Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is one of the most influential architects of the 20th century and is credited with elevating one of the most popular forms of architecture today, modernism. This building is known as one of his most famous works, through its use of extravagant materials placed into a simple form. One of the interesting facts about this building was that due to severe time constraints, this structure had to be designed in less than a year. Additionally, as it was built in 1929, the main idea behind the building was to shine a new light on a democratic, culturally progressive, and prospering Germany after World War 1. One aspect in which one can see this concept is the floating roof and the completely open design.