Villa Tugendhat – A design lesson for today
Villa Tugendhat is a museum located in Brno, the Czech Republic’s second largest city. Built in 1929, Villa Tugenhat was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a contemporary of the more well known American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. The museum is a wonderful look at early 20th century modern home architecture.
Visitors will be in awe of the simplistic, yet contemporary design. What I found so impressive is that the villa and its furnishings are more than 80 years old, yet it looks like it could be today’s era. One of the highlights for me was the massive automated windows that open the house up to the outdoors. There are three large windows, each with a button on a far wall that raises and lowers the windows.
During WWII there was a bomb that exploded nearby, breaking one of the enormous panes. The windows were installed during the initial construction phase, and since they were so thick, no one ever thought about the possible replacement, which ended up being incredibly difficult.
There are modern accents found throughout the villa, not a detail was overlooked…even the doorknobs and light switches are contemporary by today’s standards. As the tour took us downstairs we learn about the advanced features of the villa…from the ventilation system, to the motors and pulley system for the automated windows.
Villa Tugendhat is an architectural wonder and is listed as a UNESCO Heritage site due to its structure, layout, furnishings, setting and technical equipment. Its use of rare and exotic materials also makes this functionalist home quite unique.
If you’ve ever been to the Villa Tugendhat in Brno, please leave a comment below and share your experience. Click the following link to see more pictures of Villa Tugendhat.
Mike Shubic
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