The Architecture

Spatial Configuration Horizontal Planes: The primary composition of the home is expressed as three horizontal planes, the lower deck, the floor plane/upper deck, and the ceiling/roof plane. These three horizontal planes cantilever beyond vertical members expressing their place at the top of the special hierarchy of the home. The placement of the lowest plane, the lower deck, is asymmetrical in both of the buildings major axis. The vertical members which hold these planes in place read strongly in elevation, forming elevations and spaces which express the homes trabeated structural nature. Modular Grid System: The structural bays of the home and many prominent interior elements rest on a modular grid system. The grid system is expressed by the joints between the travertine tiles. The dimensions between structural elements, certain elements of the core, as well as the size of glazing elements are taken from the modular grid system. Notable exceptions include the end walls of the core, the joints between the travertine on the treads of the stairs, and the center line of the homes only door. Proportion: The home expresses Mies belief that the proportion of objects themselves and between objects was critical to creating successful architecture. The dimensional proportions of objects are very carefully controlled. The objects in the home are also placed such that the resulting proportions in the space are pleasing. While the direct proportions are for the most part numerically irregular and empirically unrelated to one another, the harmony of the resulting architectural proportionality is undeniable. Symmetry: The plan and elevations of the home are characterized by a lack of symmetry. In the tradition of international modernism, axial symmetry is abandoned in favor of more dynamic architectural forms. This is evidenced in the house by the placement of the core within the home as well as the placement of the lower deck, both of which are centered about neither major axis in plan. Additionally, the homes upper deck assures that the portion of the home enclosed by the glass envelope remains off center. Free Plan: The interior of the home is characterized by the use of a free plan system. As Mies used it, the free plan featured a singe large space, usually broken only by a partial height core. The spaces surrounding the core are demarcated subtly by the wing walls that are utilized in the core design but are not separated formally by full height walls. Connection to the Landscape: The main house is placed at an elevation approximately 5 feet above the plain to protect the living area from the perpetual threat of flooding. The close proximity to the Fox River allowed for the opportunity to raise the house and nearly disconnect it from the ground, providing a floating observation platform for the occupants. Through the large expanse of glass, the river adds another horizontal component. The lawn and the river combine with the decks to create additional, well proportioned platforms.

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Building Systems Structural System: The primary structure of the home is defined by the placement of 8 wide-flange steel columns (fig. 1, no. 1). Eight of these columns, spaced 22 on center, support the main home, while four additional, shorter columns share the load of the lower deck with two of the main columns.

A single 15 steel channel (fig. 1, no. 2) acts as the structural girder of the floor and roof, with its web attached to the flange of each column using plug welds. The channels cantilever an additional 57.5 beyond the columns support. To complete the horizontal platform, shorter channels (fig. 1 no. 3) are coped and attached to the channel running the length of the home, forming a corner that appears almost mitered. 12 wide flange beams (joist-like in function) (not pictured) are coped and attached perpendicularly to the channels at the inside of each beam connection, as well as at three points between each column. These beams join the parallel structural girders. The placement of these intermediary beams is reflected in the modular grid which is expressed inside the home through the size of the travertine floor tiles.
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Floor system: The homes terrace construction is such that, pre-cast concrete panels (fig. 2, no. 1) sit on the exposed flange of each joist-like beam. Above these panels sit lightweight concrete (fig 2, no. 2) fill which is pitched to a brass drain (fig. 2, no. 3). The concrete is covered with flashing which, in tandem with the pitched surface, funnels water to the brass drain pipe. The void space is filled with crushed stone (fig. 2, no 4). On the lower deck, the flashing is pitched to a single drain located at the center of each structural bay while on the upper deck the pitch occurs from the center to two drains located near the edge.

Above this entire assembly sits a mortar bed (fig. 2, no 5) on top of which sits Italian travertine limestone (fig. 2, no. 6), the porous nature of which facilitates the drainage of water to the aforementioned assembly below. In the homes interior portion, where drainage is not necessary, the entire space between the mortar bed and the pre-cast concrete is filled with lightweight concrete fill. Copper piping, which services the radiant floor heat, is embedded in the mortar of the homes interior floor. In this portion of the home, the flashing, crushed stone, and brass piping are absent.

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Roof System: The original roof was comprised of pre-cast concrete panels (fig. 3, no. 1) that rested on top of the structural wide-flange joist-like beams. Above this there was a vapor barrier on top of which sat two inches of foam glass insulation (fig. 3, no. 2). The membrane was formed by six plies of felt roofing (fig. 3, no. 3). Lead flashing (fig. 3, no. 4) was used at the edge, terminating under the cap angle (fig 3. no. 5). Lightweight concrete fill (fig. 3, no. 6) was used to create a gradual pitch near the edge. Pitch and gravel sits atop the assembly (fig. 3, no. 7). In 1979, the roof was stripped to the concrete panels. 1-1/2 of closed cell insulation was added and a cant piece was introduced. A single-ply EPDM membrane was utilized over plywood sheathing. Both systems utilize a single, centrally-located drain, which feeds a white pipe that penetrates the mechanical room before exiting the home through the umbilical chord.

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Infill System: The primary infill system at place in the home is comprised of large sheets of glass. These sheets of glass, often called lites, are intended to shelter the space created by structural elements while maximizing the transparency of the enclosure. The details for the window sills, heads, and mullions are meant to read as very thin in elevation, expressing their place in the homes hierarchy as secondary to the structural members. The simple, glazed-in-place detail is visually intuitive. At the sill, the glass (fig. 4, no. 1) is held in place by continuous glazing stops (fig. 4, no. 2). The stops on either side of the glass are fastened to a single piece of bar steel (fig. 4, no. 3), which is welded to the structural channel (fig. 4, no. 4) below. The bar steel piece between the channel and the glazing stops are narrower than the collective width of the glass and glazing stops, creating a reveal (fig. 4, no. 5). This reveal serves to separate the glazing elements from the structural elements as well as to hint at the details assembly. A similar detail is used at the mullion, with a single piece of bar steel (fig. 5, no. 1) connected to glazing stops (fig 5, no. 2) on either side. At the columns, these pieces of bar steel (fig. 6, no. 1) are fastened to steel angles (fig. 6, no. 2) which are welded to the interior surface of the structural beams flange (fig. 6, no. 3), creating a void space on the interior (fig. 6, no. 4).

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At the corners, a square piece of steel (fig. 7, no. 1) forms the glazing stop for both of the pieces of glass on the homes interior. On the exterior of the corner, two pieces of bar steel (fig. 7, no. 2) are used to form the other glazing stop on each side. Both of these stops are welded to continuous pieces (fig. 7, no. 3) of steel. These pieces are joined at their corners (fig. 7, no. 4). This forms a corner which is not bulky and clearly reads as a secondary element when seen in elevation. It also prevents the corner from being extraneously massive by instead folding it. This detail is a small scale example of Mies trademark inverse corner or reverse entrance column.

The current curtains are synthetic replicas that were designed to match the original silk shantung specified by Mies. The track is original. Screens: On the exterior of the homes upper deck, screens were originally designed to mitigate the threat posed to the homes occupants by indigenous insects. The screen mullions closely mirrored the window mullion details from a visual standpoint. Core: The core of the home is characterized by primavera-veneered wood panels. These panels are supported by a stud wall. Solid core doors are utilized on both bathrooms to visually mimic the appearance of the panel. On the interior of the bathrooms and the mechanical room, marine grade plywood finished with marine paint act as stand-ins for the primavera to facilitate water resistance. Here, the studs themselves are left exposed in the reveal surface. At the corners of the core, wing walls are utilized. These subtly demarcate the difference in space as well as allowing the core to change from an abstract volume into a series of spatial planes.
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Plumbing: All plumbing fixtures are the original pieces specified by Mies. In the guest bath, a shower is used which facilitates the placement of a hidden door to the mechanical room. In the master bath, a tub, made of solid china, is utilized, preventing the placement of an alternate access to the mechanical room. Fresh water supply for the plumbing is provided via pipes which enter the home through the umbilical chord located beneath the mechanical room. Sewage is removed from the home in the same fashion and is subsequently carried to a septic field, which leaches just northeast of the home. Plumbing vents are located in a utility stack which exits the home through a roof penetration, housed by a metal penthouse. HVAC: Originally, the home featured copper-coil radiant heat (still present today) and an oil-fired forced air furnace. Air is returned to the furnace through two fans, one located behind the grate below the kitchen sink, and the other mounted at the top of the core. The fan at the top of the core draws air around the small gap between the plaster ceiling and the exterior steel channel, generating air circulation around the glass. Warmed air was supplied of the top of the core at each end. The only original cooling was provided by passive solar design (i.e. the black sugar maple) and the two operable windows which were placed on the homes eastern elevation to facilitate cross ventilation with the doors on the homes west elevation. Palumbos HVAC system, installed much later, utilized the original radiant heat, but replaced the oil-fired furnace with an electrical heat pump system. The original air return was used, but an air conditioning system (often called the dehumidification system) was added. Electrical: Electrical supply enters the home through the umbilical chord. Outlets within the house are located beneath the aluminum discs in the floor. This placement was designed to avoid marring the wood surface. Outlets could not be placed in exterior walls due to their glass composition. There were no light fixtures supplied for the living area of the home. The in-floor outlets facilitate the placement of floor lamps. Light fixtures that were specified include the task lighting in the kitchen as well as the lights above the sink in the bathroom. Notable Materials Steel: The steel for the home was produced by Bethlehem Steel. The contractor was Wendnagle & Company of Chicago. The basic structure is mild steel while the window framing is tool steel. Originally, the steel was treated with lead-based paint. During the 1991 renovation, the exterior steel was sandblasted and interior steel was chemically treated to facilitate repainting. The second painting was done with an epoxy product known as tnemec (cement spelled backwards). Five coats of this epoxy were applied over five coats of primer. Different primers were used to treat the tool steel and the mild steel. Primavera: Primavera wood is drawn from a large rainforest canopy tree. The heartwood of this tree is held as one of the fine veneer and cabinet woods of the world. It has a tight grain and is revered for its easy polishing and finishing characteristics and tool workability. It is also reputed to be easily dried and have little to no degrade. In the house, it is used exclusively in veneer applications. It is visible on the cores panels and reveals, the door each bathroom, and in the kitchens upper cabinets. With time, the wood patinas to take on a much darker color. In its blonde state, it is very distinct from the teak used on the original wardrobe and the peripheral pieces designed later.
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Travertine Limestone: While Indiana limestone was originally specified for the homes construction, Mies eventually decided to use Roman Travertine. Some accounts suggest that this decision was encouraged by Dr. Farnsworth. All the travertine is original to the home with the exception of the pieces that make up the raised hearth. The travertine was ordered honed on all visible surfaces and left with its natural voids un-patched. The stone has a strong, visible grain which is oriented parallel to the long side of each tile. On the lower deck, where the stone is unprotected from the elements, some mild heaving has occurred. On the upper deck and inside, where the stone is under roof, the effects of the environment on the stone have been more successfully mitigated.

Glass: The glass was originally provided by Shor Glass, now know as Glasshopper of Aurora. The original pieces were hand polished plate glass shimmed with wood wedges. Several of the original pieces of glass were later replaced with tempered glass of the same dimension. The new glass is shimmed with hard rubber. It is washed as needed.
Dimensions: Major Dimensions Standard Measurement 774 x 288 2216 sf 554 x 288 549 x 283 1585 sf 22 x 228 630 sf 555 x 229 1250 sf 22 57.5 96 53 2 166 Minor Dimensions 121 36 7 13 6 12 x 22 106 x 93 Core Dimensions 249 x 127 12 4 179 12
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Element House (excluding lower deck) House (excluding upper and lower decks) House (interior dimensions) Upper Deck Lower Deck Column Spacing (on center) Cantilevers Interior clear height Finish floor height Lower deck height Total building height Width of stair Width of door Width of total entrance Depth of Channels Wardrobe height Wardrobe length and width Large glass sheets Core Dist. between core and south Dist. between core and north Dist. between core and west Dist. between core and east
Chapter 3 - Architecture

Metric Measurement 8.5 m x 23.5 m 205.8 sm 16.9 m x 8.7 m 16.7 m x 8.6 m 147.3 sm 6.7 m x 6.9 m 58.7 sm 16.9 m x 6.9 m 116 m 6.7 m 1.7 m 2.9 m 1.5 m .61 m 5.0 m 3.7 m 1.1 m 2.1 m 0.38 m 1.8 m 3.7 m x 0.66 m 3.2 m x 2.8 m 7.5 m x 3.7 m 3.7 m 1.2 m 5.4 m 3.7 m
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