El vínculo de Mies van der Rohe con la simetría es un invariante que se intuye en toda su obra más allá de su pretendida invisibilidad. Partiendo del proyecto moderno como proceso paradójico, que Mies lo expresa en sus conocidos aforismos, como el célebre “menos es más”, la tesis pretende ser una aproximación a este concepto clave de la arquitectura a través de una de sus obras más importantes: el Pabellón Alemán para la Exposición Universal de 1.929 en Barcelona. Ejemplo de planta asimétrica según Bruno Zevi y un “auténtico caballo de Troya cargado de simetrías” como lo definió Robin Evans. El Pabellón representó para la modernidad, la culminación de una década que cambió radicalmente la visión de la arquitectura hasta ese momento, gracias al carácter inclusivo de lo paradójico y las innumerables conexiones que hubo entre distintas disciplinas, tan antagónicas, como el arte y la ciencia. De esta última, se propone una definición ampliada de la simetría como principio de equivalencia entre elementos desde la invariancia. En esta definición se incorpora el sentido recogido por Lederman como “expresión de igualdad”, así como el planteado por Hermann Weyl en su libro Simetría como “invariancia de una configuración bajo un grupo de automorfismos” (libro que Mies tenía en su biblioteca privada). Precisamente para Weyl, el espacio vacío tiene un alto grado de simetría. “Cada punto es igual que los otros, y en ninguno hay diferencias intrínsecas entre las diversas direcciones." A partir de este nuevo significado, la obra de Mies adquiere otro sentido encaminado a la materialización de ese espacio, que él pretendía que “reflejase” el espíritu de la época y cuya génesis se postula en el Teorema de Noether que establece que “por cada simetría continua de las leyes físicas ha de existir una ley de conservación”. Estas simetrías continúas son las simetrías invisibles del espacio vacío que se desvelan “aparentemente” como oposición a las estructuras de orden de las simetrías de la materia, de lo lleno, pero que participan de la misma lógica aporética miesiana, de considerarlo otro material, y que se definen como: (i)limitado, (in)grávido, (in)acabado e (in)material. Finalmente, una paradoja más: El “espacio universal” que buscó Mies, no lo encontró en América sino en este pabellón. Como bien lo han intuido arquitectos contemporáneos como Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa (SANAA) legítimos herederos del maestro alemán.

The relationship between Mies van der Rohe with the symmetry is an invariant which is intuited in his entire work beyond his intentional invisibility.  Based on the modern project as a paradoxical process, which Mies expresses in his aphorisms know as the famous “less is more”, the thesis is intended to approach this key concept in architecture through one of his most important works: The German Pavilion for the World Expo in 1929 in Barcelona, an example of asymmetric floor according to Bruno Zevi and a “real Trojan horse loaded with symmetries”.  As defined by Robin Evans.  For modernity, this Pavilion  represented the culmination of a decade which radically changed the vision of architecture so far, thanks to the inclusive character of the paradoxical and the innumerable connections that there were amongst the different disciplines, as antagonistic as Art and Science.  Of the latter, an expanded definition of symmetry is proposed as the principle of equivalence between elements from the invariance.  Incorporated into this definition is the sense defined by Leterman as “expression of equality,” like the one proposed by Hermann Weyl in his book Symmetry as “configuration invariance under a group of automorphisms” (a book which Mies had in his private library).   Precisely for Weyl, the empty space has a high degree of symmetry.  “Each point is equal to the other, and in none are there intrinsic differences among the diverse directions.”  Based on this new meaning, Mies’ work acquires another meaning approaching the materialization of that space, which he intended to “reflect” the spirit of the time and whose genesis is postulated in the Noether’s theorem which establishes that “for every continuous symmetry of physical laws, there must be a law of conservation.”  These continuous symmetries  are the invisible empty space symmetries which reveal themselves “apparently” as opposition to the structures of matter symmetries, of those which are full, but which participate in the same Mies aporetic logic, if deemed other material, and which is defined as (un)limited, weight(less), (un)finished and (im)material.  Finally, one more paradox:  the “universal space” which Mies search for, he did not find it in America, but at this pavilion, just as the contemporary architects like Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa (SANAA) rightfully intuited, as legitimate heirs of the German master.

The relationship between Mies van der Rohe with the symmetry is an invariant which is intuited in his entire work beyond his intentional invisibility.  Based on the modern project as a paradoxical process, which Mies expresses in his aphorisms know as the famous “less is more”, the thesis is intended to approach this key concept in architecture through one of his most important works: The German Pavilion for the World Expo in 1929 in Barcelona, an example of asymmetric floor according to Bruno Zevi and a “real Trojan horse loaded with symmetries”.  As defined by Robin Evans.  For modernity, this Pavilion  represented the culmination of a decade which radically changed the vision of architecture so far, thanks to the inclusive character of the paradoxical and the innumerable connections that there were amongst the different disciplines, as antagonistic as Art and Science.  Of the latter, an expanded definition of symmetry is proposed as the principle of equivalence between elements from the invariance.  Incorporated into this definition is the sense defined by Leterman as “expression of equality,” like the one proposed by Hermann Weyl in his book Symmetry as “configuration invariance under a group of automorphisms” (a book which Mies had in his private library).   Precisely for Weyl, the empty space has a high degree of symmetry.  “Each point is equal to the other, and in none are there intrinsic differences among the diverse directions.”  Based on this new meaning, Mies’ work acquires another meaning approaching the materialization of that space, which he intended to “reflect” the spirit of the time and whose genesis is postulated in the Noether’s theorem which establishes that “for every continuous symmetry of physical laws, there must be a law of conservation.”  These continuous symmetries  are the invisible empty space symmetries which reveal themselves “apparently” as opposition to the structures of matter symmetries, of those which are full, but which participate in the same Mies aporetic logic, if deemed other material, and which is defined as (un)limited, weight(less), (un)finished and (im)material.  Finally, one more paradox:  the “universal space” which Mies search for, he did not find it in America, but at this pavilion, just as the contemporary architects like Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa (SANAA) rightfully intuited, as legitimate heirs of the German master.