site and sequence
Site and Sequence was designed to revitalize the architectural pilgrimage site of Mies Van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House. The project features three main aspects: the preservation of the Farnsworth House, the priority of light and view within the structure, and the visitors’ experience through the landscape. These aspects were studies through a series of thresholds that mitigate the transition from the visitor center to the house.
The design for the Farnsworth Visitor Center began with a study of Mies Van der Rohe’s work in Chicago, IL. In contrast to the city, the Farnsworth House is located in the countryside and is subject to the challenges of its rural site, namely flooding. The proposal for the flood mitigation technique is a buoyant foundation, designed to lift the structure out of the water in disaster conditions. The main concept for the design of the visitor center is the transition through a series of thresholds. The checkpoints within the center and along the prescribed path allow the guests to distance themselves from the outside world and experience the history of the house and site.