GOD IS IN THE DETAILS
DETAILS… “God is in the Details” is a phrase/idiom often attributed to minimalist German Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969) and is a belief that is practiced by architects the world over. To be fair, though, we should go back a bit further. It is likely that Mies probably co-opted the phrase from the German proverb “Der liebe Gott steckt im detail,” which translates as “God is in the detail.” Looking still further back, we find the German translation of the popular phrase — Der liebe Gott steckt im Detail — is usually attributed to the Jewish German art historian and cultural theorist Aby Moritz Warburg (1866-1929). And yet, even further back, we find a French version of the saying, Le bon Dieu est dans le détail, “The good God is in the detail,” which is often attributed to novelist Gustave Flaubert (1821–1880).
The phrase “God is in the details” is there to remind us that a project is meant to be done well and is worth the time and effort to be done thoroughly, even down to the smallest and seemingly least significant detail.
Buildings are more than the sum of their parts. Each and every part has a purpose. Sometimes the details are visible, and yet often times they are not. Regardless, every detail should be completed to perform the task it was designed and constructed for. Visible details, large and small, when designed and built correctly, each piece should look as though it belongs the way it is. A well-crafted home or structure should possess a look of distinction and purpose, and often it is the details that help create that purpose and continue to keep the design looking and working good throughout the structure’s lifespan.
Details are important; here we showcase examples of details we’ve incorporated in our designs, along with commentary to further describe their application.
