German-American architect Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe was born in Aachen in 1886. Along with Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier, van der Rohe is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of the Modernist Movement. Van der Rohe created an influential twentieth century architectural style, stated with extreme clarity and simplicity that he called “skin and bones” design. From the tables of his father’s stone-carving shop, van der Rohe began his commercial career designing upper-class homes. He rejected classical styles of the time in favour of the unconventional and indeed his furniture is known for combining fine-craftsmanship with modernism. Often a mix of traditional luxurious fabrics such as leather and combined with chrome frames, the most famous of his work is the Barcelona Collection.
