My pilgrimage to Plano

My pilgrimage to Plano happened on the longest day of the year, and it was indeed a very long day, but I enjoyed every bit of it.  The trip culminated in my visit to one of Mies’s masterpieces.  Mies, (for those of you who don’t who) is one of my favourite architects.  His architecture looks simple, and void of any ornamentation.  Yet the beauty of his architecture is in the detail.  Details that make the building look so simple, and clean.  Yet the details are not simple, they are in fact clean solutions.  Solutions which you really start to appreciate when trying to design a door which looks good without an architrave, for instance.

The house in Plano, known as Farnsworth House, is a masterpiece because everything was thought out, from the structure to the electrical sockets.  Nothing is out of its place.  One example of how meticulous Mies was in the detailing, is the way the structural elements are held together.  These were welded, but Mies devised a way, so that the welds would not show.  He also cut the structural members short so that these would give a feeling that the house is floating over the greenery, when you look out from it.

It was truly an amazing experience, to be able to appreciate the house in its original setting, in the countryside.  Unfortunately this countryside setting was slightly altered when a main road was built adjacent to the house.  Then again, the place is still wonderful overlooking the river.  I would definitely live here, at least for a while. 

The inside and outside merge into one beautiful setting

The house is also very famous because of the dispute which ensued between the architect and the client, as it was being completed.  I have some experience of these kind of clients: you give them your best, and they are still dissatisfied.  It's true there were some budgeting issues, but surely it was a good investment for its original owner.  The only disadvantage was, that it was so famous, that the property was full with curious onlookers, trespassing to admire this gem.  Needless to say, with no walls at all, just glazing, there were some privacy issues.


This wonderful visit was made possible with the help of two friends I’ve made here in Chicago by chance.  They live in the Plano Area and invited me over.  After our visit to the Farnsworth house, I took the opportunity to do some shopping, because out there stuff is cheaper than in Chicago.  I also ate a lot of good food, and watched a musical, thanks to my hosts.

On this trip, I also learnt that the bus routes on google maps are not always correct, and used Chicago Union Station for the first time.  The lobby of the station is quite interesting, but I didn't linger there, as I afraid I might miss the train.  Hopefully I’ll be able to visit it again sometime soon.  


I arrived back in Chicago around midnight, and I must tell you that walking in the deserted downtown streets of Chicago overlooking the river, surrounded by all those skyscrapers was a magical feeling.  Imagine all those buildings lit up, yet there was no one in the streets, not even a car.  The city was so peaceful and calm, differently from what I'm used to seeing during the day in this area.  For a moment it felt like the city was just there for me to own.  It’s a shame I was too tired, because I should have stopped to take some photos to capture the atmosphere.  And that was a wonderful conclusion to a wonderful long day.