The German Pavilion in Barcelona

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed the German Pavilion (or Barcelona Pavilion) specifically for the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition. When the event was concluded and no one wanted to purchase the extravagant building from the German government, it was dismantled and sold for parts. Although the building received little acclaim during the six months it stood in its original form, it remained an icon of the Modern Movement throughout the 20th Century, and in 1981, the Barcelona City Council engaged a group of architects to recreate the building on the same location. The building was completed in 1986, and it features the same canopy-like roof, curtains of glass, and partition walls that were a signature design of Mies van der Rohe and create a sense of luxurious space while leaving a simplistic impression.