Google today pays homage to legendary architect and educator Ludwig Mies van der Rohe with a Crown Hall-themed doodle, a variation of the Google logo. Born on March 27, 1886 in Aachen, Germany, Mies is widely acknowledged as one of the 20th century’s greatest architects. By emphasizing open space and revealing the industrial materials used in construction, he helped define modern architecture.

Google has featured more than 1000 doodles since the first in 1998, celebrating celebrate holidays, anniversaries and the lives of famous artists, pioneers and scientists.

Join the Mies van der Rohe Society at 6 pm on March 27 in S.R. Crown Hall to celebrate Mies’ 126th birthday and his influence on Vidal Sassoon – for the shear fun of it! In the mid-twentieth century, Mies changed architecture when he designed buildings for structure and simplicity. $50 at the door; IIT College of Architecture students get in free!

Mies believed that architecture should express the essence of its civilization – that the same things guiding our lives should build our homes, museums and offices. His buildings speak to our hope for simplicity, shaping our lived environment, and in doing so, illuminating life itself. Today we celebrate this legacy.  Visit the Mies van der Rohe Society to learn more.