The Mies van der Rohe Foundation is a non-profit public entity created with the aim of reconstructing the German Pavilion that the architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and designer Lilly Reich created for the Barcelona International Exposition (1929).
In 1959 the architect Oriol Bohigas asked Mies van der Rohe for permission to rebuild the Pavilion, and in 1983 work began with the team of architects Ignasi de Solà-Morales, Cristian Cirici and Fernando Ramos, in collaboration with Arthur Drexler and the Mies van der Rohe archive at MoMA.
[2][3] In addition to ensuring the preservation of one of the pioneering works of modern architecture, the Mies van der Rohe Foundation aims to deepen the debate on modern and contemporary architecture and urban planning, create a documentary archive on Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and promote the study of the architect.
The awarding of The European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award is a key function of the organisation 'to acknowledge and reward quality architectural production in Europe.
'[4] The Mies van der Rohe Foundation produces a travelling exhibition with the results of each edition of the Prize and a catalogue.