Twentieth Century Modern Architecture and the Countryside: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's design for a country gold clubhouse for the Krefeld Golf Club Association

This paper investigates relationships between modernity and monumentality in the architecture of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. In his Modern Architecture, the critic and historian Kenneth Frampton separated Mies’ work into two historical periods, 1921-1933 and 1933-1967; the first he entitled ‘Mies van der Rohe and the significance of fact,’ the second ‘Mies van der Rohe and the monumentalisation of technique.’ The two historical periods correspond to two different geopolitical phases of Mies’ career, the first in Weimar Germany the second in the United States. By looking at a number of designs and texts made by Mies in the 1930’s and 1940’s, this essay questions the validity of separating Mies’ architecture into such clear-cut categories, where each one can enjoy a seeming independence from the other. The fulcrum for the discussion is Mies’ design of 1930 for a country golf clubhouse for the industrial town of Krefeld in north-western Germany. Our attention to the golf clubhouse design was prompted by the recent installation (2013), in which a 1-1 model of the design, made primarily from plywood, was erected in a field close the the site of Mies' original proposal.

The Business of Museums and the Engagement of 21st Century Audiences

Within the sub-theme of Collaboration, Partnerships, and Mergers – the author will create an engaging discussion with attendees on how the of business of museums lends itself to building collaborative and viable business partnerships which can be beneficial both in terms of revenue and audience engagement. A second element will examine through case studies how organizations such as the Oxford University Museum Partnership, The Lightbox Museum and Gallery as well as the British Museum and Museum of London retool and refocus their commercial interests to build sustainable partnerships and mergers with non-museum sector organizations to expand their retail and enterprising activities. Attendees and participants will gain an insight into these trends and methods currently being used by both large museum and small independent museums in the UK to grow their audiences through none traditional methods. Similarly, the author will demonstrate how non-traditional enterprising approaches to stewardship and education can demonstrate the public value of museums in an age when limited funding and competition for resources require museums to become more creative and collaborative outside their traditional roles, whilst continuing to engage and capitalize on the growing sophistication of 21st century audiences.