Farnsworth House - Little Building Co. Model Set.
Designed and constructed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe between 1945 and 1951, the Farnsworth House was commissioned by Edith Farnsworth, M.D a prominent Chicago nephrologist. It was intended as a place where she could relax and enjoy her hobbies - playing the violin, translating poetry, and enjoying nature. In 1947, a model of the house was displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, two years before construction even began on the Farnsworth House. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006.
The signature sugar maple tree featured in this model, (which has since died), is said to have inspired van der Rohe in selecting the precise site for the home. The light Aspen wood of the house contrasts beautifully with the stunning tree sculpture made from American Cherry. The attention to detail continues inside the house model, visible through clear acrylic windows. The fireplace in the center of the home is highly detailed, and doors and cabinets, also in cherry, are nicely modeled.
Kit comes complete with all required parts and clear, easy to follow instructions. All you’ll need to provide is a good quality wood glue, a knife to remove individual parts from their sheets, and a flat work surface to construct the model.
Materials Aspen, American Cherry, MDF And Acrylic
— Scale: 1:150
— Pieces: 120
— Recommended Age: 15 & Up
— Difficulty Level: Intermediate
— Assembly Time: 5 Hours
— Completed Dimensions: 10"L x 6"W x 4"H
— Some Tools Required (Not Included)
— Instructions Included
The stunning design Mies van der Rohe situated on Farnsworth’s pristine property along the Fox River was intended to be a weekend cottage where Farnsworth (1903-1977) could escape from city life.
Cost overruns and philosophical disagreements between the client and the architect led to a lawsuit that ultimately resolved little, at least in differences in philosophy. In spite of her protracted dispute with van der Rohe, Edith Farnsworth did seem to enjoy the house, spending nearly every weekend there during her professional career.
After retiring - never quite satisfied with the home she commissioned – Farnsworth sold the house to Lord Peter Palumbro, a London developer and patron of the arts who owned several other homes by famous architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright.
Palumbro and his wife stayed in the home for part of each year until 2003, when they sold it through a Sotheby’s auction. Landmarks Illinois and the National Trust for Historic Preservation purchased the home and continue to operate it as a public museum.
After her death in 1977, Farnsworth’s ashes were scattered in Chicago’s Graceland Cemetery.