Lafayette Towers, Detroit, MI
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
American, born Germany. 1886–1969
1960
A large pencil-on-acetate site plan by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe that lays out the footprint, circulation, and mechanical details for the Lafayette Towers to guide design and construction.
The sheet feels almost translucent: very fine, measured graphite lines, tiny annotations, and faint smudges form a calm geometric composition that pulls you close to read the exacting, miniature logic of the building and its services.
The drawing captures mid‑century modernism’s combination of spare formal clarity and technical precision, showing how an architect’s hand translated minimalist ideas into the practical documents that enabled the construction of modern high‑rise housing.
Medium
Pencil on acetate
Dimensions
31 1/2 x 60 1/2" (80 x 153.7 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Mies van der Rohe Archive, gift of the architect
Accession
MR6002.20
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
