Barcelona Pavilion Insertion

How do you improve on “perfect”? That’s the challenge we faced in my Drawing 2D class, where we were asked to make an addition to Mies van der Rohe’s iconic Barcelona Pavilion. This was no easy task, as the Barcelona Pavilion is emblematic of van der Rohe’s minimalist “less is more” vision, and every detail in the structure, from the choice of materials to the “free plan” and the “floating roof”, was precisely chosen to make the building feel simple, ethereal, and blur the distinction between indoor and outdoor space.

My approach to this project was to keep the integrity of van der Rohe’s vision by making an insertion that was so simple that it would feel as though it had been there from the beginning. To achieve this goal, I added a partial height chrome wall that also served as a bench. Located near the entrance facing the reflecting pool, the partial height wall allows van der Rohe’s original wall to remain visible. Chrome was selected for its reflective qualities and its existing use throughout the Pavilion’s original design, particularly for the cruciform columns that support the roof. The Barcelona Pavilion’s ethereality comes from its materials, for when light strikes the reflective surfaces, it dances around the space. The chrome bench, combined with the reflective pool and travertine floor, would enhance the dreamlike quality of the Pavilion.