The Farnsworth House is one of the most celebrated homes in modern architecture. Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for Chicago physician Edith Farnsworth, the glass-and-steel retreat became an icon of minimalist design and a case study in what happens when architectural vision collides with real life.

In this episode of Manor of Fact, Rebecca explores the complicated story behind the house, from its ambitious modernist ideals and escalating construction costs to the lawsuit that followed and the difficult reality of living inside a nearly transparent home. Along the way, the episode examines larger questions about architecture, authorship, comfort, and what a home is actually meant to do.