Miesunderstanding

Abstract

The text aims to address a critical rereading of opacity in architecture, trying to undermine the nowadays widely used transparent = modern assumption. In addition to having led to problematic applications in contemporary architecture, this axiom does not actually seem to be based on solid foundations. Through the use of a method capable of objectively mapping the opacities of a given space, this paper aims to prove that even in the modern era a particular opacity of spaces has survived, especially in domestic ones. Mies van der Rohe’s Villa Tugendhat is analyzed to try to demonstrate that, despite being considered a master of transparency, his interiors integrate a certain opacity of spaces to balance exposure with privacy. In doing so, the aim is to re-evaluate opacity as a design tool to foster a new architectural approach that considers transparency just as a relatively small part of the Modern’s legacy.

Keywords: opacity, transparency, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe