[2] It is an important building in the history of modern architecture, known for its simple form and its spectacular use of extravagant materials, such as marble, red onyx and travertine.

The pavilion for the International Exhibition was supposed to represent the new Weimar Germany: democratic, culturally progressive, prospering, and thoroughly pacifist; a self-portrait through architecture.

"The design was predicated on an absolute distinction between structure and enclosure—a regular grid of cruciform steel columns interspersed by freely spaced planes".

Visitors would enter by going up a few stairs, and due to the slightly sloped site, would leave at ground level in the direction of the Poble Espanyol.

Between 1983 and 1986, a group of Catalan architects formed the Mies van der Rohe Foundation and reconstructed the pavilion permanently, based on historical drawings and rediscovered footings on the site.

[7] The Pavilion was not only a pioneer for construction forms with a fresh, disciplined understanding of space, but also for modelling new opportunities for an association of free art and architecture.

The sculpture also ties into the highly reflective materials Mies used—he chose the place where these optical effects would have the strongest impact; the building offers multiple views of Alba.

The list of invited people includes architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa (SANAA) who added spiral acrylic interior walls,[10] artist Ai Weiwei who refilled two pools with coffee and milk,[11] Andrés Jaque[12] who revealed the pavilion's so far disregarded basement and its role in hiding the daily making of the site's experience, Enric Miralles, Antoni Muntadas who brought to the pavilion the smell of the MoMA archives where its memory is preserved and Jordi Bernadó who removed the pavilion's glass doors.

[13] The architect and activist Andrés Jaque (Office for Political Innovation), artists Katarzyna Krakowiak,[14][15] Laura Martínez de Guereñu,[16] and the designer Sabine Marcelis[17] have also been commissioned to create pieces for the interventions programme.

[18][19] The recipient of the inaugural grant was Re-enactment: Lilly Reich's work occupies the Barcelona Pavilion submitted by Laura Martínez de Guereñu.

[20][21] In 2020, the second grant was awarded to [On Set with] Lilly Reich submitted by Laura Lizondo Sevilla, Débora Domingo Calabuig, and Avelina Prat García.

Architecture as a Counter-Melody (1977–1996) by María-Elia Gutiérrez Mozo, José Parra Martínez, Ana Gilsanz Díaz, and Joaquín Arnau Amo.