The Seagram Building Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Seagram Building is prime example of the international style of design in the 20th century. The building is a true landmark of the city having an open plaza at the base of the building with high ceilings, floor to ceiling tinted windows and bronze mullions. Its imperious design, set in a plaza with fountain, was imitated many times and became an icon of North American corporate design. Mies is known as the father of the steel and glass structure. Mies designed many buildings during his life however none of the would be as popular and famous as the Seagram Building. In real estate and architecture, some dreams need a lot of staying power to get realized. The Seagram Building is the realization, some three decades late, of Mies van der Rohe's dream of a glass-covered, high-rise office tower that would provide a stunning monument to the International Style's faith in simplicity and clarity. The Seagram building is the prime example of Mies' masterful use of steel. The bronze sheathed skyscraper soars thirty-eight stories high from its 90-foot deep pink granite plaza. Volume is everywhere apparent in this building, from the great columns that bring the structure to the ground to the welded bronze mullions holding the glass sheets in place. As enormous of a project this was, great attention was paid to purity and precision of design, following the fundamentals of the style. Details from doorknobs to stainless steel furniture throughout the building, spacious layout and functional use of all elements from interior office space to shower rooms, the Picasso backdrop signaling the entrance, the cantilevered portico entrance, and the luminous ceiling, make this one of the worlds most elegant skyscrapers. More importantly, pertaining to the International Style, Mies has expressed his elegant use of materials, and technological perfection throughout the building. Mies' well known theory of â€Å"less is more† is apparent by the spaciousness and functional quality of the Seagram building; everything serves a purpose, either for aesthetic appeal or functionality. â€Å"Less is more† is a concept used throughout the architectural world today. â€Å"Mies van der Rohe stands as a great moral force of the International Style. The essence of architecture, to Mies, lies in the expression of structure. And his precise, sophisticated, and consistent style of architecture sets an exam... ...ir-conditioning (HVAC) equipment. This is more a conservative than a cool corporate environment, energized by the warmth of its bronze color and the rhythmic repetitive pattern of its fenestration. â€Å"Like a well-bred lady who is confident enough not to wear the emperor's new clothes, the Seagram Building has a sophisticated arrogance that can wilt trendy fashions with the authority of its posture and demeanor.† I had a chance to visit this building and as I stood under the edge of the building looking upward I was amazed by the beauty and precision, and stunned by the size and splendor. Inside I could not get past the entrance and a guard told me I wasn’t allowed to take pictures. The interior with its light colored marble walls and double height ceiling is breathtaking, I stood there and I felt a tremble run through my body. I can honestly say this is one of my favorite buildings in New York. Bibliography Glancey, Jonathan. Twentieth Century Architecture. London: Carlton Books Limited,1998. Schulze, Fraz. The Seagram Building. NJ: Princeton Architectural Press. 1999. http://www.comkey.net/daniel/seagram.htm http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Seagram_Building.html