The whole floor plan was based on a formulaic grid system, which serves as the patterning of the travertine pavers. It serves as an underlying framework as well where the wall works within it. The pavilion is raised on a plinth in conjunction with the narrow profile of the site; the Barcelona Pavilion has a low horizontal orientation that is accentuated by the low flat roof that appears to float over both the interior as well as the exterior.
Mies purpose adjusted the view frames by lowering the stature of the building, which limits the visitor’s line of vision. The visitor is forced under the low roof plane as they walked up onto the plinth, which will capture the adjacent outdoor court as well as the interior moments that induce circulation throughout the pavilion. A set of walls were placed that will work with the low roof plane to encourage movement, as well as activate Mies’s architectural promenade where framed views would induce movement through the narrow passage that would open into larger volume. This cyclical process of moving throughout the pavilion sets in motion a process of discovery and rediscovery of user experience, always offering up new perspectives and details that were previously