Villa Tugendhat

Villa Tugendhat in Brno, Czechia, was designed for Greta and Fritz Tugendhat in 1929–1930. The architect was the German Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969). One the most consequential modernist architects of the 20th century, Mies van der Rohe’s influences can be seen in such Irish buildings as Áras Mhic Dhiarmada/Busáras, the Carroll’s Factory or Dundalk.

Today, the Villa Tugendhat is considered the most important Mies van der Rohe’s pre-war work and his most authentic surviving building in Europe. It is a unique work of art in terms of design, layout, interior equipment, technical facilities and integration into the natural environment. For the first time in the history of architecture, a steel bearing structure was used in a private house. The technical facilities of the villa were also quite exceptional for their time – air heating and cooling, and electric retractable windows.

The exhibition in the IAA comes from the Villa Tugendhat and presents the history of the villa from its inception to the present day. Large-format photographs, and accompanying text, introduce visitors to the atmosphere of the Villa Tugendhat using details of the design, furniture, materials and well-known iconic parts of the house, such as the chrome column cladding in the interior or the vista through the broad windows into the villa garden.