Crown Hall

UH-​Amazing. You see it many times in lectures and posters, but it’s always not the same when you see it in person. I literally want to breathe in the building so I can take in every ounce of genius of Mr. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (Architect of Building). The architectural element is unbelievable. The structural beams are on the outside of the building, freeing up the interior space with an open plan. But to diminish the look of the structure, it was painted black where it disappears as the envelop of the building rather than standing out.
The floating steps was a great touch to the building where the whole architecture looks lightweight and airy; especially with the curtain walls, you can literally see through the building. Once you’re inside, the openness of the plan and the transparent windows allow you to take in the surrounding environment, bringing in the exterior into the interior space, creating an infinite space.
This is exactly why this building is one of the prime example of a architectural movement in the modern era. Many buildings now-​a-​days take so much merits to this building. It’s a fabu-​licious!

The architectural crown jewel (no pun intended) of the IIT campus just celebrated its 50^th anniversary in August 2005. Appropriately enough, Mies’ masterpiece is the architecture school on the campus. Its main floor is one large open space thanks to its engineering. Its significance as a landmark has also been celebrated with its own US postage stamp a few years ago.