50x50, Core House & Site Development 
Napa, CA

(in construction)

 

Project Scope: 

5,000 sqft Main Residence 

Development of a 23-acre agricultural property:

Site planning and permitting of:

• ​Barn

• Winery

• Main Residence

• Septic

• Solar pump Well

• Road

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Created from archive drawings and models of the great Mies van der Rohe’s early 1950s project, ‘50x50’.  Through tireless research at MOMA and by confirmation by Mies grandson, Dirk Lohan we have entered into the demanding and honored task of making this unbuilt project a reality.

Mies van der Rohe conceptualized a prefabricated solution to a high-end custom home design where the open floor plan of this glasshouse could be customized from 40x40, 50x50 or 60x60, to fit the site and resident as desired. What would remain the same is a square glass container, the grid structure, the details, a column in the center, and a core where all the services could be housed. 

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Our client wanted to be the first patron of the 50x50 design, keeping the floor plan nearly identical to Mies’ published presentation drawings and models. 

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Mies's passion for residential minimalism, prefabrication in the form of modular units, repetitive parts, and affordability took shape during his time working on the Farnsworth House. So while several specific details were never designed for the 50x50 concept, many of the details in this project were inspired by the Farnsworth House.

Since the building was only calculated in theory, we had to overcome various design challenges to retain the intended aesthetic and affordability.  Various fundamental alterations were necessary to fit the site and meet modern stringent energy, fire, and building code requirements.
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Today, the project is nearing completion thanks to our team’s determination and commitment to bring Mies’ vision into reality.