Adolf Loos (1870 – 1933)
Europe’s Modernist Architect
Adolf Loos was an architect who became more famous for his ideas than for his buildings. He believed that reason should determine the way we build, and he opposed the decorative Art Nouveau movement.
Adolf Loos was impressed by the efficiency of American architecture, and he admired the work of Louis Sullivan. In 1898, he opened his own practice in Vienna and became friends with philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, expressionist composer Arnold Schönberg, satirist Karl Kraus, and other free-thinkers.
Adolf Loos started his own school of architecture. His students included Richard Neutra and R. M. Schindler, who later became famous in the United States.
Significant Buildings:
1910: Steiner House, Vienna
1922: Rufer House, Vienna
1928: Villa Müller, Prague
Homes designed by Adolf Loos featured straight lines, clear planar walls and windows,, and clean curves
Architectural Theory:
Adolf Loos believed that reason should determine the way we build, and he opposed the decorative Art Nouveau movement. In Ornament & Crime (compare prices) and other essays, Loos described the suppression of decoration as necessary for regulating passion.
