Adolph Loos
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Adolf Franz Karl Viktor Maria Loos (; 10 December 1870 – 23 August 1933) was an Austrian and Czechoslovak architect, influential European theorist, and a polemicist of
modern architecture Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural movement and style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco and later postmodern movements. Modern architectur ...
. He was inspired by
modernism Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...
and a widely-known critic of the
Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...
movement. His controversial views and literary contributions sparked the establishment of the
Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
movement and
postmodernism Postmodernism encompasses a variety of artistic, Culture, cultural, and philosophical movements that claim to mark a break from modernism. They have in common the conviction that it is no longer possible to rely upon previous ways of depicting ...
.Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
movement"> Loos was born in
Brno Brno ( , ; ) is a Statutory city (Czech Republic), city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava (river), Svitava and Svratka (river), Svratka rivers, Brno has about 403,000 inhabitants, making ...
to a family of sculptors and stonemasons. His father, a stonemason who was almost deaf, died when he was 9 and played a role in Loos' interest in arts and crafts. Loos later inherited his father's hearing impairment and other health-related issues. His lack of hearing contributed to his solitary personality. Loos had three tumultuous marriages that all ended in divorce, and was convicted as a
pedophile Pedophilia ( alternatively spelled paedophilia) is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Although girls typically begin the process of puber ...
in 1928. Loos attended multiple colleges also due to his poor academics and changing interests, which provided him a diverse skillset for architecture. After leaving his last university, Loos visited America and was strongly impacted by the Chicago School of Architecture, inspired by "
form follows function Form follows function is a principle of design associated with late 19th- and early 20th-century architecture and industrial design in general, which states that the appearance and structure of a building or object ( architectural form) should p ...
" philosophy of architect
Louis Sullivan Louis Henry Sullivan (September 3, 1856 – April 14, 1924) was an American architect, and has been called a "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism". He was an influential architect of the Chicago school (architecture), Chicago ...
. Loos then went on to write many literary pieces including the satirical piece ''
The Story of a Poor Rich Man ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
'' and his most popular manifesto, ''
Ornament and Crime "Ornament and Crime" is an essay and lecture by Modernism, modernist architect Adolf Loos that criticizes ornament (art), ornament in useful objects. History Contrary to popular belief that it was composed in 1908, Adolf Loos first gave the lec ...
'', which advocated for a lack of ornamentation, exemplified in his design of
Looshaus The Looshaus (also known as the Goldman & Salatsch Building) is a commercial and residential building at Michaelerplatz 3, between Herrengasse and Kohlmarkt, in Vienna. Designed by Adolf Loos and completed in 1912, it is considered a major ...
,
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
, in contrast to both the lavish decorations of the
fin de siècle "''Fin de siècle''" () is a French term meaning , a phrase which typically encompasses both the meaning of the similar English idiom '' turn of the century'' and also makes reference to the closing of one era and onset of another. Without co ...
and the more modern aesthetic principles of the
Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
. Loos became a pioneer of modern architecture and contributed a body of theory and criticism of
Modernism Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...
in architecture and design and developed the "Raumplan" (literally ''spatial plan'') method of arranging interior spaces, exemplified in
Villa Müller The Villa Müller () is a Modernist villa in Prague, Czech Republic built in 1930. It was designed by Adolf Loos as a residence for František Müller, co-owner of the Kapsa-Müller construction company from Plzeň. The Villa Müller will be c ...
in
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
. He died aged 62 on 23 August 1933 in
Kalksburg Kalksburg () is a former municipality in Lower Austria that is now a part of the 23rd Viennese district Liesing. Today, the cadastral commune Atzgersdorf has got an area of 375,7 hectare. Etymology The name ''Kalksburg'' stems from the surn ...
near
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
.


Early life


Youth

Loos was born into a family of artisans on 10 December 1870 in
Brno Brno ( , ; ) is a Statutory city (Czech Republic), city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava (river), Svitava and Svratka (river), Svratka rivers, Brno has about 403,000 inhabitants, making ...
, in the
Margraviate of Moravia The Margraviate of Moravia (; ) was one of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown within the Holy Roman Empire and then Austria-Hungary, existing from 1182 to 1918. It was officially administered by a margrave in cooperation with a provincial diet. I ...
region of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...
, today the eastern part of the
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
. His father Adolf Loos was a German
stonemason Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. Stonemasonry is the craft of shaping and arranging stones, often together with mortar and even the ancient lime mortar ...
who died when Loos was nine years old. His mother, Marie Loos, was a sculptor who later carried on the masonry business after her husband's death. Young Adolf Loos had inherited his father's hearing impairment and was significantly handicapped by it throughout his life, contributing to his solitary character.


Education

Loos attended several Gymnasium schools and sought a variety of programs. In 1884, Loos began his studies at the
Stiftsgymnasium Melk Stiftsgymnasium Melk () is a Roman Catholic Benedictine-run gymnasium located in Melk, Austria. The gymnasium is located within and run by the well-known monastery Melk Abbey. Founded in the 12th century as a monastic school, it is also the oldes ...
for only a few months after failing an exam. He then studied mechanics at the Royal and Imperial State Technical College in
Liberec Liberec (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 108,000 inhabitants, making it the fifth largest city in the country. It lies on the Lusatian Neisse River, in a basin surrounded by mountains. The city centre is well preserved and is pr ...
, but dropped to pursue building technology. He then returned to mechanics again at State Crafts School in Brünn in 1889, and changed to architecture by studying at
Dresden University of Technology TU Dresden (for , abbreviated as TUD), also as the Dresden University of Technology, is a public research university in Dresden, Germany. It is the largest institute of higher education in the city of Dresden, the largest university in Saxony a ...
from 1890 to 1893.Tournikiotis, Panayotis (2002). ''"Adolf Loos"''. Princeton Architectural Press. pp. 9–10. . Loos ultimately did not receive any academic degree due to his sporadic education pursuits, poor academics, and his enrollment in the Austrian military in 1889. Loos' diverse educational background provided him with a vast skillset which proved to be useful. He could comprehend masonry and craftsman work and its impact on architecture, prompting recognition by many scholars based on his expertise.


Career


United States

Post college, Loos traveled to the United States from 1893 to 1896 to learn about outside architecture. He started in New York and financially supported himself by working as a mason, a floor-layer, and a dish-washer.Tournikiotis, Panayotis (2002). ''"Adolf Loos"''. Princeton Architectural Press. pp. 9–10. .Benedetto Gravagnuolo, Adolf Loos, Theory and Works (London: Art Data, 1995), 29. These jobs allowed Loos to move to the Philadelphia countryside with his uncle Benjamin, where he worked as a watchmaker. Living on the countryside made Loos admire America's rural culture, but he traveled to New York and Chicago to explore American metropolitan architecture. On his first visit to Chicago, Loos was immediately inspired by the new American
skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Most modern sources define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition, other than being very tall high-rise bui ...
s and the
World's Columbian Exposition The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 5 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The ...
in 1893.Bototin, Norman & Laing, Christine, The Chicago World's Fair of 1893 The World's Columbian Exposition from Washington, DC: Preservation Press, 1992, pg. 20. Specifically, he was inspired by the architect
Louis Sullivan Louis Henry Sullivan (September 3, 1856 – April 14, 1924) was an American architect, and has been called a "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism". He was an influential architect of the Chicago school (architecture), Chicago ...
and the Chicago School of Architecture, approving of Sullivan's concept of
form follows function Form follows function is a principle of design associated with late 19th- and early 20th-century architecture and industrial design in general, which states that the appearance and structure of a building or object ( architectural form) should p ...
in his essay Ornament in Architecture. Although Loos left America in 1896, he became involved in Chicago's architectural scene. Inspired by Sullivan, in 1922 Loos submitted a building design for the
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
Tower Competition, where his design proposal followed a
Doric column The Doric order is one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of t ...
as the building's top, known as the Column Tower proposal. While he did not win, his architecture inspired later
Postmodern Postmodernism encompasses a variety of artistic, cultural, and philosophical movements that claim to mark a break from modernism. They have in common the conviction that it is no longer possible to rely upon previous ways of depicting the wo ...
architects of the 1980s and '90s.


Vienna

Loos returned to Vienna in 1896 and made it his permanent residence. He was a prominent figure in the city and a friend of prominent Viennese figures such as
Ludwig Wittgenstein Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein ( ; ; 26 April 1889 – 29 April 1951) was an Austrian philosopher who worked primarily in logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language. From 1929 to 1947, Witt ...
,
Arnold Schoenberg Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (13 September 187413 July 1951) was an Austrian and American composer, music theorist, teacher and writer. He was among the first Modernism (music), modernists who transformed the practice of harmony in 20th-centu ...
,
Peter Altenberg Peter Altenberg (9 March 1859 – 8 January 1919) was a writer and poet from Vienna, Austria. He played a key role in the genesis of early modernism in the city. Biography He was born Richard Engländer on 9 March 1859 in Vienna into a Jews, J ...
and Karl Kraus. Inspired by his years in the
New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...
, Loos devoted himself to architecture. After briefly associating himself with the
Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
in 1896, he rejected the style and advocated a new, plain, unadorned architecture. A utilitarian approach to use the entire floor plan completed his concept. Loos's early commissions consisted of interior designs for shops and cafés in Vienna.


Architectural theory

Loos authored several polemical works. In ''Spoken into the Void'', published in 1900, he attacked the
Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
, at a time when the movement was at its peak. In his essays, Loos used provocative catchphrases and is noted for the essay/manifesto entitled ''
Ornament and Crime "Ornament and Crime" is an essay and lecture by Modernism, modernist architect Adolf Loos that criticizes ornament (art), ornament in useful objects. History Contrary to popular belief that it was composed in 1908, Adolf Loos first gave the lec ...
'', given in a lecture in 1910 and first published in 1913. He explored the idea that the progress of culture is associated with the elimination of ornament from everyday objects, asserting, "''the evolution of culture is synonymous with the removal of ornamentation from objects of everyday use.''" It was therefore a crime to force craftsmen or builders to waste their time on ornamentation that served to hasten the time when an object would become obsolete (
design theory Design theory is a subfield of design research concerned with various theoretical approaches towards understanding and delineating design principles, design knowledge, and design practice. History Design theory has been approached and inte ...
). Loos's stripped-down buildings influenced the minimal massing of modern architecture, and stirred controversy. Although noted for the lack of ornamentation on their exteriors, the interiors of many of Loos's buildings are finished with rich and expensive materials, notably stone, marble and wood, displaying natural patterns and textures in flat planes, executed in first rate craftsmanship. The distinction is not between complicated and simple, but between purposeful, "organic" decoration, such as that created by indigenous cultures (Loos mentions African textiles and Persian rugs), and superfluous decoration. Loos collected sterling silver and high quality leather goods, which he noted for their plain yet luxurious appeal. The objects displayed opulence through their material alone, without adding unnecessary ornamentation. His glassware, produced by Lobmeyer, is still in production today. He also enjoyed fashion and men's clothing, designing the interior of the famed Kníže of Vienna, a
haberdashery __NOTOC__ In British English, a haberdasher is a business or person who sells small articles for sewing, dressmaking and knitting, such as buttons, ribbons, and zippers; in the United States, the term refers instead to a men's clothing store ...
. His admiration for the fashion and culture of England and America can be seen in his short-lived publication ''Das Andere'', which ran for just two issues in 1903 and included advertisements for 'English' clothing. In 1920, he had a brief collaboration with
Frederick John Kiesler Frederick Jacob Kiesler (September 22, 1890 – December 27, 1965) was an Austrian-American architect, theoretician, theater designer, artist and sculptor. Biography Kiesler was born Friedrich Jacob Kiesler in Czernowitz, Austro-Hungarian Empir ...
, an architect, theater and art-exhibition designer.


Loos House and other projects

From 1904 on, he was able to carry out big projects; the most notable was the so-called "
Looshaus The Looshaus (also known as the Goldman & Salatsch Building) is a commercial and residential building at Michaelerplatz 3, between Herrengasse and Kohlmarkt, in Vienna. Designed by Adolf Loos and completed in 1912, it is considered a major ...
" (built from 1910 to 1912), originally for the Viennese tailor Goldman and Salatsch, for whom Loos had designed a store interior in 1898, and situated right across from the
Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
city residence
Hofburg Palace The Hofburg () is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty in Austria. Located in the center of Vienna, it was built in the 13th century by Ottokar II of Bohemia and expanded several times afterwards. It also served as the im ...
. The house, today located at the address Michaelerplatz 3, Vienna, and under monument preservation, was criticized by its contemporaries. The facade was dominated by rectilinear window patterns and a lack of stucco decoration and awnings, which earned it the nickname "House without Eyebrows"; Emperor
Franz Joseph I of Austria Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I ( ; ; 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the ruler of the Grand title of the emperor of Austria, other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 1848 until his death ...
was said to have despised the modern building so much that he avoided leaving the Hofburg Palace through a main gate in its vicinity. His work also includes the store of the men's fashion house Knize (built 1909–13), Am Graben 13, Café Museum (built 1899), Operngasse 7, Vienna, and the "American Bar" (built 1907–08), Kärntnerstrasse 10, Vienna. Loos visited the island of
Skyros Skyros (, ), in some historical contexts Romanization of Greek, Latinized Scyros (, ), is an island in Greece. It is the southernmost island of the Sporades, an archipelago in the Aegean Sea. Around the 2nd millennium BC, the island was known as ...
in 1904 and was influenced by the cubic architecture of the Greek islands. When the
Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...
collapsed after
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
Loos was awarded
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
n citizenship by President Masaryk. His main place of residence remained in Vienna. During the
First Austrian Republic The First Austrian Republic (), officially the Republic of Austria, was created after the signing of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye on 10 September 1919—the settlement after the end of World War I which ended the Habsburg rump state of ...
Loos became interested in public projects. He designed several housing projects for the City of Vienna, which was then nicknamed
Red Vienna Red Vienna (German language, German: ''Rotes Wien'') was the colloquial name for the Vienna, capital of Austria between 1918 and 1934, during which the Social Democratic Party of Austria, Social Democratic Workers' Party of Austria (SDAP) mainta ...
. From 1924 to 1928 Loos lived in Paris. He taught at the Sorbonne and was contracted to build a house for
Tristan Tzara Tristan Tzara (; ; ; born Samuel or Samy Rosenstock, also known as S. Samyro; – 25 December 1963) was a Romanian and French avant-garde poet, essayist and performance artist. Also active as a journalist, playwright, literary and art critic, c ...
, which was completed 1925 on Avenue Junot 15, Paris. In 1928 he returned to Vienna. Loos had an admiration for classical architecture, which is reflected in his writings and his entry to the 1922 Chicago Tribune competition. Loos's submission was a massive Doric column.


Private life


Marriages

Loos was married three times. In July 1902, he married drama student Lina Loos. The marriage ended three years later in 1905. In 1919 when he was 49, he married 20-year-old Austrian-born
Elsie Altmann Elsie Altmann-Loos (27 December 1899 - 19 May 1984) was an Austrian dancer, actress and autobiographer. Biography Altmann's debut concert was in 1919. Later that year she became the second wife of modernist architect Adolf Loos, who was 29 years ...
, a dancer and operetta star and daughter of Adolf Altmann and Jeannette Gruenblatt. They divorced seven years later in 1926. In 1929 he married writer and photographer Claire Beck. She was the daughter of his clients Otto and Olga Beck, and 35 years his junior. They were divorced on 30 April 1932. Following their divorce, Claire Loos wrote ''Adolf Loos Privat'', a literary work of snapshot-like vignettes about Loos's character, habits and sayings, published by the Johannes-Presse in Vienna in 1936. The book was intended to raise funds for Loos' tomb.


Poor health

All his life, Loos suffered from a hearing impairment. When he was a child, he was deaf. He only acquired partial hearing at the age of 12. By the time he was 50 he was again nearly deaf. In 1918 Loos was diagnosed with cancer. His stomach, appendix and part of his intestine were removed.


Child sexual abuse

In 1928 Loos was disgraced by a pedophilia scandal in Vienna. He had commissioned young girls, aged 8 to 10, from poor families to act as models in his studio. The indictment stated that Loos had exposed himself and forced his young models to participate in sexual acts. He was found partially guilty in a court decision of 1928. In 2008, the original case record was rediscovered and confirmed the accusation.


Death and legacy

Adolf Loos exhibited early signs of
dementia Dementia is a syndrome associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that affects a person's ability to perform activities of daily living, everyday activities. This typically invo ...
around the time of his court proceedings. A few months before his death he suffered a
stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...
. He died aged 62 on 23 August 1933 in
Kalksburg Kalksburg () is a former municipality in Lower Austria that is now a part of the 23rd Viennese district Liesing. Today, the cadastral commune Atzgersdorf has got an area of 375,7 hectare. Etymology The name ''Kalksburg'' stems from the surn ...
near
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
. Loos's body was taken to Vienna's
Zentralfriedhof The Vienna Central Cemetery () is one of the largest cemeteries in the world by number of interred, and is the most well-known among Vienna's nearly 50 cemeteries. The cemetery's name is descriptive of its significance as Vienna's biggest cemet ...
to rest among the great artists and musicians of the city, including
Schoenberg Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (13 September 187413 July 1951) was an Austrian and American composer, music theorist, teacher and writer. He was among the first modernists who transformed the practice of harmony in 20th-century classical music, ...
, Altenberg and Kraus, some of his closest friends and associates. Through his writings and his groundbreaking projects in Vienna, Loos was able to influence other architects and designers, and the early development of Modernism. His careful selection of materials, passion for craftsmanship and use of 'Raumplan'—the considered ordering and size of interior spaces based on function—are still admired.


Major works

* 1899 Café Museum, Vienna * 1904 Villa Karma,
Montreux Montreux (, ; ; ) is a Municipalities of Switzerland, Swiss municipality and List of towns in Switzerland, town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Swiss Alps, Alps. It belongs to the Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut (district), Riviera-Pays ...
, Switzerland * 1907 Field Christian Cross, Radešínská Svratka, Czech Republic * 1908 American Bar (formerly the Kärntner Bar), Vienna * 1910
Steiner House Steiner House is a building in Vienna, Austria. It is considered one of the major works of architect Adolf Loos. Background Loos was still starting his career in 1910 when he designed and constructed the Steiner house in Vienna, Austria. This ...
, Vienna * 1910 Goldman & Salatsch Building, overlooking Michaelerplatz, Vienna (a mixed-use building known colloquially as the "Looshaus") * 1913 Scheu House, Vienna (childhood home of modernist
Elizabeth Close Elizabeth "Lisl" Close, (née Scheu; 4 June 1912, in Vienna – 29 November 2011, in Minneapolis) was an influential female architect practicing in Minnesota. During her long partnership with her husband, Winston "Win" Close (1906-1997), she des ...
, née Scheu) * 1914 Villa for sugar mill director, Hrušovany u Brna, Czech Republic * 1915 Sugar mill, Hrušovany u Brna, Czech Republic * 1915–16 Villa Duschnitz (re-model), Vienna * 1921 Mausoleum for Max Dvořák (unbuilt) * 1922 Rufer House, Vienna * 1925 Maison Tzara, house and studio,
Montmartre Montmartre ( , , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement of Paris, 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Rive Droite, Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for its a ...
, Paris, for
Tristan Tzara Tristan Tzara (; ; ; born Samuel or Samy Rosenstock, also known as S. Samyro; – 25 December 1963) was a Romanian and French avant-garde poet, essayist and performance artist. Also active as a journalist, playwright, literary and art critic, c ...
, one of the founders of
Dadaism Dada () or Dadaism was an anti-establishment art movement that developed in 1915 in the context of the Great War and the earlier anti-art movement. Early centers for dadaism included Zürich and Berlin. Within a few years, the movement had s ...
* 1926 Villa Moller, Vienna * 1927 House (not built), Paris, for the American entertainer
Josephine Baker Freda Josephine Baker (; June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975), naturalized as Joséphine Baker, was an American and French dancer, singer, and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in France. She was the first Black woman to s ...
* 1928
Villa Müller The Villa Müller () is a Modernist villa in Prague, Czech Republic built in 1930. It was designed by Adolf Loos as a residence for František Müller, co-owner of the Kapsa-Müller construction company from Plzeň. The Villa Müller will be c ...
, Prague,
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
* 1929 Khuner Villa,
Kreuzberg Kreuzberg () is a district of Berlin, Germany. It is part of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg borough located south of Berlin-Mitte, Mitte. During the Cold War era, it was one of the poorest areas of West Berlin, but since German reunification in ...
, Austria * 1932 Villa Winternitz, Na Cihlářce 10, Praha 5, Czech Republic * 1928–1933 many residential interiors in
Plzeň Plzeň (), also known in English and German as Pilsen (), is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the Statutory city (Czech Republic), fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic with about 188,000 inhabitants. It is located about west of P ...
, Czech Republic


Exhibitions

* Adolf Loos - Exposition Du Cinquantenaire (23.02. – 16.04.1983) Paris (Institut Francais d´Architecture with Austrian Culture Institute, Paris) Ancienne Galerie, 6, rue du Tournon, 75006 Paris * Gründerzeit: Adolf Loos (11.04.1987 – 21.06.1987) Städtische Galerie der Stadt Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany * ADOLF LOOS (02.12.1989-25.02.1990) (joint exposition on 3 locations)
Albertina The Albertina is a museum in the Innere Stadt (First District) of Vienna, Austria. It houses one of the largest and most important print rooms in the world with approximately 65,000 drawings and approximately 1 million old master prints, as well ...
, Historical Museum of the City of Vienna,
Looshaus The Looshaus (also known as the Goldman & Salatsch Building) is a commercial and residential building at Michaelerplatz 3, between Herrengasse and Kohlmarkt, in Vienna. Designed by Adolf Loos and completed in 1912, it is considered a major ...
, Vienna * Adolf Loos „Private Spaces“ (14.12.2017 – 25.02.2018) Museu del Dessiny de Barcelona, Spain * Adolf Loos „Private Spaces“ (28.03.2018-24-06.2018) Caixa Forum Madrid, Spain * WAGNER, HOFFMANN, LOOS AND THE FURNITURE DESIGN OF VIENNESE MODERNISM (21.03.-07.10.2018)
Imperial Furniture Collection The Imperial Furniture Collection () in Vienna is a furniture museum that houses one of the most important collections of furniture in the world. * Adolf Loos: Private Houses (08.12.2020-14.03.2021) MAK Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna * „Loos2021“ (25.9.2020 – 30.5.2021) Loos Rooms at the Vienna Library, (former Boskovits flat) Bartensteingasse 9/5, 1010 Wien Adolf Loos Einrichtung Knize Filiale Karlsbad - Design Museum Barcelona 2017-2018.jpg, Furnishings Knize, Karlovy Vary branch Barcelona, Madrid 2017 2018 Adolf Loos Armlehnstehl und Tisch Haus Duschnitz 1915 Barcelona 2017.jpg, Furnishing "House Duschnitz 1915" (Barcelona, Madrid 2017 2018) Adolf Loos Schreibtisch 1904 mit Loos Stuhl von F.O.Schmidt.jpg, Adolf Loos Desk 1904 (Barcelona, Madrid 2017 2018) Adolf Loos Schreibtisch Haus Friedmann und englischer Stuhl F.O.Schmidt.jpg, Desk "House Friedmann 1907" (Barcelona, Madrid 2017 2018) Adolf_Loos_Design_Museum_Barcelona_Haus_Rufer.jpg, Furnishing "House Rufer 1922" Barcelona, Madrid 2017 2018 Adolf_Loos_Lampe_Haus_Steiner_Barcelona_2017.jpg, Interior "House Steiner 1910" Barcelona, Madrid 2017 2018 Adolf Loos-Wohnung-Georg-Roy-1901-1904.jpg, Interior "Flat Georg Roy 1904", Hofmobiliendepot, Vienna 2018 Ausstellung Loos2021 Wienbibliothek Wohnung Boskovits 25.9.2020-30.5.2021.jpg, Furnishing "Flat Boskovits" (Loos2021, Vienna Library)


Bibliography

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References


Further reading

* * * * * * Mann, Philip. ''The Dandy at Dusk: Taste and Melancholy in the Twentieth Century''. London: Head of Zeus, 2017. * *Oechslin, Werner, "Stilhülse und Kern: Otto Wagner, Adolf Loos und der evolutionäre Weg zur modernen Architektur", Zuerich 1994. * * *Adolf Loos: Our Contemporary (New York, Columbia GSAPP, 2013), eds. Y. Safran and Cristobal Amunategui. Published on the occasion of the traveling exhibition "Adolf Loos: Our Contemporary," a cooperation between Columbia University GSAPP in New York, the MAK in Vienna, and the CAAA in Guimaraes. Essays by Beatriz Colomina, Hermann Czech, Rainald Franz, Benedetto Gravagnuolo, Christopher Long, Can Onaner, Daniel Sherer, Philip Ursprung. * * Sherer, Daniel. "Adorno's Reception of Loos: Modern Architecture, Aesthetic Theory, and the Critique of Ornament," Potlatch 3 (Spring 2014), 19-31


External links

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Adolf Loos online exhibition
images, podcasts and video about Loos's life and work. Royal Institute of British Architects

TourMyCountry.com
Adolf Loos biography 1870–1933
WOKA Lamps Vienna * {{DEFAULTSORT:Loos, Adolf 1870 births 1933 deaths Architects from Brno People from the Margraviate of Moravia Moravian-German people Austrian people of Moravian-German descent Art Nouveau architects Austrian architects Architecture critics Architectural theoreticians Austrian architecture writers Austrian expatriates in France Austrian expatriates in the United States Modernist architects Austrian people convicted of child sexual abuse Burials at the Vienna Central Cemetery