Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House and Philip Johnson’s Glass House Are Paired in a New Exhibition

A new photo exhibition juxtaposes famous glass houses, highlighting the striking similarities—and differences—between two of today’s most celebrated works of domestic architecture.“They’re opposites, but they’re not opposites,” says Miami-based photographer Robin Hill of Philip Johnson’s Glass House and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House. Hill’s pictures of both buildings are featured next to each other in “Side by Side,” an upcoming exhibition. “When you put them together, you can see the conversation between the two houses, as well as the conversation between the architects.”

Fittingly, Hill’s photographs of the landmark structures will be on display at New York City’s Four Seasons Restaurant, which Johnson and Mies designed together. The exhibition was curated by Hilary Lewis, coauthor of two books about Johnson. It will travel to Plano, Illinois, after it shows in New York.

Hill said he was fascinated with figuring out what made each house unique. “Obviously one is black and one is white, but both of them have this relationship to nature,” he says. “The Glass House—it’s right on the earth. The Farnsworth is five feet above, but it’s actually in a flood field.” Floods have sporadically devastated the Plano, Illinois, house since Mies completed it in 1951. Johnson’s house was built in New Canaan, Connecticut, in 1949, but many architecture fans suspect he took some of his cues from Mies. Either way, visitors to the show can decide for themselves.

“Side by Side” will be at the Four Seasons from June 22 to September 30, open to the public during the restaurant’s lunch and dinner hours.

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