Villa Tugendhat - Design

Design

The free-standing three-story Villa Tugendhat is situated on a sloped terrain and faces to the south-west. The second story, the ground floor consists of the main living and social areas with the conservatory and the terrace as well as the kitchen with facilities along with the servants' rooms. The third story, the first floor, has the main entrance from the street with a passage to the terrace, the entrance hall, the rooms for the parents, children and the nanny with appropriate facilities. The chauffeur's flat with the garages and the terrace are accessible separately.

Rohe's design principle of "less is more" and emphasis on functional amenities created a fine example of early functionalism architecture, a groundbreaking new vision in building design at the time. Mies used the revolutionary iron framework which enabled him to dispense with supporting walls and arrange the interior in order to achieve a feeling of space and light. One wall is a sliding sheet of plate glass that descends to the basement the way an automobile window does. Mies also designed all of the furniture (two types of armchair designed for the building, the Tugendhat chair and the Brno chair, are still in production). Classic furnishings by Lilly Reich complemented the architect’s own pieces. There were no paintings or decorative items in the villa but the interior was by no means austere due to the use of naturally patterned materials such as the captivating onyx wall and rare tropical woods. The onyx wall is partially translucent and changes appearance when the evening sun is low. The architect also managed to make the magnificent view from the villa an integral part of the interior.

The cost of building the villa was very high due to the unusual construction method, luxurious materials, and the use of modern technology for heating and ventilation. On the lower-ground level, was used as a service area. An ultra-modern air-conditioning system was located here and a glass facade that opens completely assisted by a mechanism built into the wall. The floor space of the home was unusually large and open compared to the average family home of the period; in addition to the various storage rooms made the structure unique if not confusing to visitors not used to such minimalism.