Lilly Reich (Berlin, 1885–1957) was a pioneering and highly talented woman who has finally emerged as an autonomous figure in the history of modern architecture. Recent research has shed new light on Reich's contributions during the interwar period in the fields of interior architecture, exhibition design, and furniture design, driven by her use of new materials and technologies.
As Artistic Director of the German Section—as listed in the Official Catalog—at the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, Reich was responsible for designing the industrial exhibits alongside Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. This exposition was the first world's fair organized after World War I, and successive delays in its opening aligned with the Weimar Republic's desire to present itself as a powerful, modern, and reborn nation after the devastation of the war. Consequently, the German participation was the most significant among the foreign exhibitors, spanning a total area of 16,000 square meters distributed across eight different palaces on the grounds. These exhibits were complemented by the famous German Pavilion (approximately 1,000 m²) and the Electricity Supply Pavilion (about 300 m²).
