Yes - went there over the summer - certainly worth a visit! If I remember correctly, you need to make an appointment in order to see it. Can't take any pictures, but you can sketch as much as you like.

Photos on the outside only, and when I was there you had to wear freaky plastic booties. And the elevator-type window walls are only operated at the beginning and end of the day, so you'll want to be there on the morning tour if possible. Bring cash to spend in the bookstore/leaky garage.

thanks! do either of you have contact info for the house tours? i will be in vienna in february and thought it might be worth a trip.

Try here:
http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/tugendhatvillabrno.html

Also in Brno are a number of Loos buildings and the exposition grounds which have a lot of 30's era modernist pavillions.

And as long as you are in the Ceske Rupubliky, you should of course also go to Prague. In addition to all of the Plecnik work, (which is fantastic) there is also the Villa Muller (spectacular), the panalaks and the modernist housing experiment above the Vlatava (name escapes me at the moment). And Fred and Ginger, the old Communist Party Headquarters which looms over the Beaux Arts stock exchange, and a Dunkin Donuts that is frequented solely by hipsters and Czech models.

I went to Tugendhat in 1997 with a tour group of German architecture students. While a tour guide spoke in German to the rest of the group, I watched as one of their esteemed and quite elderly professors popped into the bushes outside to take a whiz. I can't say I wouldn't do that myself if I was 90 and touring a house where you aren't allowed to use the toilets.


The house is worth the visit, BTW. Enjoy. And the exposition grounds are fantastic - definitely go to them.

for sure go, i was there over summer. its falling apart a bit, which is sad to see...but hopefully it'll get restored soon.

i was allowed to take pictures of the inside, but we had a big group...

go to PRAGUE!

when i went in '91 it was closed. but while i stood in the driveway, looking forlorn, two brit arch students in a lancia drove up and talked me into jumping the fence with them. we toured around the grounds, peeked in windows, took pictures, etc. at our leisure.

these same guys invited me to a party that evening, a toga party hosted by danish medical students (in country because, at the time, the gov't would turn over unidentified corpses for autopsy practice). it turned out when these guys picked me up that these danes were in my hotel, the hotel druzba, occupying one whole floor. i pulled down the brocade curtain in my room and headed upstairs to the party. i don't know what i drank, but the next day i couldn't get out of the city -kept running to the bathroom in the train station, paying the lady with a cash box on a card table at the entrance, and spilling my guts.

ah, to be young and in europe...

I was there in 97 with my class from the U of Michigan. We were able to take pics inside ok. Worth it, even if it is in (somewhat) rough shape. Of course, it's been renovated since WW2 - it was used as a horse barn for awhile I believe =) Beautiful building, but what's up with those bedrooms!?!

Gruen? Who are you? I was there in 97 as well with my U of Michigan class.

Fabulous bookstore! The book in bought there is still my prize possession. I remember about half us the group welled up when they lowered the window. Such architecture dorks! Definately worth the trip

let's all sing together:

"It's a world of drafting
A world of CAD
It's a world of juries
And a world of tears
There's so much that we share
That it's time we're aware
It's just architecture after all

There is just one Mies
And one Frank Lloyd Wright
And Zaha gives
Attitude to ev'ryone
Though theory divides
And SMLXL is wide
It's just architecture after all

It's just architecture after all,
It's just architecture after all,
It's just architecture after all,
It's a small, small world"

actually, I mispoke - I was there in 94. I got carried away. Sorry!

Steven Ward: that's an incredible, gripping story. It sounds so - how shall I put it - UNLIKE you. thanks for sharing it.
Liberty Bell: I liked your little saga, too.
this house (which I know nothing about) piques my curiosity.

how do you know what i'm like, jd? i may not be as stodgy as you think.

but, as noted, i was younger then. and i'd been wandering eastern europe by myself for several months. and i only sorta knew german.

Steven Ward: no, I don't know what you're like. sorry to have offended you. just based upon a general impression reading your messages since the spring.