For those of you unfamiliar with the Farnsworth House, "built by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1951 and located near Plano, Illinois, is one of the most famous examples of modernist domestic architecture and was considered unprecedented in its day." The house was first conceived by Dr. Edith Farnsworth in 1945. Edith Farnsworth was looking for an architect to build her a weekend home, having connections in high places she asked Mies van der Rohe at a dinner party if one of his architects could do the job for her. Intrigued by the project Mies van der Rohe took it on himself. "The architecture of the house represents the ultimate refinement of Mies van der Rohe’s minimalist expression of structure and space." To better understand the project and for more information about the house and Mies van der Rohe, please visit the Farnsworth House History page.
Now on to my adventure...
You start out the hour and a half tour by taking a 5 minute walk up to the house. On this walk you are surrounded by woods and english gardens. The gardens are not original to the house - they were added by Lord Peter Palumbo when he acquired the house from Edith Farnsworth in 1971. Although it was 90+ degrees on the day that we took the tour, you couldn't help but admire the beautiful and serene surroundings leading up to the house.
The house was built to give the illusion that it is floating. The house was raised 5 feet 3 inches - to try to save it from the rivers floods (which it didn't), and it is the average line of sight in which you can no longer see the floor in the house giving it and the furniture within the illusion of floating. Everything was meticulously thought out and planned when designing this home. Even the stairs were built to give the illusion that they are floating in space.
Originally we had planned on visiting the house Sunday, but due to strong storms we had to reschedule. During the microburst the wind broke the "witness" tree outside the front of the house. The tree will have to be taken down. It is such a shame too because the house was built specifically around it.
The house is one continuous space consisting of a dinning room, living room, bedroom, and kitchen. The interior consists of two full bathrooms and the central control room. The house seems huge once you step inside. The glass windows surrounding the entire house give the illusion of continuous space between the inside and outside world.
Basically, the Farnsworth house is my dream home. I may just have to get married there... My mom has never given much thought to architecture or Modernism and even she was moved by this space and its story. Visiting this home is something I highly recommend to any one who gets the chance :]
Have any of you been?
