROHE AND PHILIP JOHNSON Architecture has undergone a rapid and revolutionary transformation in the modern era. Through the work of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, this essay attempts to chart the transition in architecture from nineteenth century Romanticism and Neoclassicism to High Modernism. Mies van der Rohe redefined architectural boundaries and emphasised the beauty of simple forms, the importance of functionality and the versatility of new materials such as glass, steel and marble. An analysis of the work of Philip Johnson reveals the development from High Modernism to Postmodernism, where playful and ironic decoration and humanist theories were reintroduced into what had become a ‘cold’ Modernist aesthetic. Both architects challenged and reorientated the direction of twentieth century architecture.† Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson were seminal to the development of architecture in the twentieth century. Mies van der Rohe dramatically altered architectural boundaries by transforming the design of buildings from the ornate and decorative historicism of the nineteenth century, to the sleek and geometric shapes and styles characteristic of Modernist architecture. He designed innovative structures, such as the skyscraper, with an emphasis on functionality and simplicity of materials. Johnson’s theories and exhibitions introduced the International Style to America and his buildings expanded and challenged Modernist tenets, reintroducing Classical and humorous motifs. Mies van der Rohe produced austere and elegant spaces and constructions, whereas Johnson created new Postmodern possibilities and reinvigorated High Modernism. He did this by Lorna Clarke is in her third year of a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws degree at the Australian National University, and is a current

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