Villa Tugendhat - A Temple of Modernism
Bruno, the capital of Moravia, is often overlooked by visitors. Overshadowed by the splendor of Prague and the quaintness of Český Krumlov, the second city of the Czech Republic came as a surprise to us. It bears all the hallmarks of a great Czech city. From picturesque town halls to majestic town squares, Brno is a true metropolis with a buzzing old town and a sense of vitality. But honestly, I didn't research much about the city itself. From the beginning, I was single-minded about my visit to Brno: the Villa Tugendhat designed by the German architect Mies van der Rohe. Colloquially known as Mies, he is a giant of 20th-century Modernism and stood shoulder to shoulder with Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright. Villa Tugendhat is the most consequential residential project Mies has ever materialized.
The beautiful landscape garden at the back of the villa.
When we decided to plan a visit to the Moravian town of Olomouc per Rick Steve's suggestion, I was scouring the map of Moravia and decided to look into Brno. It took me a while to recognize the name Villa Tugendhat from the depth of my memory from my architectural education. It was such a serendipitous encounter that I could not afford to skip out the opportunity. I ended up scheduling our itinerary around the available reservation slot for the guided tour. We stayed in Slovakia the night before, so I was quite nervous about making our reservation at eleven. Could I honestly rely on the punctuality of the Czech Railway or getting ourselves out of bed early enough to catch the train after a night of Slovak beer?
Arriving on our early morning train from Bratislava, we were surprised to find how pleasant and energetic Brno is. Unlike Prague, Brno was not catered to foreign tourists but had a very "lived-in" feel. Like any well-planned European theater, tram lines terminated at the central rail station, and we could jump on to Tram #9 and go to the villa. The tram winds through the center spine of the old town and provides a quick and wonderful overview of the commercial core. In about ten minutes, we got off to the residential neighborhood. It was a then four-minute stroll down the blocks to the villa’s entrance.
An obligatory picture of the UNESCO designation plaque.
I am in love with the highly industrial aesthetics of the street-front entry.
A simple but stately outdoor bench at the terrace.
As an architect, this was one of those one-in-the-lifetime moments I was unprepared for. The house is even more beautiful and graceful than I imagined. The clean line, understated street presence, and the pure circular glass curtain wall all work together as a harmonious visual ensemble. Of course, I could understand how non-architects may be befuddled by my excitement and think the facade may be too industrial or commercial-looking. But allow yourself the opportunity to appreciate this villa in-depth, and I can guarantee that you will fall in love with its ingenuity and cultural significance.
To access the villa, one must ring the buzzer by the side gate and meet the staff at the utility shed. While visiting the villa without a reservation is still possible, just be prepared to be turned away. The tour started at the upper terrace, overlooking downtown Brno and its beautiful church spires. Unsurprisingly, this plot of land was chosen despite its difficult topography. Unorthodox for residential design at the time, the private quarters of the villa are located at the upper entry level. The upper balcony is a private, intimate garden space. From there, I spotted one of the most iconic details of the villa: the undulating steel-clad columns previously designed for the famous Barcelona Pavilion. As an architect, I recognize the sectional drawing of columns made of four steel L-shaped angles as a classic modernist icon. Seeing it in person was truly a cathartic moment for me.
This gracious curved glass entry hall reminds me of the automobile age.
Detailing of interior components inside the villa is truly a work of art. Full-height cabinetry doors, integrated exterior shutter blinds, and minimalist jambs are all part of the architectural design that any architect or design lover could love. I felt like I learned more about architecture in this one morning than in a full year of architecture school, to be honest. So much of all the architectural detailing makes me want to duplicate my own practice as a residential architect. After touring some of the most famous modern architecture, I could honestly say I had never been more inspired by a single building. It pains me to say that it is even more sublime than Louis Kahn's Salk Institute or Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater. True to the Mies's "God is in the details,” no corner of the villa inside out was carefully considered.
Exterior copper shutter.
Perhaps one of the most attention-grabbing elements of the house was the full-height curvilinear glass entry. The semi-translucency creates a beautiful, soft-glowing visual effect throughout the day. The beautiful polished chrome finishes carried throughout the interior and gave the villa a sense of understated luxury, not unlike a modern wristwatch. The ideas of Adolf Loos deeply influenced Mies. With the advance of industrial machinery and mass production of ornaments, the luxury of the modern era is expressed through the visual precision of luxurious materials such as onyx stone slabs, Tivoli travertine, or the Makassar ebony from Southeast Asia. Our guide explained that Villa Tugendhat was the world's most expansive private residential building by price per square meter.
A close up shot of the legendary column, plated in brass chromium.
Never have I loved a curved staircase so much.
Designed for the wealthy German industrialist Fritz Tugendhat and his wife Greta, the villa was revolutionary in its architectural clarity and the adaption of the latest modern technology in signaling, heating, humidification, cooling, and potable water distribution. Mies designed various rooms with awfully specific functional purposes in mind. For instance, a "moth room" designed for Greta's vast collection of fur coats was equipped with dehumidifying filters made of carbonized straw bales. For most visitors, the most enjoyable space in the villa must be the expansive great room on the lower level. The spatial flexibility was highlighted with the dramatic semi-circular dining room. Best of all, the vast glass window panels are mechanically operable to be hidden away through the mechanical lift in the basement.
Custom door lever with key hole.
Custom exterior shutter control.
Like many of Mies's signature projects, much of the furniture in Villa Tugendhat was specifically designed for the project in collaboration with Lilly Reich and Sergius Ruegenberg. Not surprisingly, the built-in furniture and the signature curved ebony wall were manufactured by the same company that finished the interior of Adolf Loos's Villa Müller in Prague. Perhaps the most ingeniously conceived furniture piece was the circular dining table. Made out of a series of concentric circles, the table's seating capacity could be adjusted between four to twenty depending on the changing diameter of the table.
While many may consider modern homes impersonal, Villa Tugendhat's visual transparency brings nature indoors and creates a somewhat reverse-greenhouse aesthetic. The regularly spaced steel column grids are disengaged from the functional interior partitions; the sense of freedom and movement is immediately apparent. It is an elegant version of Le Corbusier's 1915 Dom-Ino House. In fact, the home's domesticity could be enhanced by eliminating formally defined rooms.
Expansive view of downtown Brno from the Great Room.
Retractable exterior awning just off the Great Room.
The lift for the full-size glazing along Great Room.
Even for those who have little interest in modern architecture, the history of Villa Tugendhat should warrant a visit by itself. The fate of the villa mirrors very much the geopolitical history of Brno and Czechoslovakia itself. After its completion in 1930, the Tugendhat family would only stay in Brno for another eight years. With the rise of fascism in Germany and neighboring states, the family fled Brno in 1938 to Sankt Gallen in neutral Switzerland before the eventual annexation of Czechoslovakia. The Gestapo confiscated the villa, becoming the official possession of the Nazi state. In great ironies, the right-wing conservatism of the Third Reich held Mies's modernist vision of architecture to be incompatible with the monumental classicism favored by Fascism. Indeed, the Mies-led Bauhaus School in Weimar was forced to close down because of the continuous harassment by the Nazis.
I am in love with the wonderful full-height flush door.
Beautiful sublime moment in the pantry area.
Perhaps recognizing its intrinsic beauty and architectural significance, the subsequent authorities left the villa intact. However, a long list of minor modifications was made to adapt the private home into various functions ranging from private apartments and a dance studio to the hospital for young, spinal-injured children. Eventually, the villa became the property of the Czechoslovakian government in 1960 and was designated as a cultural monument in 1967. With the assistance of the original owner, Greta Tugendhat, the villa's restoration came to the forefront and became a cultural cause. By 1980, the villa had been transferred to the ownership of the city of Brno. The Tugendhat family eventually sought the restitution of their former home to halt the gradual deterioration under municipal control.
After a series of substandard restorations, the non-profit group dedicated to the villa was formed in 1995 and became part of the restoration program under the auspice of the World Monuments Fund. The cultural status of Villa Tugendhat was further elevated in 2001 with the designation of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Luckily, a two-year research-based restoration was completed in 2014, and the villa was restored to its glory day, including all the original furnishings. True to Adolf Loos's thesis, modernism is the luxury of our time. Despite its simple form and materiality, a modern structure like Villa Tugendhat is among the most luxurious homes anywhere in the world.
The hour-long tour offered us a good overview of the house and its history. Perhaps the most interesting historical fact I didn't know was that the villa was integral to the history of the Czech people. On 26 August 1992, Václav Klaus and Vladimír Mečiar, the political leaders of Czechoslovakia, met to discuss the dissolution of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic today. The actual agreement was signed at the circular dining table. It was a beautiful thought that such a neat piece of furniture played witness to such an important political event in 20th-century Europe.
Modernism at its best: edge to edge glazing in main living space.
The upper balcony seems to float in the mid-air.
Barcelona chair seems especially fitting in a space like this.
The tour ended in the basement, where they staged a small but beautifully curated exhibit about Mies and the villa. There is also a tiny gift shop, and I could not help picking up a few postcards and a souvenir mug for myself. Is Villa Tugendhat worthy of being a part of your Czech itinerary? I think you know my answer. This is truly one of the most extraordinary homes in the world. You don't need to be an architect or enthusiast to fall in love with this house. The only downside may be the inevitable jealousy, perhaps.
The very table where the breakup of Czechoslovakia was finalized.
Beautiful and functional kitchen that looks just as good today as in 1930s.
For those interested, make an online reservation as early as possible to secure a spot on the guided tour. If you missed out on the guided tour, the house exterior and the garden are open to the public on a self-guided basis. Villa Tugendhat aside, Brno is a beautiful city in its own right; it bears all the trademarks of a great Czech city, from bustling city squares to the impressive town hall. I wish we could have spent a whole day exploring this second city. Don't miss the famous Brno Dragon and the ultra-modern/controversial Brno astronomical clock.
