Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's idea of a modern courtyard house is explored in this article considering three aspects: context stimuli, development, and practical applications. In this manner, this article provides significant contributions to the understanding of Mies's courtyard house idea. In fact, so far the stimuli and motivations behind his studies on this house type have been insufficiently explored. This obscurity has facilitated hypotheses such as that some of the courtyard house projects that Mies attributed to himself were not designed by him, but by his students and assistants. This article offers an alternative view of this issue that supports the architect's original claims by clarifying his teaching approach, creative process, and historical context. This article also clarifies the development of Mies's courtyard house idea through several projects that he designed on this theme, including the Courtyard House with Round Skylight (1934), which has been little explored in previous literature. Ultimately, this article examines the practical applications of Mies's courtyard house idea, both as a motif of student exercise and as an architectural solution for low dwellings, showing that this idea has maintained its relevance throughout the decades.
Peter O Williams, The exotic fruits of my life, Bletchingdon, Rana, 2003, pp. ix, 158, illus., £20.00 (hardback 0-9538092-1-8). Orders to: Rana, Courtyard House, Church End, Bletchingdon, Oxfordshire OX5 3DL.