Living spaces within an architectural concept clearly revealed itself during the 20th century. It was during this period that Mies van der Rohe and Tadao Ando explored new architectural and spatial thoughts that were not only supposedly conceptualized but also used in practice in current times by modern architects. Known for his minimalist and stable designs, Mies van der Rohe's Vilaa Tugendhat project transferred the open-plan living concept he had used for the Barcelona Pavilion into a residential context that represented the life of wealthy newlyweds Grete and Fritz Tugendhat. Built in Brno's aspiring middle-class residential neighborhood, the Tugendhat House was known for its highly sophisticated space filled with sumptuous materials. Throughout its development, Mies focused on the close relationship between architecture and the natural environment using techniques such as floor-to-ceiling glazing that connected the interior and exterior facades. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Also known as the Row House, the Azuma House was one of the first works of self-taught architect Tadao Ando. His presentation of a concrete box in the middle of a dilapidated wooden house where there are masses in the central areas of Osaka, Japan, creates a highly self-sufficient living space within that box. Like Mies van der Rohe, Ando designed this space to ensure individual privacy that traditional terraced houses essentially did not guarantee. Through a careful choice of materials, Ando sought to restore contact with light, air, rain and other natural elements linked to the Japanese lifestyle. Spatial strategy Figure A. digital image, floor plan Villa Tugendhat, accessed 12 September 2018 Figure B, digital image, Main living space, accessed 12 September 2018 Designed on a steeply sloping site, Villa Tugendhat was designed to create a sense of privacy when positioned in the living area of ​​the space. This was due to the reasoning that Mies designed the large amounts of glass to face the garden rather than the public street, with the result that the entrance elevation offered no view into the house from the perspective of the public road. When developing the interior space, Mies used his functionalist concept of iron structure which allowed the interior of the house to move away from the internal load-bearing walls, which is the ground floor plan of Figure A where there are fewer walls separating the spaces. Therefore, this resulted in more open spaces, rooms connected to each other, and bright spaces that allowed for heating, cooling, and humidification all at once. Since Villa Tugendhat was developed in the early stages of World War II, where technologies were still in their early stages. Being advanced, steel frame construction was considered infrequent for homes in Brno, Czech Republic. However, by using steel frames to support the construction, many benefits were gained, such as an open-plan living plan that differs from level to level. Using the large glass walls seen in Figure B, the living room was able to open up and be connected to spaces such as the garden and the dining room, ensuring that the atmosphere within the areas was dominated by a fundamental sense of open space. which extends into the landscape as well as the colors of the precious materials chosen to furnish the living room and the rest of the house. Indeed Mies “that a house should notbe built from the facade, but from the inside and that the windows in a modern building should no longer be holes in the wall but fill the space between floor and ceiling, thus becoming an element of the structure". In this way, Mies wanted to create a spacious and modern house that connected the living space with the dining room and the outside while giving a sense of openness and light inside the living room. Unlike Villa Tugendhat which was designed specifically for a couple, Ando designed Azuma House to force visitors within the space to face the natural elements as part of their movement through the space. As seen in Figure C, the courtyard, which is also seen as a living room, intersects movement through the space allowing the individual to connect with their environment which is inspired by the traditional connection of Japanese culture. The courtyard not only serves as a bridge for humans and nature, but also allows for the illusion of space within the close proximity of the long, narrow house. Within the area, the main natural elements had to collectively take a back seat so that a sense of openness or emptiness emerges through the inconspicuous elements. As a result, this injection of movement throughout the home pushes individuals to connect with the Japanese environment and culture. “The courtyard is a nucleus of light that unfolds inside the house and is a device for introducing natural phenomena such as light, wind and rain that are being forgotten in the city”. Therefore, the courtyard was seen as the space within an omnipresent void that can be made perceptible resulting in a structure through changes in climate and light where the ethos within the space itself changes. Subsequently, this idea ties back to the idea of ​​"yugen" in Japanese poetry which portrays nature as an ineffable presence perceived through subtle meteorological phenomena, for example a light drizzle or an unexpected breeze. Accordingly, Figure D shows that Ando seeks to instill the presence of nature within architecture which attempts to draw nature into an intimate association where forms of spiritual exercise are traditionally carried out in the context of human interrelationship with nature. In its time, the Tugendhat House was known to be exceptionally expensive for its time considering Mie's use of excessive materials, non-standard construction methods, and new advanced heating and cooling technologies. Inside the house, Mies designed the spatial interior as a free-flowing space with steel frame and order of chrome cladding from Germany and white linoleum laid on the floor create a uniform surface with more neutral colors. As seen in Figure E, Mies' addition of the Tugendhat chairs upholstered in rougher silver-gray fabric and the Barcelona chairs upholstered in emerald green leather were examples of the extravagant materials he employed to represent the wealth of the house's occupants. The rich choice of materials represented Tugendhat's vision of a modern, spacious home that restored a spiritual sense of life beyond necessity. “While providing isolation and privacy there was at the same time a feeling of belonging to the larger whole,” as seen in Figure F, the addition of silk curtains and curtains allowed users to create their own private spaces when they wanted it. "In addition to the perfect architecture, the villa has exceptional services and technical equipment: in particular the timeless system of large sash windows in the living space driven by the electric motor and a unique climate control system that treated the air in the space.