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What is life? Exploring Mies van der Rohe's concept

of architecture as a life process

Luciana Fornari Colombo

To cite this article: Luciana Fornari Colombo (2017) What is life? Exploring Mies van der Rohe's
concept of architecture as a life process, The Journal of Architecture, 22:8, 1267-1286, DOI:
10.1080/13602365.2017.1393836

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Published online: 07 Nov 2017.

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 1267

The Journal
of Architecture
Volume 22
Number 8

What is life? Exploring Mies van der

Rohe’s concept of architecture as a
life process

Luciana Fornari Colombo Department of Architecture, Federal University of

Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Author’s e-mail address:
luci.colombo@gmail.com)

From his popular motto ‘less is more’ to his concept of architecture as ‘the spatially appre-
hended will of the epoch’, the aphorisms of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969)
remain one of his most memorable legacies. Despite being less well known, other such state-
ments promoted by Mies are also important to clarify the philosophy that sustained his
works. This paper investigates one of these less known yet highly revealing statements:
‘Building-art is only understandable as a life process’. Considering the broader context of
Mies’s discourse, philosophical readings and architectural projects, this paper argues that
Mies used the term ‘life process’ to refer to a larger changing reality that united the material
and the spiritual realms of life. According to Mies, the recognition of this material-spiritual
unity was necessary to recover architecture’s status as ‘building-art’ [Baukunst] amid an
overly technological and individualistic modern age. This view of life and modernity is con-
sistent with the writings of Rudolf Schwarz, Max Scheler and Alfred North Whitehead,
which, as this paper shows, were highlighted by Mies not as sources of his thought, but
as key references that could especially illuminate the significance of his work and architec-
tural philosophy.

Architecture as a life process a member of the audience commented: ‘I’m not

Mies van der Rohe introduced his concept of archi- sure what we’ve been talking about all evening …
tecture as ‘the spatially apprehended will of the I’d like to know what your definition of architecture
epoch’ [raumgefaßter Zeitwille] in the manifesto Bür- might be … I’m sure your definition would be better
ohaus of July, 1923, alongside the drawing of the than almost anyone’s here’. Mies replied: ‘I’ll say it in
Concrete Office Building project (1923), which he German. It is too difficult for me … Baukunst ist
had especially produced for the effervescent avant- raumgefaßter Zeitwille … Why don’t you write it
garde exhibitions and publications of the 1920s.1 down and then try to translate it?’.3
Mies continued to promote both this project and At first, the continuous reaffirmation of this
this concept of architecture in later years, such as concept of architecture seems to contradict Mies’s
in the seminal monograph that accompanied his claim that ‘To find out what architecture really is
solo exhibition in 1947 at the Museum of Modern took me fifty years—half a century’.4 Yet, this appar-
Art in New York.2 He also reaffirmed this concept ent contradiction can be resolved by considering
in about 1960 during a talk at the Architectural that, whilst keeping key principles and ideas, Mies
League of New York. Towards the end of this talk, continued to develop, refine and clarify his architec-

# 2017 RIBA Enterprises 1360-2365 https://doi.org/10.1080/13602365.2017.1393836

 1268

What is life? Exploring Mies van

der Rohe’s concept of
architecture as a life process
Luciana Fornari Colombo

tural philosophy throughout his career. As he Mies presented his concept of architecture as a
explained, ‘I could not read in a book and it wasn’t ‘life process’ at the beginning of the lecture ‘The Pre-
dessert served on a lunch plate. Little by little one conditions of Architectural Work’ (1928), whose
thought is put to another. One is doubtful of a thou- purpose was to identify the challenges that the
sand things in this process, but by experience and modern age had been posing to architecture, and
logic you may build upon these thoughts until you to indicate ways in which to respond to these chal-
achieve a real conviction’.5 lenges.11 In this lecture, Mies explained that moder-
As part of this process of developing his architec- nity had succumbed to the reign of technology,
tural philosophy, in 1928—around the time that he which, though impressive, was ‘only the raw
started to realise his progressive ideas in built form, material compared to life’.12 Consequently, every
such as in the Weissenhofsiedlung (1925–1927), endeavour, including architecture, had been
the German Pavilion in Barcelona (1928–1929) and reduced to purely technical-scientific work. Mies
the Tugendhat House (1928–1930)—Mies promoted traced this cultural decay to the rise of Nominalism
another statement aimed at epitomising his concept under the influence of William of Occam (1285–
of architecture: ‘The building-art can only be 1347), whose disbelief in a metaphysical reality
unlocked from a spiritual centre and can only be transcending the individual human mind had fos-
understood as a life process’ [Baukunst ist nur von tered relativism, arbitrariness, fragmentation and
einem geistigen Zentrum aus aufzuschliessen und Unbildung (lack of formation, education and
nur als Lebensvorgang zu begreifen].6 This statement culture). While illustrating his lecture with a picture
highlighted the link between architecture and life that of Strasbourg, Mies presented the ‘objectively
occupied Mies’s mind as early as August, 1923, when correct order of spiritual life values’13 that had sus-
he wrote: ‘The modern building art has, for a long tained the health of the society of the Middle Ages
time, refused to play a mere decorative role in our under the influence of Augustine of Hippo (354–
life … Their [the building artists’] work shall serve 430) as the way to relate technology to humankind,
life. Life alone shall be their teacher’.7 In December to recover architecture’s status as ‘building-art’ and
of that same year, he stressed that life’s needs to build ‘an order that permits free play for the
included ‘inner needs’, such as the demand for ‘absol- unfolding of life’ (Fig. 1).14 Mies reinforced this argu-
ute truthfulness’.8 In the following year, Mies related ment in a journal article, also published in 1928, by
these ‘inner needs’ to a spiritual realm, which, like affirming that the central problem of modern times
‘life’, became a recurrent theme in his discourse.9 In was the ‘intensification of life’.15
March, 1926, Mies also introduced the term ‘life
process’ to argue that architects continuously had Life as a source of success in architecture
to impart ‘new expression to the changed life This discourse contributed to a larger effort by
content’ to prevent architecture’s deterioration into various progressive architects to re-establish archi-
a ‘senseless banality’.10 tecture’s intrinsic connection with life. For example,
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The Journal
of Architecture
Volume 22
Number 8

Figure 1. Strasbourg in
the 1890s (Library of
Congress, Prints and
Photographs Division,
Washington, DC, via
PPOC). Showing a
picture of Strasbourg, a
city on the border of
France and Germany
that is known for its
mediaeval cityscape,
Mies stated: ‘The life of
medieval man was
determined through
and through by a totally
secured understanding
of the meaning of life.
Everything points to a
spiritual aim. Insight
stands before deed.
Belief and knowledge
have not yet stepped
apart. This idea of order
is the point of departure
for the change we want
to demonstrate.’:
L. Mies van der Rohe
‘The Preconditions of
Architectural Work’,
(1928), in, F. Neumeyer,
the Dutch architect Hendrik Petrus Berlage (1856– culture of the time’.18 This emphasis on the link The artless word: Mies
1934), whose ideas Mies greatly admired, had between architecture and life can be traced back van der Rohe on the
building art
stated in 1886: ‘All attempts to undo architecture’s even earlier. The English art critic John Ruskin
(Cambridge, Mass., The
dependence on life and its needs will be in vain, (1819–1900), whose books influenced both MIT Press, 1991),
for one would have to abolish the essence of archi- Berlage and Muthesius,19 identified ‘life’ as one of p. 299.
tecture: its relationship to life’.16 Similarly, in 1902, the seven ‘lamps’ or ‘sources of every measure of
the influential German architect Hermann Muthe- success’ in architecture.20
sius (1861–1927) defined architecture as ‘the art of Besides ‘life’, the term ‘life process’ was also usual
daily life’,17 adding that ‘there can be only one stan- amongst Mies’s colleagues, such as Walter Gropius
dard for art, namely that which expresses the life and (1883–1969) and Hannes Meyer (1889–1954), who
 1270

What is life? Exploring Mies van

der Rohe’s concept of
architecture as a life process
Luciana Fornari Colombo

preceded him as director of the Bauhaus school.21 In that ‘architecture [Architektur] is no longer the art of
Gropius’s front-page contribution to the Bauhaus building [Baukunst]. Building has become a science.
journal of April, 1927, the following statement was Architecture is the science of building [Bauwis-
underlined: ‘Building means design of life processes’ senschaft]’.30
[Bauen bedeutet Gestaltung von Lebensvorgän- Mies’s manifestos ‘Building’ [Bauen] (1923) and
gen].22 A few months later, Gropius reaffirmed this ‘Industrial Building’ [Industrielles Bauen] (1924) had
statement in the preface to the second edition of also emphasised a straightforward, practical
the book Internationale Architektur (1927 [1925]), approach to architecture.31 Yet, Mies soon
in which he argued that modern design [Gestaltung] resumed the use of the term ‘Building-art’ [Bau-
was rooted in the totality of social life and embraced kunst] to refer to buildings that transcended mere
all areas of human organisation.23 In subsequent utilitarian structures, and later on this became his
writings, his idea of life as ‘a whole, a single cosmic preferred term with reference to architecture.32
entity’24 became more emphatic and clear. For Accordingly, Mies argued that architecture was a
example, in The New Architecture and the Bauhaus complex problem, which could ‘only be solved by
(1935), Gropius stated that ‘the aesthetic satisfaction creative forces rather than by calculation and organ-
of the human soul’ was just as important as the ization’.33 He also became critical of the unartistic
material, practical satisfaction: ‘Both find their coun- approach to life and architecture that Meyer had
terpoint in that unity which is life itself’.25 Thus, this been championing. This position was subtly mani-
fundamental unity included art, which was not some- fested in the lecture ‘The Preconditions of Architec-
thing ‘apart and curious’ but rather ‘vital and essen- tural Work’ (1928) when Mies included Meyer’s
tial to the fullest life’.26 project for the Palace of the League of Nations
In his manifesto ‘Building’ [Bauen] published in the (1927) amongst examples of ‘technical-scientific’
Bauhaus journal of October, 1928, Meyer also high- works (Fig. 2).34 Mies was more outspoken about
lighted the importance of ‘life’ in architecture when this position in personal conversations. As Walter
he stated that ‘Building is the deliberate organisation Gropius recalled: ‘His [Meyer’s] philosophy culmi-
of life processes’ [Bauen–heißt die überlegte Organis- nates in the assertion that “life is oxygen plus
ation von Lebensvorgängen].27 Nevertheless, Meyer sugar plus starch plus protein”, to which Mies
relied on a contrasting conception of ‘life’ as he promptly retorted: “Try stirring all that together; it
argued that ‘all life is function and therefore unartis- stinks”’.35
tic’.28 In later writings, he continued to emphasise Whilst Mies considered Meyer’s views too materi-
‘physical, psychical, material, social and economic alistic and unartistic, Meyer, as an avowed Marxist,
concerns’ to the detriment of artistic ones by affirm- probably considered Mies’s views to be too
ing that ‘all life is an urge towards harmony … the removed from social and political realities. Indeed,
harmonious enjoyment of oxygen + carbon + sugar Mies believed that broader sociological and political
+ starch + protein’.29 From this premise, he concluded issues were beyond the control of architects.36 Yet
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The Journal
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Number 8

Figure 2. Palace of the

League of Nations,
Geneva, 1927, Hannes
Meyer and Hans
Wittwer (DR1984:0705,
Canadian Centre for
Architecture, Montréal).
After presenting
examples of technical-
scientific works, which
included Meyer’s Palace
of the League of
Nations, Mies stated:
‘These are amazing
achievements; all these
are results of will, of
rigorous discipline …
But they assume a
threatening
predominance.
Unchecked, they
thunder along. Man is
swept along as if in a
whirlwind.’: L. Mies van
der Rohe, ‘The
Preconditions of
Architectural Work’,
(1928), in, F. Neumeyer,
The artless word: Mies
van der Rohe on the
building art
(Cambridge, Mass., The
MIT Press, 1991),
p. 300.
 1272

What is life? Exploring Mies van

der Rohe’s concept of
architecture as a life process
Luciana Fornari Colombo

he still strove to achieve a comprehensive and order, but it is ghastly silent about all … that really
balanced view of life and architecture. For matters to us … it knows nothing of beautiful and
example, in 1927, he wrote: ‘We want to open our- ugly, good or bad, God and eternity. Science some-
selves to life and seize it. Life is what matters in all times pretends to answer questions in these
the fullness of its spiritual and concrete relations’.37 domains, but the answers are very often so silly
that we are not inclined to take them seriously’.42
Life as spiritual-material unity Schrödinger’s concern with ‘the grotesque
The existence of a spiritual realm entailed that life phenomenon of scientifically trained, highly compe-
could not be understood solely through measurable, tent minds with an unbelievably childlike … philoso-
scientific, physical and quantifiable facts. For phical outlook’43 echoes a long-standing worry
example, Mies was reported to have made the fol- expressed by a pioneer of modern scientific
lowing comment on the book What is Life? (1944), thought. As Mies explained in ‘The Preconditions
in which the eminent Austrian-Irish physicist Erwin of Architectural Work’ (1928): ‘The English states-
Schrödinger (1887–1961) reduced life to observable man and philosopher Francis Bacon spoke out
crystals: ‘It is unspiritual. What about man and his against pure science, against science for the sake
hopes for immortality? Does Schrödinger think that of science, recognizing its practical potential and
I can sit staring at snowflakes on the window or demanding that it serve life’.44 Indeed, Bacon had
the salt crystals on the dinner table and be satisfied? written in Novum Organum Scientiarum (1620),
I want to know what I have to expect after death’.38 ‘Mere power and mere knowledge exalt human
Schrödinger’s book admittedly focussed on the nature, but do not bless it. We must therefore
purely scientific aspects of the problem.39 Using a gather from the whole store of things such as
mechanical analogy—clockwork—he defined ‘life’ make most for the uses of life’.45
as the ‘orderly and lawful behaviour of matter’, In his lecture of 1928, Mies mentioned other
which continued ‘moving, exchanging material famous historical figures, whilst omitting the
with its environment, and so forth … for a much names of contemporary authors whose statements
longer period than we would expect an inanimate he was repeating almost verbatim. As Fritz Neu-
piece of matter to “keep going” under similar cir- meyer showed through meticulous study of Mies’s
cumstances’.40 discourse, personal library and notebooks, Mies’s
Despite this initial clash of views, Mies came to high regard for the order of the Middle Ages and
admire Schrödinger’s later thought, particularly his his argument for a more spiritually oriented moder-
book Nature and the Greeks (1954), which Mies nity also relied on the book Die Welt des Mittelalters
quoted on several occasions.41 In this book, Schrö- und wir [‘The world of the Middle Ages and us’]
dinger recognised the deficiency of the scientific (1922) by Paul-Ludwig Landsberg (1901–1944); as
picture of reality: ‘It gives a lot of factual information, well as on the books Briefe vom Comer See
puts all our experience in a magnificently consistent [‘Letters from Lake Como’] (1927) and Der Gegen-
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The Journal
of Architecture
Volume 22
Number 8

satz: Versuche zu einer Philosophie des Lebendig- moreover, some of them have already been investi-
Konkreten [‘Contrasts: essay on a philosophy of gated in detail elsewhere and need not be rehearsed
the living-concrete’] (1925) by Romano Guardini here.51 Instead, this paper concentrates on the
(1885–1968).46 books by authors whom Mies explicitly associated
In fact, the copies of these books in Mies’s library with the philosophical ideas that he had developed
contain unusually enthusiastic markings. Moreover, during the seminal decade of the 1920s. Thus, this
Mies had been in personal contact with Guardini, paper avoids a biassed selection and an overempha-
whose writings promoted a conception of life and sis on books that were less significant to him.
of the modern situation to which Mies was pro- On several occasions, Mies affirmed that he had
foundly sympathetic. For example, Guardini argued three thousand books in Germany, from which he
that modern thinking had been marked by excessive selected three hundred to bring with him to the
use of abstractions—the universal signs that did not United States when he immigrated in 1938. In the
fit any individual concrete case fully—and by the lack 1950s, he was even more selective, whilst still
of the measure in which ‘the earlier time found acknowledging the importance of his extensive
supreme fulfilment, wisdom, beauty, a well- reading: ‘I can now send two hundred and seventy
rounded fullness of life’.47 Oscillating between books back and I would lose nothing. But I would
one-sided scientific view and unrestrained individu- not have these thirty left if I would not have read
alism, modern mentality had been promoting these three thousand’.52 From amongst the books
decay in various spheres, including architecture most significant to him, Mies selected three—
and urban planning.48 To unlock the fullness of Rudolf Schwarz’s Wegweisung der Technik (1928),
reality and recover the lost harmony with the absol- Max Scheler’s Die Wissensformen und die
ute order of the world, modern science and technol- Gesellschaft (1926) and Alfred North Whitehead’s
ogy had to be mastered and reoriented through a Science and the Modern World (1925) —as the
holistic mode of thinking. Life had to be reconsid- most representative of the views that he had formu-
ered as objective totality, where opposites, such as lated in the mid-1920s.
reason and intuition, rest and change, universal This selection stems from Mies’s notes for his
and particular, body and spirit, were balanced and speech on receiving the Royal Gold Medal through
united in a relationship of ‘contrast’ [Gegensatz] the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1959.
rather than ‘contradiction’ [Widerspruch].49 One of these notes simply reads: ‘In this peculiar
year—1926: Schwarz—Max Scheler—Whitehead’
Three key references (Fig. 3).53 The first of these, Rudolf Schwarz
Numerous other books from Mies’s personal library (1897–1961), was a fellow architect with whom
can help enrich the understanding of his concept Mies developed a lifelong friendship based on
of life and architecture.50 However, space limitations mutual admiration for each other’s work as well as
hamper the study of all these books simultaneously; for the work of Guardini.54 In fact, between 1923
 1274

What is life? Exploring Mies van

der Rohe’s concept of
architecture as a life process
Luciana Fornari Colombo

Figure 3. Note card 5, focussed on Mies’s discourse and philosophical

Speech on receiving the background, such as The artless word: Mies van
Royal Gold Medal
der Rohe on the building art (1991) by Fritz Neu-
through the Royal
Institute of British meyer.59 More than two decades after the publi-
Architects, 1959, L. cation of Neumeyer’s seminal book, the
Mies van der Rohe comprehensive book Mies (2014) by Detlef Mertins
(Papers of Ludwig Mies addressed this research gap, without, however,
van der Rohe, Library of
exhausting the subject or considering the aforemen-
Congress, Washington,
DC, courtesy of the tioned circumstances.60 Yet, these circumstances
heirs of Ludwig Mies and 1927, Guardini and Schwarz published several have to be taken into consideration to clarify that
van der Rohe). journal articles on the relationship between technol- Mies highlighted the writings of Whitehead—
ogy and humanity that were soon compiled into together with the writings of Scheler and Schwarz
Guardini’s Briefe vom Comer See and Schwarz’s —not as sources that elucidated the formation of
Wegweisung der Technik.55 The second author his thought, but as key references that could
listed in Mies’s speech notes, the philosopher and especially illuminate the significance of his ideas.
social thinker Max Scheler (1874–1928), was impor- Mies explained that 1926 was the year in which
tant not only to Mies, but also to Schwarz, Guardini some thinkers had written and produced books
and Paul-Ludwig Landsberg.56 Mies read books by that expressed with great clarity the views he had
Scheler as early as the 1920s and continued to been developing independently around the same
reread them until his later years.57 Of these books, time. He stated: ‘I would say that 1926 was the
Die Wissensformen und die Gesellschaft, published most significant year. Looking back … it was a year
in 1926, was the one that Mies’s family and of great realisation or awareness … it seems that a
friends included in their list of the books most impor- particular situation will be ripe at a certain time
tant to him.58 This selection also included Science and will be understood. That is why great people
and the Modern World, a book originally published who may never know each other can talk, simul-
in 1925 and written by the English mathematician taneously, about the same things’.61 He added: ‘At
and philosopher Alfred North Whitehead (1861– the beginning, it was more of an instinctive drive.
1947), the last author listed in the notes for Mies’s Later on, it became more and more a conscious
speech. awareness … all this was from within me. In my
Mies could not have read this book by Whitehead interview with the BBC, I talked of the three other
in the 1920s because he learned English only after people in Europe who, although I didn’t know
his immigration, and a German translation of the them, were thinking in 1926 what I was thinking.
book appeared much later. These circumstances Their business was to get this thing clear in their
have discouraged investigation into the link minds and to write their books about it. In the
between Mies and Whitehead, even in studies same way, I had to build and I was very happy
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The Journal
of Architecture
Volume 22
Number 8

with the results’.62 Thus, instead of writing a book alization … We are soaked in economy as the med-
himself and agonising over every word, Mies rec- ieval peoples were soaked in religion’.64
ommended books by like-minded authors that Mies’s understanding of architecture as a ‘life
could clarify and support his ideas in written form. process’ also strongly relates to Whitehead’s
Mies did not elaborate on how these books related ‘process philosophy’, even though Mies seems to
to his thought, apparently trusting that this relation- have never mentioned this relationship. For
ship was evident. He simply concentrated all his example, Mies highlighted the importance of
energies on his own area of expertise: the architec- process when he asked in 1927, ‘Is it not the
tural manifestation of his ideas.63 process that is essential? Does not a small
change in preconditions bring about another
result?’65 Processes, together with relationships,
Life in a technological age principles, values, meanings and ideas, formed
Indeed, in their writings of the period between the the invisible essence of reality, in which, according
two World Wars, Whitehead, Scheler and Schwarz to Mies, rested the kernel of truth and the key to
elaborated the argument that the scientific mental- understand the continuous flux of life.66 Similarly,
ity disseminated through strict professional training Whitehead argued that reality exhibited itself as
had been conducive not only to technological pro- process or becomingness.67 Consequently, no
gress, but also to the disintegration of communities, generation could merely reproduce its ancestors:
the reduction of workers to mere hands, the ‘You may preserve the life in a flux of form, or pre-
destruction of the natural environment and the serve the form amid an ebb of life. But you cannot
defacement of the cityscape. These problematic permanently enclose the same life in the same
consequences indicated that the perspective of mould’.68
science was insufficient to deal with the problems Like Whitehead’s process philosophy, Scheler’s
of modernity. Ultimately, other perspectives, such phenomenological philosophy relates to Mies’s
as the artistic, religious and philosophical, which thought in important ways. Throughout his career,
had been highly valued in ancient civilisations and Mies persistently searched for the ‘essence’ or ‘inner-
disregarded as frivolous in modern times, had to most structure’ of things, such as architecture and
be reconsidered. the modern epoch, and for ways to express this
In 1959, Mies indicated the way in which White- essence in his works.69 Likewise, Scheler sought to
head had reinforced his long-standing view of mod- advance his philosophical pursuit of rigorous
ernity. While pondering the question of ‘the insight into essences—the absolute knowledge
sustaining and driving forces of our epoch’, Mies devoid of pragmatic interest that was accessible
stated, ‘Everyone who is interested in this question through concrete examples.70
will know by now—particularly since Whitehead— In addition, Mies consistently indicated the impor-
that they are science, technology and even industri- tance of grasping reality, working with and against
 1276

What is life? Exploring Mies van

der Rohe’s concept of
architecture as a life process
Luciana Fornari Colombo

the world, and realising the ideal, thus pointing to a Being independent of subjective opinion, this order
process that Scheler regarded as the essential provided a common basis for the revitalisation of
human task of spiritualisation.71 For example, the sense of responsibility, ethics and solidarity.76
Mies’s statement of 1928 that ‘A knowledge of Mies frequently referred to such an order as an
the times, its tasks, and its means is the necessary absolute ‘hierarchy of values’,77 which indicated
precondition of work in the building art’72 the existence of different forms of architecture: ‘In
accords with Scheler’s argument that, without con- its simplest form, architecture is entirely rooted in
sidering broader independent laws and historical practical considerations, but it can reach up
tendencies, the human mind ‘bites on granite and through all degrees of value to the highest realm
its “utopia” fades away into nothing’.73 Similarly, of spiritual existence’.78
Mies’s statement of 1930 that ‘The changed econ- Reinforcing this concern with how architecture
omic and social conditions … go their fateful, could reach the highest spiritual realm in modern
value-blind way. What is decisive is only how we times, the writings of Rudolf Schwarz also had a
assert ourselves toward these givens. It is here lasting impact on Mies.79 Most noticeably, Mies
that the spiritual [geistigen] problems begin’74 paraphrased Schwarz’s introduction to Wegweisung
relates to the following passage that Mies under- der Technik when he stated in a lecture of the
lined in his copy of Die Wissensformen und die 1950s: ‘Technology promises both power and gran-
Gesellschaft: ‘Realities follow … a course that is deur, a dangerous promise for man who has been
“blind” from the viewpoint of the notions of created for neither one nor the other. Those who
value and meaning belonging to the subjective are truly responsible feel depressed and respond to
human mind [Geistes] … Only one sovereign, chan- this promise by searching for the dignity and value
geless privilege remains for man: to be able through of technology.’ Still closely following Schwarz’s
his mind [Geist] “to reckon”, and not, however, to text, Mies asked: ‘Is the world as it presents itself
calculate, the future with a sort of expectation bearable for man? More: is it worthy of man or
[Erwartungsbildung] that remains hypothetical too lowly? Does it offer room for the highest form
and probable’.75 of human dignity? Can it be shaped so as to be
The phenomenon of value is another prominent worthwhile to live in?’80
theme in both Scheler’s and Mies’s discourses. Like
Mies in his lecture of 1928, Scheler confronted Architecture as a framework for living
modern relativism, individualism and scepticism As Mies searched for architectural answers to these
with an objective order of values in line with Augus- enduring questions, he developed a spatial
tinian philosophy. Scheler argued that this order, concept that he later named ‘framework for
ranging from pleasure, utility and vitality to culture, living’.81 Mies’s ‘framework for living’ is a thin and
spirituality and holiness, could be grasped by way elegant skeleton construction enclosed with glass
of a direct intuitive and thoughtful experience. that contains large bright, fluid and uncluttered
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The Journal
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Volume 22
Number 8

Figure 4. New National

Gallery, Berlin, 1962–
1968, L. Mies van der
Rohe, interior view
(courtesy of Adam
Nelson, 2007, via Flickr).
During the ground
breaking ceremony of
the New National
Gallery in Berlin in 1965,
Mies made the
following statement,
which evokes his
concept of ‘framework
for living’: ‘My sincere
wishes accompany this
building that it will
become a dignified
framework for a great
collection, for the
enjoyment of all people,
for serving art and the
spirit.’: L. Mies van der
Rohe, ‘Mies in Berlin,
interview by Ulrich
Conrads’, (1966), p. 12
(Papers of Ludwig Mies
spaces adaptable through lightweight movable par- could be, they were still not the most essential van der Rohe, Library of
Congress, Washington
titions (Fig. 4). feature of his works. He included more convention-
DC).
The greater freedom of spatial configuration and ally partitioned spaces wherever necessary, such as
movement allowed by this perceptive use of in the service annex of the Barcelona Pavilion
modern technology still had to be balanced with (Fig. 5), in the private quarters of the Tugendhat
broader laws. Mies explained, ‘People think [that] House and on the lower floor of the New National
with the open plan we can do everything … [but] Gallery in Berlin (1962–1968). He also decided to
the problem of space will limit your solutions. continue the 860–880 Lake Shore Drive Apartments
Chaos is not space … though you can take the project (1948–1951) despite the elimination of the
free-standing wall out of your pocket and throw it open plan, which investors considered unsuitable
anywhere … that would not be space’.82 Mies also for American tastes.83 Indeed, the plan, as well as
noted that, as impressive as the large open spaces the mechanical systems, could change over the
 1278

What is life? Exploring Mies van

der Rohe’s concept of
architecture as a life process
Luciana Fornari Colombo

Figure 5. German dicted such fundamental principles could be made

Pavilion, Barcelona, ‘only over his dead body’.86 For example, Mies was
1928–1929,
not willing to accept the idea of placing a bank on
reconstruction 1983–
1986, L. Mies van der the plaza of the Seagram Building (1954–1958)
Rohe, view of the because this idea undermined the dignified public
service annex in the space that was central to the project.87
background (courtesy The structure became even more crucial as it inevita-
of Christian Gänshirt,
bly determined the character of the building. Accord-
2012, via Wikimedia
Commons). ing to Mies, ‘For economic and practical reasons, in
this age, it is not possible to do anything else’.88
Mies turned this architecture of austere structural char-
acter into an unobtrusive background from which
people, nature, furniture and artworks stood out
(Fig. 7), as well as into a discreet outer edge that
years, while the structure would remain unchanged framed the views of the surroundings as if they were
(Fig. 6).84 vivid pictures (Fig. 8).89 Whilst highlighting the under-
Figure 6. 860-880 Lake To Mies, this structure was precisely the most essen- lying essence, significance and beauty of everyday
Shore Drive tial element of architecture. Transcending material objects and actions, Mies’s serene, contemplation-
Apartments, Chicago,
construction, the structure encompassed the philoso- inducing architecture could also stand out and be per-
1948–1951, L. Mies van
der Rohe, schematic
phical idea that related all the parts to the whole, and ceived as a figure when one focussed on its refined
apartment floor plans the principles that should not be compromised.85 As rhythm, proportions, details and finishes; on its unu-
showing the open and one of his closest assistants wrote in a notebook con- sually strong integration of interior and exterior
the standard layout taining excerpts from personal conversations with space; and on its artistic manifestation of modern tech-
options (adapted from
Mies, proposed changes to his designs that contra- nology and civilisation (Fig. 9).
W. Blaser, Mies van der
Rohe: the art of
structure (Basel,
Birkhäuser, 1993
[1965]), p. 133; ‘860–
880 Lake Shore Drive
sales brochure’, (c.
1950), p. 8, via 860
Lake Shore Drive Trust).
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Figure 7. Lafayette
Park, Detroit, 1955–
1958, L. Mies van der
Rohe (courtesy of
Raimund Koch, 2008).

Ultimately, whilst recognising the changed histori- and individualism by developing an artistic and disci-
cal circumstances and embracing technological pro- plined architecture that encouraged active creation
gress, Mies counteracted modernity’s materialism and contemplative beholding, and that promoted
 1280

What is life? Exploring Mies van

der Rohe’s concept of
architecture as a life process
Luciana Fornari Colombo

Figure 8. Golf Club, awareness of oneness with other people and with
Krefeld, 1930, the natural world. Striving to create favourable con-
reconstruction 2013, L.
ditions for a renewed, profounder and nobler life in
Mies van der Rohe
(courtesy of Chris modern times, his architecture transcended mere
Schroeer-Heiermann, physical necessities, such as eating and sleeping,
2013, via Flickr). to address higher spiritual needs, such as
freedom, order, unity, truth and beauty. Therefore,
Mies’s work considerably coheres with his view of
architecture as part of a broader dynamic spiritual-
material reality, and thus indicates a mutually
enriching dialogue between architecture and phil-
osophy.

Figure 9. Farnsworth
House, Plano, Illinois,
1946–1951, L. Mies van
der Rohe (courtesy of
Ariel Mieling, 2011, via
Flickr).
 1281

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Acknowledgements America (New York, H.N. Abrams, 2001), p. 85, note

This article relies on archival materials that were con- 173.
sulted during a research trip supported by the Mac- 4. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Mies van der Rohe’s speech at
the Arts Club of Chicago on receiving the Comman-
george Bequest and the University of Melbourne.
der’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Repub-
lic of Germany’, (2nd April, 1959), p.1 (Papers of
ORCID Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Library of Congress,
Luciana Fornari Colombo http://orcid.org/0000- Washington DC).
0002-3978-6456 5. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Six students talk with Mies’,
Student Publication, North Carolina University School
of Design, 2 (Spring, 1952).
Notes and references 6. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘The preconditions of architec-
1. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Office Building’, (July, 1923)’, in, tural work’, (1928), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless
F. Neumeyer, The artless word: Mies van der Rohe on word, op. cit., p. 299 [translation modified]; original
the building art (Cambridge, Mass., The MIT Press, German statement in, L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Die Vor-
1991), p. 241. This statement was also translated as aussetzungen Baukünstlerischen Schaffens’, (1928),
‘Architecture is the will of the epoch translated into in, F. Neumeyer, Mies van der Rohe, das Kunstlose
space.’: L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Aphorisms on architecture Wort: Gedanken zur Baukunst (Berlin, Siedler, 1986),
and form’, (1923), in, P. Johnson, Mies van der Rohe p. 362. This lecture was presented in several German
(New York, Museum of Modern Art, 1978 [1947]), cities in 1928, and its ideas were further advanced in
p. 188. Mies reaffirmed this statement in, L. Mies van a journal article of that same year: L. Mies van der
der Rohe, ‘Building art and the will of the epoch!’, Rohe, ‘We stand at the turning point of time: building
(1924), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 245. art as the expression of spiritual decisions’, (1928), in,
2. P. Johnson, Mies, op. cit., pp. 31, 188. F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 304.
3. In the transcript of this talk, Mies’s German statement 7. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Office building’, (2nd August,
is misspelled as ‘Baukunst est raumgefastett zeiti- 1923), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit.,
weile.’: L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Informal discussion p. 241.
with students and young architects at the Architectural 8. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Solved tasks: a challenge for our
League NY’, c.1960, p. 20 (Papers of Ludwig Mies van building industry’, (12th December, 1923), in,
der Rohe, Library of Congress, Washington DC). This F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 243.
reaffirmation indicates that the changes in Mies’s pos- 9. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Lecture’, (19th June, 1924), in,
ition were less accentuated than suggested; in, F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., pp. 249–250.
F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 159. For 10. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Lecture’, (17th March, 1926), in,
another contribution to this discussion, see: F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 252.
W. Oechslin, ‘“Not from an aestheticizing, but from a 11. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘The preconditions of architec-
general cultural point of view”, Mies’s steady resist- tural work’, (1928), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless
ance to formalism and determinism: a plea for value- word, op. cit., pp. 299–301.
criteria in architecture’, in, P. Lambert, ed., Mies in 12. Ibid., pp. 300–301.
 1282

What is life? Exploring Mies van

der Rohe’s concept of
architecture as a life process
Luciana Fornari Colombo

13. Ibid., p. 299. (Cambridge, Mass., The MIT Press, 1975), p. 120
14. Ibid., p. 301. [translation modified]; original German statement in,
15. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘On the theme: exhibitions’, H. Meyer, ‘Bauen’, Bauhaus, 2, 4 (1928), pp. 12–13.
(1928), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., 28. H. Meyer, ‘Building’, (1928), op. cit., p. 117; original
p. 304. German statement, ‘Alles Leben ist Funktion und daher
16. H. P. Berlage, ‘Architecture’s place in modern aes- unkünstlerisch’: H. Meyer, ‘Bauen’, op. cit., p. 12.
thetics’, (1886), in, H. P. Berlage, Hendrik Petrus 29. H. Meyer, ‘Bauhaus and Society’, (1929), in,
Berlage: thoughts on style, 1886–1909 (Santa C. Schnaidt, Hannes Meyer, buildings, projects and
Monica, Getty Center for the History of Art, 1996), writings (Teufen, Niggli, 1965); original German
p. 98. text in, H. Meyer, ‘Bauhaus und Gesellschaft’, (1929),
17. H. Muthesius, Style-architecture and building-art: Bauhaus, 3 (1929).
transformations of architecture in the nineteenth 30. H. Meyer, ‘On Marxist architecture’, (1931), in,
century and its present condition (Santa Monica, A. Djalali, ‘The Architect as producer: Hannes Meyer
Getty Center for the History of Art, 1994), p. 98. and the proletarianisation of the Western architect’,
18. Ibid., p. 61. Footprint, 17 (Autumn/Winter, 2015), p. 43, note 30.
19. Ibid., p. 67; H. P. Berlage, Hendrik, op. cit., p. 135. 31. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Building’, (1928), in,
20. J. Ruskin, The seven lamps of architecture (Boston, F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., pp. 242–243;
Dana Estes, 2011 [1849]), p. 11. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Industrial building’, (1924), in,
21. On the use of the term ‘life process’ by Gropius and F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., pp. 248–249.
Meyer, see: U. Poerschke, ‘Hannes Meyer—connecting 32. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Building art’, (1924), op. cit.,
poetics and ethics’, Proceedings of the conference pp. 245–246.
‘reconciling poetics and ethics in architecture’ (Mon- 33. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Foreword to Bau und
treal, The Canadian Centre for Architecture; McGill Wohnung’, (1927), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless
University, 2007), p. 3; U. Poerschke, Funktion als word, op. cit., p. 259.
Gestaltungsbegriff—eine Untersuchung des Funk- 34. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘The preconditions of architec-
tionsbegriffs in architekturtheoretischen Texten (PhD tural work’, (1928), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless
thesis, Brandenburgische Technische Universität, word, op. cit., p. 300.
Cottbus, 2005), p. 148. 35. W. Gropius, ‘Letter to the editor Tomás Maldonado’
22. W. Gropius, ‘Systematische Vorarbeit für rationellen (24th November, 1963), Ulm, Journal of the
Wohnungsbau’, Bauhaus, 2 (1927), p. 1. Hochschule für Gestaltung, 10/11 (May, 1964), p. 70.
23. W. Gropius, Internationale Architektur (Munich, Albert 36. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Remarks on Architecture’,
Langen, 1927 [1925]), pp. 6,9. Program, The Journal of the School of Architecture,
24. W. Gropius, The new architecture and the Bauhaus Columbia University (Spring, 1961), p. 45.
(Cambridge, Mass., The MIT Press, 1971[1965]), p. 52. 37. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Letters to Die Form’, (1927), in,
25. Ibid., p. 24. F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 257. Mies
26. Ibid., p. 7. made a similar statement in, L. Mies van der Rohe,
27. H. Meyer, ‘Building’, (1928), in, U. Conrads, ed., Pro- ‘Lecture’, (1927), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless word,
grams and manifestoes on 20th-century architecture op. cit., p. 262.
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38. E. Farnsworth, ‘Memoir’, in, F. Schulze, E. Windhorst, 47. R. Guardini, Letters from Lake Como: explorations on
Mies van der Rohe: a critical biography (Chicago, technology and the human race (Grand Rapids, Eerd-
University of Chicago, 2012), p. 250. mans, 1994), p. 72.
39. E. Schrödinger, What is life? With mind and matter and 48. Ibid., pp. 22, 24, 59, 74.
autobiographical sketches (Cambridge, New York, 49. Ibid., pp.80–83, 91–93; R. Guardini, Gegensatz: Ver-
Cambridge University Press, 2012), p. 86. suche zu einer Philosophie des Lebendig-Konkreten
40. Ibid., pp. 68–69, 82. (Mainz, Matthias-Grünewald, 1955).
41. Mies quoted Schrödinger’s statement: ‘The creative 50. For the list of Mies’s surviving book collection, see the
vigour of a general principle depends precisely on its online catalogue of the Richard J. Daley Library, Univer-
generality’, in, L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Building details’ sity of Illinois at Chicago, Rare Books Section: <http://
(Papers of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Library of Con- library.uic.edu/home/collections/manuscripts-and-rare-
gress, Washington DC); L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Inter- books/rare-books-at-the-richard-j.-daley-library>.
view by Peter Carter’, 20th Century (Spring, 1964), Other books were included in, W. Blaser, ‘Some Books
p. 141; L. Mies van der Rohe (1955–1964) in, from Mies’ Library’, in, W. Blaser, Mies van der Rohe:
M. Puente, ed., Conversations with Mies van der the art of structure (Basel, Birkhäuser, 1993 [1965]),
Rohe (New York, Princeton Architectural Press, pp. 228–231.
2008), p. 56. Schrödinger’s statement itself can be 51. See, for example: V. Watson, ‘How Henri Lefebvre
found in: E. Schrödinger, ‘Nature and the Greeks’ missed the modernist sensibility of Mies van der
and ‘Science and Humanism’ (Cambridge, Cambridge Rohe: vitalism at the intersection of a materialist con-
University Press, 2014), p. 9. ception of space and a metaphysical approach to archi-
42. E. Schrödinger, ‘Nature and the Greeks’, op. cit., p. 95. tecture’, The Journal of Architecture, 12, 1 (2007),
43. Ibid., p. 12. pp. 99–111; T. Poppelreuter, ‘Spaces for the elevated
44. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘The preconditions of architec- personal life: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s concept of
tural work’, (1928), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless the dweller, 1926–1930’, The Journal of Architecture,
word, op. cit., p. 300. 21, 2 (2016), pp. 244–270; L. P. Crespo, I. M. Robles,
45. F. Bacon, The new organon [Novum Organum Scien- ‘El espacio como membrana: Albert Kahn y Mies van
tiarum, 1620], Aphorisms Book 2, XLIX (2017 [2001]): der Rohe’, Ra. Revista de Arquitectura, 16 (2014),
<http://www.constitution.org/bacon/nov_org.htm>. pp. 49–58; D. Mertins, ‘Architectures of becoming:
46. F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., pp. 100, 204, Mies van der Rohe and the avant-garde’, in Mies in
195–236, 268, 281, 373, note 4, 375, notes 42–43. Berlin, T. Riley, B. Bergdoll, eds (New York, London,
See also: D. Mertins, Mies (London, New York, The Museum of Modern Art, Thames & Hudson,
Phaidon, 2014), pp. 135, 158–160. Mies was more 2001), pp.106–133; D. Mertins, ‘Architecture, world-
outspoken about his admiration for Guardini’s writings view, and world image in G’, in, D. Mertins,
with friends and family, as shown in: Georgia van der M. W. Jennings, eds, G: an avant-garde journal of
Rohe, ‘Birthday greetings to my father’, 27th March, art, architecture, design, and film, 1923–1926 (Los
1951, p.4 (Folder Glaeser: Mies material, Peter Carter Angeles, Getty Research Institute, 2010), pp. 71–96.
Papers, Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal); 52. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Six students talk with Mies’, op.
E. Farnsworth, ‘Memoir’, op. cit., p. 250. cit. (1952). Mies repeated this story in, L. Mies van der
 1284

What is life? Exploring Mies van

der Rohe’s concept of
architecture as a life process
Luciana Fornari Colombo

Rohe, Conversations with Mies van der Rohe, (2008), iche e strategie compositive di Rudolf Schwarz (PhD
op. cit., p. 53; L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Informal discus- Thesis, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2015),
sion with students and young architects at the Archi- pp. 53, 58, 116–117; D. Mertins, Mies, op. cit.,
tectural League NY’, c.1960, op. cit., p. 12; L. Mies pp.134–135, 157, 160, 162; R. Guardini, Letters
van der Rohe, ‘Notes for a talk on the occasion of from Lake Como, op. cit., p. vii.
receiving the Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of 56. H. Spiegelberg, The phenomenological movement: a
British Architects’, (1959), in, F. Neumeyer, The historical introduction, v.1 (The Hague, Springer,
artless word, op. cit., p. 331. 1960), pp. 267–268; R. Masiero, ‘Rudolf Schwarz:
53. F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., pp. 163, 165. l’altra modernità’, Casabella, 640–641 (December-
Ultimately, Mies did not include this note in his January, 1996-1997), pp. 28,32; A. L. Quintás,
speech, which was published in: B. Spence, L. Mies Romano Guardini, maestro de vida (Madrid, Palabra,
van der Rohe, et al., ‘Presentation of the Royal Gold 1998), pp. 42–44; H-B. Gerl-Falkovitz, Romano Guar-
Medal for 1959 to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’, RIBA dini: Konturen des Lebens und Spuren des Denkens
Journal, 9, v.66 (July, 1959), pp. 304–308. (Kevelaer, Topos Plus, 2005), pp. 96, 102–105.
54. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Foreword to Rudolf Schwarz, 57. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Notebook’, (1927-8), in, F. Neu-
The Church Incarnate, (1958), in, F. Neumeyer, The meyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 268; D. Mertins,
artless word, op. cit., p. 330; L. Mies van der Rohe, Mies, op. cit., p. 157.
‘Rudolf Schwarz’, (1963), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless 58. W. Blaser, ‘Mies’ Library’, op. cit., p. 231. The first part
word, op. cit., p. 333; R. Schwarz, ‘An Mies van der of this book was translated into English: M. Scheler,
Rohe (1961)’, in, R. Schwarz, Wegweisung der Problems of a sociology of knowledge (London,
Technik und andere Schriften zum Neuen Bauen Routledge, 1980).
1926–1961 (Braunschweig, Wiesbaden, Vieweg, 59. F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 367, note 8;
1979), pp. 190–192. J. Frohburg, ‘Freiraum—Ideas of freedom and nature in
55. W. Pehnt, ‘La luce nell’oscurità Mies van der Rohe e the work of Mies van der Rohe’, in, P. Emmons,
Rudolf Schwarz’, Casabella, 640–641 (December- J. Hendrix, J. Lomholt, eds, The cultural role of architec-
January, 1996–1997), pp. 56–59; W. Pehnt, ture: contemporary and historical perspectives
H. Strohl, Rudolf Schwarz 1897–1961 architekt einer (London, Routledge, 2012), p. 115.
anderen modern (Ostfildern, Gerd Hatje, 1997), 60. D. Mertins, Mies, op. cit., pp. 134, 157–166.
pp. 44–48, 191–196; H. Thomas, ‘Rudolf Schwarz 61. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Interview Mies van der Rohe: No
and another kind of modernism’, AA Files, 73 (2016), dogma’, Interbuild, 6, v.6 (June, 1959), p. 10.
pp. 88–93; F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., 62. Ibid., p. 11: the published transcript of the interview,
pp. 21, 162–166, 223, 226, 228, 231–235, 367, conducted by Graeme Shankland for BBC Radio in
notes 9–10, 379, note 107; U. Conrads, ‘Eine andere 1959, does not include mention of these ‘three other
Art der Rede’, in, R. Schwarz, Wegweisung der people’; L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Architect of “the
Technik, op. cit., pp. 7–10; P. Mantziaras, ‘Perspectives clear and reasonable”, Mies van der Rohe considered
of technology: Rudolf Schwarz on the artifice and its and interviewed by Graeme Shankland’, The Listener,
reproducibility’, Thresholds, 24 (Spring, 2002), pp. 6, 1.XII.1594 (1959), pp. 620–622; republished in,
10; S. J. Drago, Vom Bau der Kirche: Formulazioni teor- P. Carter, Mies van der Rohe at Work (London,
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Phaidon, 1999), pp.180–182. The following state- Daily News Panorama (27th April, 1968), p. 4; L. Mies
ments have been attributed to Mies’s BBC interview: van der Rohe, Conversations with Mies van der Rohe,
‘Max Scheler wrote his book on the forms of knowl- (2008), op. cit., pp. 46, 56.
edge and society … In this year, Rudolph Schwarz 70. H. Spiegelberg, ‘The phenomenology of essences: Max
wrote his book on technology … And in the same Scheler’, in, H. Spiegelberg, The phenomenological
year, in 1926, Whitehead started his talks which he movement, op. cit., pp. 245–246, 249, 250.
later published’: L. Mies van der Rohe, Conversations 71. R. Sandmeyer, ‘Life and spirit in Max Scheler’s philos-
with Mies van der Rohe, (2008), op. cit., p. 27, note 3. ophy’, Philosophy Compass, 1, v.7 (January, 2012),
63. W. Oechslin, ‘Not from an aestheticizing’, in, pp. 29, 31; Z. Davis, A. Steinbock, ‘Max Scheler’, in,
P. Lambert, ed., Mies in America, op. cit., pp. 73, 79. E. N. Zalta, ed., The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philos-
64. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Mies van der Rohe’s speech at ophy, 2016: <http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/
the Arts Club of Chicago’, op. cit., p.1. Mies also fall2016/entries/scheler/>.
referred to Whitehead in: L. Mies van der Rohe, 72. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘The preconditions of architec-
‘Lecture’, (c. 1950s), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless tural work’, (1928), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless
word, op. cit., p. 326. word, op. cit., p. 299.
65. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Letters to Die Form’, (1927), in, 73. M. Scheler, Problems of a sociology of knowledge,
F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 257. op. cit., p. 38.
66. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Interview Mies van der Rohe: No 74. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘The new time’, (1930), in,
dogma’, Interbuild (1959), op. cit., p.11; L. Mies van F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 309;
der Rohe, ‘Interview by Peter Carter’, op. cit., L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Die Neue Zeit’, (1930), in,
pp.139–140; L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Lecture’, (17th F. Neumeyer, Mies van der Rohe, das Kunstlose
March, 1926), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless word, Wort, op. cit., p. 372.
p. 252. 75. M. Scheler, Problems of a sociology of knowledge,
67. A. N. Whitehead, Science and the Modern World op. cit., p. 38; M. Scheler, Die Wissensformen und
(New York, Pelican, 1948 [1925]), pp. 175–176; die Gesellschaft (Bern, Munich, Francke, 1980), p. 23;
J. Seibt, ‘Process philosophy’, in, E. N. Zalta, ed., The W. Oechslin, ‘Not from an aestheticizing’, in,
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter, 2016): P. Lambert, ed., Mies in America, op. cit., p. 79.
<https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2016/entries/ 76. H. Spiegelberg, ‘The phenomenology of essences’,
process-philosophy/>. op. cit., pp. 228–268; K. W. Stikkers, ‘Introduction’,
68. A. N. Whitehead, Science and the Modern World, in, M. Scheler, Problems of a sociology of knowl-
op. cit., pp. 187–188. edge, op. cit., pp.13–27; M. Scheler, Problems of a
69. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Where do we go from here?’, sociology of knowledge, op. cit., pp. 44, 49, 71,
(1960), Bauen + Wohnen, 14 (1960), p. 391; L. Mies 73, 105, 177.
van der Rohe, ‘Notes for a talk’, (1959), in, 77. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘On the meaning and task of cri-
F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 331; ticism’, (1930), in, F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op.
L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Interview by Peter Carter’, op. cit., pp. 308–309; L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Miscella-
cit., pp.139–140; L. Mies van der Rohe, F. Schulze, ’I neous—notes to lectures’, (c.1950)’, in, F. Neumeyer,
really always wanted to know about truth’, Chicago The artless word, op. cit., p. 326; L. Mies van der
 1286

What is life? Exploring Mies van

der Rohe’s concept of
architecture as a life process
Luciana Fornari Colombo

Rohe, ‘Notes of informal office meetings by Jack Rohe Archive, v.14 (New York, London, Garland,
Bowman of Mies’ Office’, (24th December, 1959; 1992), p. 127; P. Lambert, ‘Mies Immersion’, in,
Papers of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Library of Con- P. Lambert, ed., Mies in America (New York, H.N.
gress, Washington DC); L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Mies Abrams, 2001), p. 367.
at 77 explains’, Chicago Scene (February, 1964), p. 32. 84. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Mies in Berlin, interview by
78. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Inaugural address as director of Ulrich Conrads’, (1966), p. 5 (Papers of Ludwig Mies
architecture at Armour Institute of Technology’, (1938), van der Rohe, Library of Congress, Washington DC).
in, F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 316. 85. L. Mies van der Rohe, in, P. Carter, ‘Mies van der Rohe’,
79. C. Grafe, ‘Barren truth—on the work of the architect Bauen + Wohnen, 15 (1961); L. Mies van der Rohe,
Rudolf Schwarz’, Oase, 45/46 (1996), p. 19; ‘Notes of informal office meetings by Jack Bowman
R. Schwarz, The church incarnate: the sacred function of Mies’ Office’, op. cit.
of Christian architecture (Chicago, Henry Regnery, 86. M. Goldsmith, ‘Notebooks (1946–1952)’, in,
1958 [1938]), p. 212. N. Adams, ‘Myron Goldsmith: learning from the Farns-
80. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Lecture’, (c.1950), in, worth House’, Casabella, 767 (June, 2008), pp. 98,
F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 325; 114.
R. Schwarz, ‘Vorbemerkung’, in, R. Schwarz, Wegwei- 87. F. Schulze, E. Windhorst, Mies van der Rohe: a critical
sung der Technik, op. cit., pp.12–13; F. Neumeyer, The biography, op. cit., p. 338; P. Lambert, Building
artless word, op. cit., p. 368, note 23; D. Mertins, Mies, Seagram (New Haven, Yale University Press, 2013),
op. cit., pp. 9, 160. pp. 40, 70–71.
81. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Extracts from conversation 88. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Extracts from conversation
between Ronald Lewcock and Ludwig Mies van der between Ronald Lewcock and Ludwig Mies van der
Rohe’, (1964), in, R. Kim, The ‘art of building’ (Baukunst) Rohe’, (1964), op. cit., p. 268.
of Mies van Der Rohe (PhD thesis, Georgia Institute of 89. Mies’s collages particularly enhance this perception,
Technology, 2006), pp. 267–268. For a similar state- as shown in: S. T. Leong, ‘Representing the almost
ment, see: L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Christian Norberg- nothing: the drawings of Ludwig Mies van der
Schulz: a talk with Mies van der Rohe’, (1958), in, Rohe’, in, J. S. Ackerman, W. Jung, et al., Conven-
F. Neumeyer, The artless word, op. cit., p. 339. tions of architectural drawing: representation and
82. L. Mies van der Rohe, ‘Six students talk with Mies’, misrepresentation (Cambridge, Mass., Harvard Uni-
op. cit. (1952). versity, 2000); N. Levine, Modern architecture: rep-
83. F. Schulze, ‘Apartment Buildings, 860-880 Lake Shore resentation & reality (New Haven, Yale University
Drive 1948–1951’, in, F. Schulze, ed., The Mies van der Press, 2009), p. 227.