AllMovie

This biographical documentary examines the life and many professional accomplishments of German-born architect Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969). Permanently associated with one overarching stylistic tenet - the concept that "less is more" - van der Rohe left an indelible impression on several metropolitan areas; his best-known creations include Manhattan's Seagram Building, Berlin's Neue Nationalgalerie, and Chicago's towering apartment houses on Lakeshore Drive. The program begins with an unusual illustration of the less-is-more philosophy - the creation of a simple Montreal gas station in 1967, late in van der Rohe's career - and from there, expands into a panoramic view of his life - from his instruction at Bauhaus in the '30s, through his departure to America, to his death in 1969 - and all of the astonishing creations in-between. Throughout, iconic architects turn up to comment on van der Rohe's work, including Elizabeth Diller, Rem Koolhaas and Phyllis Lambert.