| Title |
Mies van der Rohe’s Cruciform Columns: Visible and Invisible |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2025.41.2.187 |
| Keywords |
Cruciform Column; Structure; Cladding; Baukunst; Zeitwelle; Industrial Production; Handicrafts |
| Abstract |
This article examines Mies van der Rohe’s experiments with cruciform columns in relation to the nature of baukunst, which he pursued
throughout his career. Mies began his exploration of spatial composition with walls or vertical planes, as demonstrated in his seminal 1923
Brick Country House project. Until the late 1920s, his built works primarily relied on load-bearing wall systems, even when using steel
construction, as seen in the Weissenhofsiedlung. The Barcelona Pavilion marked a turning point, where Mies first clearly depicted columns as
independent from freestanding walls. From that point, he experimented extensively with the shape and surface materials of columns, creating
seven variations across three projects. These experiments stemmed from Mies’ cautious approach toward the materials and methods of the
industrial era. The cladding of cruciform columns, though incorporating factory-made components, relied heavily on manual assembly rather
than full industrialization. While Mies declared that baukunst embodied the spatial zeitwille of industrial forces, he maintained strong ties to
craftsmanship, shaped by his early professional experiences. The tension between his progressive ideals and traditional practices found
resolution in the naked cruciform columns of the New National Gallery of 1968, representing the culmination of his architectural philosophy. |