Farnsworth House
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe · Plano, United States · 1951
The Farnsworth House is a seminal example of International Style residential architecture, completed in 1951. Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, this single-story structure embodies his "less is more" philosophy through its minimalist aesthetic and integration with the surrounding natural landscape. Its transparent glass walls and exposed steel frame articulate a radical rethinking of domestic space and form. Elevated above the flood plain of the Fox River, the house consists of two parallel slabs for the roof and floor, supported by external white-painted steel columns. The interior is largely open-plan, with a core containing service functions, distinguishing it as a significant work in the development of modern architecture and demonstrating principles of universal space.