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, Dundalk, the Bank of Ireland HQ on Baggot Street (now Miesian Plaza), or the RTÉ Campus, Montrose.
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 architect designed the interior of the house. Rare and exotic materials were used throughout. Onyx was brought from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, and travertine from Italy. Exclusive exotic woods came from Southeast Asia (rosewood, zebrawood, macassar and ebony). In collaboration with the designer Lilly Reich, Mies van der Rohe also worked on the Villa’s furniture, carpet and textile design. The tubular and strip steel chairs (Tugendhat, Barcelona, Brno and MR 20 types), samples of which are included in the exhibition, now belong among the design icons of the 20th century.
In 2010–2012, the building and garden underwent thorough restoration and renovation which brought it back to its original 1930 appearance. Since March 2012, the villa has been open to the public as a monument of modern architecture.
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.
This exhibition is presented by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Ireland and the Villa Tugendhat.
