In American Psycho, protagonist Patrick Bateman’s cold personality is mirrored in the interior decoration of his apartment, which centres on a series of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chairs. Designed for his famous German Pavilion for the 1929 International Exposition hosted in Barcelona, Spain, the Barcelona Chair exemplifies the clean, cold yet always elegant style Mies van der Rohe championed.
Looking at the villa of Greta and Fritz Tugendhat, built in Brno, Czechoslovakia (now Czechia) in 1930, according to a design by Mies van der Rohe you can see why his International Style became much more popular in the offices of financial districts across the world than it did as a standard for housebuilding. The décor is ice cold; gorgeous, but by no means cosy.
Patrick Bateman’s setup is on show in the living area, where a set of two Barcelona Chairs face other articles of Miesian furniture beside a magnificent onyx wall. Further one, a set of eight Breuer chairs, upholstered in clean white leather surround a circular dining table, supported by a solitary central leg.
Throughout, the house is supported with stainless steel beams. Floor to ceiling windows are also framed in cold steel. This is all beautiful boardroom styling.
SEE ALSO: The Glass House: Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House
The only moment of true homeliness occurs in a small, bedroom whose curtains are closed in the image, where Breuer chair and table and Mies foot stall are held together by a shag pile rug. It is a peculiar hint at something more lived-in, suggesting that someone did indeed once reside in the house.
Besides that, and the curious period features in the air technology and boiler rooms, the whole home is a spectacular, elegant yet altogether quite cold interior. Quite remarkable for its time, and a fitting precursor to the architect’s later work.
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Photos via David Židlický
