Farnsworth House - by Mies van der Rohe

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was retained by Dr. Edith Farnsworth to design a weekend retreat at a dinner party in 1945. The wealthy client was highly intelligent, articulate, and intent on a very special work of modern architecture. The program was to design the house as if it were for himself.

After completion of design, the project was placed on hold awaiting an inheritance from an ailing aunt. Mies was to act as the general contractor as well as architect. Work began in 1950 and was substantially completed in 1951. The commission was an ideal one for any architect, but was marred by a very publicized dispute between Farnsworth and Mies that began near the end of construction. The total cost of the house was $74,000 in 1951, or about $1,000,000 in 2006 dollars.

Near the completion of the construction, a soured personal relationship, rumored to be romantic in nature, between Dr. Edith Farnsworth and Mies, led to a lawsuit by the architect/builder for non-payment of $28,173 in construction costs. The owner then filed a counter suit for damages due to alleged malpractice. Mies' attorneys proved that Farnsworth had approved the plans and budget increases, and the court ordered the owner to pay her bills. Farnsworth's malpractice accusations were dismissed as unsubstantiated. It was a bitter and hollow victory for Mies, considering the painful publicity that followed. The conflict resulted in an unfinished site and an unfurnished interior. The construction of a teak wardrobe closet and bronze screened porch were completed to Mies’ designs by former employee William Dunlap and a local mill worker who acted as middlemen. Mies never spoke about his rumored relationship, nor communicated with Edith again.

Edith continued to use the house as a weekend retreat for the next 21 years, often hosting architectural notables visiting to see the work of the world famous architect.