1928

ADOL

LOOS

LE ,CORBUSIER
1111111-

""""

_D
~

.
11

~W~~~
w
~

Il

I ~~

~P)

LI

•
_....~

nn

'lJ'ZZOLI
....!i'IH-'i.

Baumplan versus Plan Llbre

Adol~ Laos andi Le Corbusler, 1'919-1930

editedb:Y'

Max Rlisselada

with' oontr:ibutions by IBea~riz.Colomlne

Johan vall de Be'ek .AJrjjan He bl~y

First pubUs!h;oo in the United S~ates of America, in 1988 by Fl'izzoli Internationall Publications, I'nc. 300 P,ark Av,erme South, New Yo~k. IN.Y. 100H) Cop,yriigtn'l© 1989 by oem Uni\l-ersily Pires!!>, Dem Copo/rbgtrrl.© 1989 by lLe Colibl,Jlsi:er, c/o 8EHDHECHT; Qr all teocts,aJlid Uh.!~irlirati:on!lby La Co:rOl!lsiier AU rig:hils res.6l'\t'edl NO' pari of this. pUlblication may be repreeueed in any manner \!ffIa:I,soeve,r wHhoU/l permission in writing Ib:y Rlilzoli i'ntema1ional Publica:lions. Inc. Amsterdam

IISBN!0,84';8.1000-3 Lie 8B·60972

P~ili1tedl nd bound in The Nethellllafilds a Reprinted 1'989

Max R.'sseiBaa Chronology Stanislaus von Moos Johan van de Be.eR

Le COl1bu&ier Ellild Adolir toes

Intmd'ucl ion

Adolf tees - ,paUems O'f lown houses

2.7

The 5 P,oints and form Arj~fI Hebly Free· PlEIn lo1!e~susFree Facade \i'pilia Savo,y.e <lind Vil1la Baitzeau n'!VilsH;ed Ma::< Rissefada

47 55

On Adolf tees .wnd Jose~ Hoimaml: Alrctlli'lec'!UF€l: III! the Ag:e of Mechanical Sea friz Carom/na Documentation of 16,houses .flAM Risselada
Ad'dJf Laos:

Reproduction

65
78

StrasSief House· Vienna Vi'lli!li S~roos - Vf.e!1na Villa Mois:si • Venice Rufer HOllse • Vienna. iZaJra HOlJse • Pari\s Mo.ller House· Vierma "Di:cte HQuse" MOIII,er House - P~a:g:ue lBojl!c:oHouSe' Vlierlin:a The Last Heusa- Prague
I

Le Corbusier:

Mailson lOomino and Maison CilrdhtaF'l Villa La IRoche.Jeall1oere1· Paris VillaJ Me¥er - P'aris llilaiscm Cook· Paris vma St!i)in·de lMom!!ie· • Paris Savoye • Po:issy

98

vma

'lima ,Banzeau • Carthage'

Documentatfoi"l 0'1 the models Two hOUSeS:.01 dloser look VliUaStern·dt'l: MOflzie and 'Ihe Maliler House
Texts by Adoli( Loos 3!l"!d La Coribus,ier AdolfLoos; The prfnojpleof c~adding R!egardin'lgiocooomy Le' Corbusier: The, deCQTatilo1!E! of today art iwen~iethC€nitury buildfn.g andtwentie·tnoentlllry

ns
125

1135

IMng

Intlroductilon
"When wefilFlia a, liim in Une wooais, sflxfeet longlai'l;dlihlr,ee feel wid:e:, slh;oveI11e;d into the form O'f a 1P¥lram~d, W~ ILJiP Ibecome serious, andsom~thingllilillS~de uiS s:a;ys~SQ:mebody lis blJrriedi here. That is a:rot! iloohue". Adol~ IbooS, "'.Airci1iltecture", Vienna 11910 A numoor of factors Ihave c()\nltributed toliheexJh ibit!of! A:aumpliiffi v~r$US Plan Lib1e180th the e;o:Jhlilbiticm andlih:e acoompanying putllicatio.li1 we:re develapedl withiin an iilducationaillinstiturl:e: ~l1eFaoLJII:Ly (d Alral1iitec:lr!.ue 01 the 1[)e:1~'I: Uf'lli~sflty of Tech nolo.gy. lHoli~,

O'f masses brougiht toge'lih"ei in lijglhrt',.

"Architec~ulre

i:S ~Iilemaste~ly, ,ocmect alild maglni~ioent play ~ le CoribuSile;r, Towards~' New Afohilleot~e; Paris 1i9.23.

Theoompariso:n is one 'Clf the moons thlrQl!Jg:t'l which design oen be discu$$ed 'Cif vital i'mportanoe in a. sii~l1ildi)Qf"I in which an ed~GalionaJl plrQQlr:aJn1can IilO longer 00 eonstl1u~Md arou nd ol1le!al~,enoompas:Siil1g afchil:ectiiJ~\}1 theoII)!', Tlhis not o:n!ly the; result of '!ihie sitze at th~ iirl'stitll!'~ion.lbY~ elso clue to~he lack of suchra theory wiUlin the dus'Ciip~itne itserrr. Conseq,u:e:nUy" the arciflitecturalstudeflll findls himseU ~aclildl wilth a multitude ,of views: cooc~ming des;ign, aJild J,L!ist as many products oflihose \/Jew!!:, both wiithina:ndl without ~ih:e echJo1liticlrlall dua:tion, lni!> is neitner g,oqG nor baa', lo:r i~ is the result o,i the increa~d division o111abour afId spe<;ia~· iza!iiol1i witliiif'lllih,6i: t)u:i~d~nglprocess, itsel~, For a long time now, the architect has not Ib€el1l lin, cliia~ge ot title ent~r,e p~ooess: his SipecitfiC knowledge ~FI;d skillis are employed if'll the prlilpairati<O!1 of the' 'proj/OCt" . lit is wi~t!in th~:s:CO!iJ:l!e:xttha,t the (liiih,er aspects of the p~Qoess COrilfro:nll one another: prog rarnrne, de and budget 0111 the one sia~; milllteriall, oons:llructlon and proo!.llctuononthe ottJ,er h3.f1d. This provides aJn indi'catllotn: ofllhe pores between whioh the ,oe'sr,gn process ta~es pllace ..'These poles: are not ~inear. bUll oruli~, The:ne is cOll'1l1irn:LI!al i rliteractiQn OOl'Weelfllthem, the desf:grJeiFcOfilsirlersthe ways. in which they ifil~luefwe ,one .1lJtother,. takes particu~aJr st~ndls, malkes d'mioos.,lIih:fl: bOlJlndafies of ,d~signar,e ~hilJSCOI1I~illlJlallyede~ined conser qll!eQ"llt to the views which architects 'd\ev~~opooli!oemili'lgl their ro~e as irill;e!rmedia~: view's, thait is: tQlsay, as to wNch aspec.t of nne buif.ding process 1ih:eyehcesa to, commit themseiNes. On~ ma¥ cOlilsider, tor example" the arclhil~ct wtio conceives oflih:e pro~ect. as: 00 8ll!llo.rno:mOll!S!pieoe of work, as opposed to the :aJrdhiilool whQ dleUoora:teiy' "turns h~m!Selif Qv'er 1:0" the bl.Ji~di'ng pr'Qoess. The cOffipairifson be,tween Leos and Le COtriblilsiteiris fasdna.tinQI illl Inalt. in the work olf both ,a:r!ohrlteots,~here exists :a crealtive tl;ln$L'Q1IIIbetween these twO al1Jih,J:Gl3$. On 11he Qne Ih![!!nillthe' wotrik of ool~ is oonoemed with the autOl1lomy ,ofiiliwhitecturru iilIiIIeMs; on nne other naifldl oolil1 try. ea.ch in 11~:s: 10Wfl1 way. to p!a!oe his WQ~k in asocial ocmtext, some'tlhing whioh eaoh mases ~ar~icu~ary olear lin his wriHng. F,or' Loos, the point off d~part!Jre lis the pr.actite o~llradi, t~o",all m~thods, th~ tasik ooi,ng socially de'lerm~fiIed. The

eenect formul!a:IJion fm' this lis geared to a recol'ilsideratiolnl of the dilsQi~~ineor olfaf'IJrnalilsihip. In le Corbusiier's case the dMsFjoti!1between the deSJign arLd iltsactuall realilzattleliil beoomes a faot In the deSiign itse:l~ Ihe new' tas:lk" and the war'f$ aJn.d meii.llns of [ealiizingl lit are furmulated ~nleirlil!1!~of new techlilo~ogie:$" 'fnewo:rk, 01 Adollf Loos {187l}1933,) was retrlie'!Jedlfl~om obscul1ily, at Ule ooginni ng o~ the ~ide$. by Micht'ell P()~ak and Pjotr (lon:ggrijp, both sludentsat ~hS!t time, 'Tih:ey gaw to toos, and his work" a ceilllhi1li~ IpGsiitiiOti in ~heir e""hibii~iion Autonomous: Arch/tectum {[le~n,1962). OOGtGt!, Bcmllee, Ledoux, S:dhlil!'1~i';ela!ildl VanlDoesburg: all arclilfrtects who, didl not o1!jppea:rin the canon of the New Art::hitectu,re, u rll'ike those wtJo,a1t ~ihal time, ihad been introouoed to' IDelif1 Ib¥ iils exponelus. But i~ was flOt oi'll~ tha,t lcms was mdiisoove'redl i III Delft wittJ~n[he~ra~eworkO'f a crU1lical re.evaluaition o~ ~ih.e arvant· 'garde atttJa tWE'fIIUes. 'fhat same periiod also Saw UU1! appearance of~hesllu:dy of I Kil.uu,:tle'F(Vienna. 19t34), and an 'iiSsue oif Jil"lOtecUo teos (19~9, Voll. 30. ne, 2SS) WiiH'Ian introdluotiO:l'1l Ib¥ Aldlo Rossi, some: thirty yeiilifs<lIUer thefi[Sl and oll'l~ymonograph onlLoos'wo:rk Iby his as:s:f'stef'llt Heimidl1 Kulka. (hi, IKulka, Adott L)()(JS: Das Werle de'S Arc41.ft,ekren, V~en!i!a 11931). The pi(ln~irin:g wonk o,f G.oJllggrijp and Pl:llak was fu~lhfllr de\le~oped lnthe rdl~o~l1!g years,Wth;en ,em,pha..siiS was la~d es~di1lllly On the develop:menl o~~h;e IRal"llmJjlan oonoept and its tectonic realisation illl hcmses and ho:u;singi·slGlnieniiufl6. The essay by Johalll VaJlll de Beek, illl,,1uded im thi,s eatalog,ue, Wi9/S written in the spirit o~llhese s~lJdies, whr.Dhoo not regalrd the p:romnlnoed difr'ereiiloo oolv.reen 'line rn~efior aM lihe exLerio:r of Loes' neuses as a split. betwee:iiI the indiViidu· aland ~hesocial, but ra.the:r as twooom,p!ementaT¥, archi"

Wulhin th'ishaili1ile'iHorik another stl.l!dy was oon.ducted, in lDelln;. concerni nig the dlesiglrl prooess of Uileexperimif,;l:nltal vH~as of the twen~ies! which resul~l!ld in ~ihe exhibmon i.e Corbu~i€'I" • Pierr,e Jeann~fet, DeSfgM for the Dw~riirlg, '11919-~9~O (DeIU, 1900},. As with th~ wo~kof s,u:C!h reSleardners: as ilimBen'lOJ1 and Bryno IReichliri. thiss1lUdy esn also' be seen as an im,plioiil commel1!t:alry oflthe W!;l,lYsin whi~:hllheainal~is of Colin R:oweandilRobe~t Sh,~IIk!i. which was cOl'ilcluOloo in thetitftie:s ("rrafils~re,n:oy: Uber~l and Phenomena~". pl"llblil5Jnecl~n Poi!!!!$pe.ota I'ilO', 8" 19 wacs ~t'e[ used to 'l~gi~imiZ\efm1In;er dleve!Q,pmen~ of le Cortmsier"s ~orm~1 eXpei1imBn~softhe tViEltnies. fIh.o ess.lYs by Arjan Hetlly and Max Rnsseliada hereella_boralte up-em 'Ilhe 'ljh:e~es of this $1IU:dy. Although a con~ronlti1lition betwOO'n~M work of !Loos ®inal lLe Corbusler is ali! obvious one ~!iI ret~oslPect. it is ffli!ii!'i!ark· :aJblfllhow IiUle" !(Inti! now" has bEle!il put)lls!hedion the sub, jec:L Wo:rth me:nIUonin:garlll the observations made by Jiu'lius lPooener, in~n;e nrirties, :a:ndalil arltiol:e by H!eintry !A, Hi~ohoOOk C'Hol,JQes b:y lwo Moderll'ls" in The Arts •.Brooklyn, rvol. ~1'5. 110.1 ,19,2S'f3Or). The rela.1iiofil6 between 'loos aJild Le' Gmtmsf;er are ~Iso disciJJiSSOO in thie critica!l $i1J~d1ies y lP. Re;yner b Barlham (ThOOl)' .and :D~.sig!I in the F~'rst '1A'a'Chin~'Age" Lon, cion. 1900, •'Adolf Loos and the IProlblemof Omamenf '). and Kenneth r'raJmptorii (MocJem AIfChilecture: OJ Critica' f1ista/)l" tendon ~990, "Ad!olf IbooS aJliid ~he Cfisis of CuUulFe, 1SOO·1931"}, The essay by StaJiliSila_usVOiil MOOs ~s:the firsts1!udy whiC!h d'isct!sses, in de'taJll. the possiib~e unfllueooa: of loo$'·w{,i1tteo WOir~its: upo!il~he: you!ilgentreiPreneur Le Oorb'uiS~er; this: slll,l!dy was ocmdw::ted with~fl! therir.a!il!lleWQrk of re:$!ea~Clhk!llQ the sigl1!if&oaJnce of the magJazirlie L 'Esprit NQUV(;flUto Le Gortmsiier's work .
1)'"

lec'l.uraJI staJteme:ii1ts". For many generations now aecess to, line work
C'o:r'busier {1887·196S)

l)f

le

b:y~ih,e:pliJblliciilI· the O~lNre COJWPlet:e" pu'blished duw!il"lg tJ~s llifeillme"selectedl and proV1lded with commentary 1:11 Co(!busi:er h~mselt !Le A I!'I ew im,pulse ]'Or tlhes~ludyalildl interlPre1:a:~ioJ1lof this work QOOUr~ed' w,Mn thearohives of the IFomjaltkm Le Co:r~ busier in Pa.ris wereo;peflled to lin!@! publlic, 'fhe aTcin iv·es oontaliil mOISt of the m~"te{l\ial whi:clhl ILe C~~bli!si;er aiild ihilS oolleagues he.d prod:lJ:oed 'over the y,ears" 'fhii ffi<likes ill feasible to try~o raeenstruet tMdlesign process sotha:t the c()flceptua.l, leve~ in !La Coribusi~r's work . $0 very mw~h in evidence in hiis pliJbllica!tions .. .may be IreliaJ.oo to the Ilaboruous praJcti,~ oraduall design.

liion of his projects i rl the €igtlltvdl!.jffiesot

has oo~nfunlh.€r,edl

Th.e s!U'b,~e()lis no~ ,only topical, oocauoo Ol~[,ene'!lilOOilillttll[,eSl in Vienna. of 1OO!]"aiildl the cele,'bra!iion of !Le C~ribus:lei!"s hundredth blrlih:dia.y lin 11987, the po'int made !by L(,)Q,$~11! his: essay "The P~incijple of C~addr-l'iIg';' (11698) is still with us: "'lhere are a~chitects Who 'work in a diHerent way. Their limagine.tion doesn't f,onn spaces, by~ moos, WtJ~d:e¥er~he mass of wallll~aves over. are thesJ)Si.OOs.," R.~i1rIIoiVOO flFOrnllls com:e\Xt, this fragment ffii1lilkes .i1lIfuIi'ld1ai mental d~Here~ce, whioh is aliso ·aJ s:ubJec1 oteur compar;f· $01i'l. On tlhe orte handl ~s the nCitionthal an::lhi~ectl,Jlie tis primarlilly tM desigrnin:g of space, spaces evokiil1lg moOOs tl) wlilf,d11 ma:lieriil a~d: the various rorms of its: trea1ii'ii1lefill caJnl OOl'Uriibut.e, On the OIliher hood is an architec~u,re wliltdhl d!e.sigJ1!s cO!ilshucllional e'n!tiU~s whlichdlai'ii1larcaJte s:paJ~e.

This diffef~l'L<Ce is cl~osely concerned with the wav inwlrlictri space is ,~J'(perie!iloed, 011 'Ihe one haM" spaces in whioh the entire body can dwelll -all the senees oolf1g invol,vedl; ,on the o,ttte:r haM, spaces where there, lis perhaps only If'oomfo! the' rooming ,eye, Spaoesfor use aa oIPposedl,ospaces ,for lookJing at Whethe:r Loos realliy tl!gar'd'ed Le C@rblJsner as belongillig -to the, laMe:r 'grou,p of archi~:ect:s is llIol known; after all, Loos Wf'ote his tEl'xl ,250 yeflifs Ibekne he ooul(l have met le, Coil1bu" sie'r in Paris. It hfliS since beeome clear ,that Le Coifbosier. in ~h:e '~lj(perime:rlils he oonduct,ed, in Unetwenties. dis:tanced Ih'lmselff~om the 3in~hropooerntr,ism tihalt can 00 obsewed in tooe' work Space and mass <Ire no, long:elr ina hierarchioal r,el!a:~iolilshjp'in his work, but in ,a Ir'ooipmcall detenmimation in which tile disappeaillrnce ,cd a perspeotival idiea of space eaussd man also· to' dis1l!jppE'aJff(omthe eentre, thus caJilingl for a new treatment of objects, and space', A questiO'n which! follDwS: '~r,om'Uh:eai::Jov,ei~s'the m;aJn in ner whi,ch the' ,e')(pe'rifllf'i~' of architecture is cOf'lceivab!e, or ~ralf1rsmithIl::lle, via the media of dra.wings. Sind photographs. As is alreadiy II!now!l, Loos refused, l!n'li~ shorUy bef,ore his death! ~or his diesigJn!slO lbe publislh,ed; convinced that the, eesence o'~Raum:plan was rno~.lransmiUab'le, through drawings and photO'g~a:phs-"1 say" howe'IAer: a good eon. s~ructi.on. when rendered as an image on a 1latsurlace. makes no iimpress!iol1l,.~ am most, p~o~.ld the '[act. thiat the, 01 int.eriors which II have, c~ea[edl are entilre1y withol,H .affec1 whell photographed, arnd(h~t tile linl1'abitailtsof my dwell· lil'1lgcannot recogni!2ie their own Ihomes in a phologlraphic limage.,'· From the: Ibegri!'l'ning 01' his career, lLe CoFbu,sier waS awtIJre ,of the poiel1ltJially iJseful 'iuno'liiorn 'of publications" in whioh bes~dlas the w~iUel'l! word, the pl1iol:ographbc ~ma:ge$ also, playedlal'l umpQr1anl part. lllh,e:reception of his; W'O~K is, ther,efore. Ilargeliy deh~j'mi!1edl b"y ,the' maleriiill selec,ted 3_lild revised by him for the ussues cd ~he Oeuvre Com:pMte, The essary by 13M.·llril,Z Co!omin<l concerns '~h;ediU,e~·~moe between the two p<JS1i,ti.onsmen~ionedaDov,e; the COflironrta· tilon, in her case. is between Lees ,andl his contemporary Josef Hoffmann. The fact 1ha,1we haVie chosen to present both oftlhe:se form as an exhi,bi· 'lion 1'1!!:lS much to do 'with the issues mEmitioned above, Exhibi~iom;, .iMe just as ~mpo'ftant as descriptions", f'Oi' the' presen1a111on of the bunt environment as well as flO'~an insight into how these ha'IAe ,oome about 8ythe nature of

spatia'l 'OOrtoe,pts im the three.aimensionall

~h,eir spatialp05sibilities", t!'xhiibitions are even more' dloSJe!ly related to' the Qbj:oc1S which they depi:ct. Furlhermcme. arChitectural exhibi~iol1s are ulilque in that ~h;e obj9;C'ts oonoornedJ, the bui~dff"ligs or projects 1Jhem· se~ves,~l;rle not present They all'€! vis.ualized wHih the help of the means available to, a~ohil~eots to repr,esenit the absent object: 'Hoor plans. cro~s·se()tions. elevations, s~etches, proiectiQns. modieils, ete., nne same means used in the des-ign precess itseJlt In 'o~d!er tc biroach 1he muUiple, oomp!ex cl'l<iJrad,er 'of an::ihitee:llUr.e, -our exhiMion presents the re~ev,ant desigrns in more than Orle, c:onte:xt . lna (.:hmnolog,icalarrang:ement Qf plcturesGf the- houses, publiciilitfons and associat,(;!s of'toos and Le, CO'JbiJ.isier. I'na d@cumelrdation wih lch presents the houses: lnohronclog~ca~ order, by means of phob::lglraptlis, p.1ans and sections dlr13Jwnto, the same scale,and! models which will provide the missing. three~dimensionaJ component The Leos modeliS are Ibuilt tea $cal!e of 1:50 wi~1iione transpar· ent wall affordi rtga vie""'" of the, 5e()~ion:; 11haLe Corbusier models. builil to' a $ca!e .of 1: 100, ihave remolrJa:blefl'oors. In 'three themes: 11. Programme versus type - the positton of~he type • cO'noept in Ibo~harchilt,ects," work. Loos' "[lice, House.'" (1928/19029) Bind lLe CorbiJster's Maison Cilhotian (1'919/1927) iltlJstra:te the compariiSOI'l" :2, Con'stfluclion, ·ve:rsI.DSQlladdi n,g;. ll'rl.e d&\llelb;pment of ma'te:riall, texture and oeolour in t!he interiors oi' both archHects, seen lin re:lation to~he IRaumplan Bind Plan Ut:ue concepts r,espectiv-ely. S,. Design versus e:xiecution - tile rela~ionslhip oif the ,twO' procesSl·~unc,111ornsand their eonsaquences tor the design process, illustrated Ibya oomparison of Leos' MO:llier House (192,8) and Le C@rbusiier's. Villa Stein-de MJonzie (1192\6). . The Imodelis occupy an important plaoe in the e~l1i'bition. They provide the onJly means of rounding oiUll~h~ I.wo· dlmel'l!sio:nality of .cl'rawings a_l1id photograp.hs, The rncdela are designed in such a WSi'llhillit 1111eharao· c ~el'iist&os ~ypical of the, design can be' experienoed" This is achieved, on the, one, hand" by the use oI diffef'e'ot .scafes: 1he smaU, abstract modells provide insight in'lO' the erticula1iolii of mass and 'line organiizaticm of pliaJnarnd seotlior'l.The lang:e rnedela- those with inlteriors execu1ed lin oO'~oiJr·mail:.e visible the spatia:l cohere.noo (.t ~he components. Because these models can be taken apart, or folded out H.is pClssiibllefOir one '10,e_)(plo~eewl)!' romer' of 'the houses, Ths mod!elsfo~m. 1lher efQr,e, 1!he true works of art in the exhibitiO'n" SIld ale documented as such in this 'ootaloglue.
l

A survey of tM most importat1lt desiglns 'tor horlJcses,pub!lic8Itiorls and assocliilit!:!Si 0'1 Adolf toos a!!'Id Le CortmS!ier between 1919 alld '1000,
1

Hails Stoossl

ADOUFLOOS LE CORIBUSIIER

18710·'1'933 1887'·:1965

~.

,iilIiI

... ~

......

"""

....

"""'.'"

IIl!iI!iiil

III

III

II

III

I
.....

~!

'19"20 Lc~gilJe' 01 N!!ILQns in Gef!ev8. S1ta.... insk:t: Pulcinef!a,

('["Mit;

1919 jreal~ Q~ \!IetS!!ille~_ Es~ai::llisl'"menl wailmF F!l';public. Ell L1ssiltk), PKitln'IID_ GHJpit!$ fOUlill:!S Bauhlius. AspIllnO': Vill,;r Snel.!R!an.

HaWing Ipr~f'I~

U.S.ACfesigrr f~ a hOU$S'.

Lk!yGl Wright

HilUS STRASSER
tees and sluOOi'Us on roof 01' Schwat~tiCl'JU!e.

I ('f
I

, .... i,fi -"--~

~ ..f

~.-.~ Ii
.'

"

.:........~-~-----~--_______;_~--~~-~...........-jI~IB::~ ~
0
....!!!~""='''''''''....-.n'F"~_

m ~

10

1'921
i3:egif\nil1lg NEP in SG'VjQl Ul'liOi'I. Salya~ra:na; GaodhWspea~M rosISIMOce. MoOOrlaan; Com~il1Iioll1 i'I1 Fledl, Yellow and IBr-uet.. J J,p 000' House K.aI/eI1~"

1922' MlJSOOlil1ll'~ nl![Ilcll to FI.ome, Discovcny ,of Tutarlkhameill"s grave" Jilmes J~( Ulysses. V!?ll DoeS'OOtg O!~ VIIDfeslenm; MrlJl par(fcul/et,

HIlUS

MIT

EINt;M M'AlUEFI

HAU8 RUF!;,R

VIULA STROS8

ADOLF roos ~NS :I!..EE:R,E

OESPOOCHlEN
i;8,91 -

1900,

I
!~m.II
%:tinjl

..~

'1m,

19.24
Dawes plan to Q~n'tet<lCot Cilel'rnlall) Cf~~i$_ Acki!ll!-!il~r: tJJeilii i\ampf. Stalin sueecees Lel!llnl.
OOUSQ,

lilrfIaliIDl'I in Gell1lllany !lnd Auslria. Schdf1berg'~, irst jweive-tOf!et:-Q[npQ$iliQn, f De S~~I xhlbilionl in Pari$~ G ~'S van diN'~: W~ frJl a brick COlml'fy

Rien rid: ScnrOder tl014e~

AdOIi' Looo~ E;;rpi"eSSI~aJnlondorl-Pa/is.V'~nna,8.ino~PiOlQI:!oe',

VllLA

MOISS'I

MOOc~04"V!llt! ~issil al SiiICl;n (I' Au!t:Hmne..

IBYIOwA
[I[

ILJIllT

IIi.!II A, A
1i'.1III"

IUII:tIil1

p;•• ..IIIInL'i-TI~!i

=('7.l

----~--~-------,_.;:-~~----------~-ll~.::~. ,,_-_.-,~__ L -, .. ~~~:.

~
'"

~ eee

NI

~ ...-

Loos in Paris,

1_

LC;:LJ -- -"_ -~ ~'-1

MOd!)';
at

or La Rocne.JeaJi'lMlm

53100 (jr'Aiutomoo_

VILLA ILA ROCHlI:-JEA.NNERET

12

.,.. ,it.
II

-I"'.-!-.~
H
I.

~925
Clii3J19 K~-4Il~ seiU!s power in Chin~, Beker iii IP,anis, Hltillf re.e~t3b1ishesNOOAP_ Schindrer: Beach HoYse {)t, loW!IJ,
Fi!l;VtJeI N~gro willi! J\.J~Phine

1925

Firs •.leIe~i$eof'l broadcas.s.

AlDar! ~rg: l'l' tG!i!ISuj~e, p. &trmirlfJe\fJ_l'!e.I': Hati.$ Rm(;>f,

~ ,I '"

.... Jmtll'\\1"

'~~ !II!!i.",!,,!,~.illlo.i'j
L~

.._.--~~-~....
im'~~~

.,.....,.r.--n

\ I 'nU'

I.nu.,

"::i::=:" ~ '!:'..

!!!.rd!!. HllfilIJlI!i"" ---::':;;;-~~';~--

tiiBJir ••

VILLA MEYER

MiAlOON COOK

Valli Daes't)UI'gI: Aubette, in, Sim~bI:xlrg'. ScI'MIJ:oW'i: Hor:tStl Wejs$enhol'$~!!I'I9.

Wei$$enhof~ied!ung in, SMtgori,

1927 IFItS'I MIc'kt1:f MDIiJOO e.afL'OOO.

100:8
I~r pre<.sidenr~ U,S,A, TKlUik'l exiled. ClAM "ooi!iCled un L.a ~rrii~, Buc1m'linsler Fu1Iet: DymaxlQn'

Hr;)~,

HAUS TZ'AR'A

HALJS MOLLE:R

teos

0'

IlfIciI Ii:lJlklil 00 Coerta.aa MIllie!" Hi:lu!S{i.

Charrolle P$mand,
and Allred fkllft M '1M Meliel Aue dB SCv~~"

Viila Cnurcn.

VUII.LA STEJN·[lE MONZIE

119,29

Wall Sh'ee~C~. Mclilllllolo~: TIr.Sl1\!,ieri Club. fran/>;: Fldtisfj ill ,rtJ~ ~E9~',

1930 Ch:x:~p8lion oj M;;mchuria. by Jap<ln\ MaFre~ 0ie!1iiC1i! if1! '"Die o!aue Engell", Sei'Wlnoorg: Ml:I~$ ~f1d I\rt!!'!, Sram: vm.i ttl Pragr$,

•J
WURFELHAUS
IFIAlJ5 MOLlJclFil if-iA!IJS SOJKO

iHUIit.iJi.VI

";"'-~~~-----------1
'F"

m ~ m

I.e; COI'l8US:IER .,.... PI EIRRE E;:,,fI,NiN TF~~~~~---------------1I J Eli'l E

VILLA 8A,IZEALilII

VILLA. SA VOYE

15

I[lAS lETZ'lE HIAUS

ca~~
Le_ ~~

ViiI'<! Mandrol.

~-

Stani!s!laU8 von Moos

1111 1925, the year ot the Iinlematicmall Exhibilio:n of Modem Deoor8itirve and Indusllrial Arl}s ill! Palrris, Le COJb'ufs~er pub· lished L.~t deaDfallf ,Q'aujDurd'llui. It waS a book th.u Rey· ner Bai'ill'iam s,ti'lldilsmiissed in 1!900as "a po~emica~ wo:rk of (11111)1 interest".' and whi'dhl, sym p:~:amaticalily.had to looal wait unlril 1987 befo:re appearingl i 11Engl ish tra.Jns!aliion. The bas,lc argume:ii!t at ~he' lbook (Which was to 00 mustr~t~dl by the PavilltJinl,oe I'E:sp~lt No~ve!fl.u at the "925 P,arfis exhibltkm) Willi seem 'rami liar to' anyon1e withlih:e sl'ightest i.;nowledg,e or t.oos' w~il~ngs,namelly th~1 applied art- the <llrHstic design of utiliitarue!ni ob~ects "W8iS an anaclilrOlnislilll'. Fmtil€HrmOre" anonymous goods inl~n.ded ~'or,diaiilyuse, preducedl ,eilher by Ih:aJnci or by induslirf:ail methods, wern in U'le process 'cd making the tri;Il:liiti:o,nra'1arts deooratifs" r-ed~.m" dant. Le CQrbusie~ himsel~ pN\!sen~l1ld tlile beekas a se!eatiOiI1 o~ objG(;~s tMt arl! "free of~11 decoration"", as an ":iil.:pologIYfor Wth~t ~$ sim ply !banal. iM iUerenrt, or void of artistic inhmtio{l." The Wth.ole'book is an u!'Ivitation to the e)!1e~l_l1idpirit s "to take pl\e.fitSI,U€: ~he compainry of such thl n:gs !!lindipetin hap~ rebell ag!ail'lst thehoYosh, the stair!" the diiStrac~il1lg din or eoleura and omamenl~~t" lil waJsalso ~n j~vitajio!i! "te d~smiss a, whole mass of artefacts {ocmSlumer Q@odls S.I/.M.). some Q~which are notwHih:oul ITlBrit,to pass over 1lin .ool)ivily (proOU!G1dJe:;;ign ...S.\J\M.) that has someUme$ boonr ,dis lrH.efG'stedl, some·I)imes ideamstic·'. lIlhis: is cl~.aJI¥a reference~o~hosedMigrUil'rS who hadl inliluenoed the yalling Corbusfer, sl!.Ich as R!.l!s:kij!i!, Galle, Prol,JlVe, A iemersOt'h mid, GrUlmard, IBehre!i!sarlo rna'llny others, The book 'goes Oln~oa:5k if the pl!.ltllic does not have, the righl "to disd~i 11 the work ,of ISO many scMo~s ,so many mas:OO<fs,so ITh3JnlY : pupils, am:l to lihri.n'k1i11US o~ them: "they are as disagreeable a.s mQ.sqUliilo.es. {lis so:nlt aussi g~i'lants que des mous:tiquBS.), ...2 . As alnema!tives,to "'.AlPpl,ied A~t", the mL!S~lri:tiiOnsto the 'ohapter~mm whioflilh.e, q uota;li:o.nr:ll albove are taken 'ClHe,r a Gr,Qss.s!i!ction or the prmJ'Ucls ,of a modem, marteri1lJlst oUII~ i lure, deve~opOO Oil econom ic precepts. The e:mbl~maHc AimericM s'kysora:per tliia.t openslihe chapter is ~onoWl!ld by cer bodies, tu~b:lliJes;.the ,C!ei~iogl liights: o~ an oUice id(:ntified as the "First Na:tiol1lal Company" if), Detroit ,i.1lissot~edlbags, C8..s;es, a;llets and cigiaJreUecasee, a den~aJ laboratory, w of'lioE! moms ill! the City Nia:IJiofiaIIBa.r1k in r'UI$()aJl~oosaJ, USA, men's stmes,i3Jlllasparl!>, br~aJr ipecs, straw hats, leUer"rs;dks p 31'ldother oHiceequipmeliJt,caJrafes aind glla,sses (such as onefinds lin the post-19\21 sti II Iifes o~ t.e Corlbusler and 02:1ilillfanl),. <lindfi nally' the Caitlin Q~a Ilu,xury Ii nero a bjrd~ge,
1

and a w;;lJrGIr<:ibe-hull'k made Iby the firm Innovatiorl! in Paris. lhe i ndhridual chapters o~'L.'Art d8corattfcraujouKJ'nui appe;1red lin a. loose sequence a/ne~ '1920 as €s$arys irn the m~.gazlrne L ''£sptil No~~u,iihe celebrartedl"revue intema,· It()na'ie d'!estih:eti~ue contempu.raiirne" UI<lilt lLa Corbusuer ,establ'ished rl'l 1'920,logetMr willl'l Am€dti)e OZ'einlr~mland p;aJu'llDermee. Irf~~res'~ij!i!g'y, manty' or the e'~ernplany objeots selec~edllby lLe Oo~busitir appeared Il!O'lo:n~yas illlJistraltions ~o hislJext, but also' in the adllerlksement s€!c1Iiofil,.an:d were made by rnanulaeturera who Ir)!aa adwrUsing ro.nlt~a:ctSwith the joumat In order to co·omina/te ,eve I"! more p~eousely these' joumal'isticandl marketing e:xhort:a;lion's to adopt a. n:ew$t.yle 'cd life, Le Corlbusier • the ,ed'i1ur respolilsi'ble for adV€'rtnsing3· desilgfiled SOrTIe of the displ!ays in ques:t!o!i!. An example of this collabof'8:lian was a who!e series of adverts r"O:r the wamwlbMmnks mar)lu~a.ctl:ll'oo by Il1IliJoiV.a/tf;on, each caIryingla sentenoe, sr,gfJed Iby the atdhilocl, 0111 the roh~ o.f "T ype:s" andl "S:taMards" in mod~m i!'1;du:stry. (ltg. 2) Fdl· ~owi!'1;gthe~r ap~_i!"OO.cein L 'Esprit NOu~~u:. 1ih:e I'nl'lova,tion adverts were then pub[:jsh~d as a sal~$ lbnx:nlllwe. lin an editio~ of scmooop~es.~ Red uced to ~lhe,simples:l terms, L 'esprit Nouveau might be !Jrlder$~oodlas an aJ;oo.mptto ifl!itiaJte theii"!dust~ha'i ellite in France inte the ll(lg~oof their own aotivity, and 10 make them re'<llize lnat 'II1n:ere was no n:eooto oommfiSsuon "af~istic desigll'lS" for 'Iih.ei~products" The imp~ica!ttons in~ewIl1!1lsof , dlesigln 1ihoo.ry (and dliSregarding the poliiti!Oallimplk:a!tL'QJi'lsIf ( this 8/liarnH;llarde' rreSiPOns,e tOo industry) werle e~plai ned ib¥ l.e COirbusi~r in the awtide "Pl§dagog1e". PliJlb~i51h€idin L :f£s· prU Nouve~u no, 119,iln the wi nter of 1923, As the, 8aui1aJus Wee:k had just come to!\iil'l en.d in Weilmar. theanicre can ba rega~ded as a o~ltiq:u;e of the Bauhaus. I'n tlhe artj()~e le Ooribusiier proposed a Darwinian law of co:mmeroialal'lid ~l1dl!'strial staMardilzation, a,eoon:lii'1ig to wh~ch the deve!lop· iilfl.e;nitof st.md!aJrdtYlPes: for m8JmJf.aoluredl g)oo05 is a pro· 003S baJsed ,on compelling prllv31te initiaUves within Une sy.stem ,of mal1ufac:l!ur,e, iin which tiM: stron,ges:t pr,osper in the st!'iuggl!eror s:un,r,ivalaooo~d'il"lg to the dictates of !i!ah.:!r8_~ selecliiOFI, just as ~r!rla!ture itself, The "'r!ajwal ,. con'text of com me roe :and indusllry is descr~bedl by Le Oorb:usf!er as f"(l!IQw:s: "The arl ot m>!:lkingl ~omethii ng g;oOO( "' }.lhe ,good preduot ls deve~oped will1i'n ttn~ Industry Ibythe workers in suoo9'sshl\9i stages, through Conl!imJOUi$, unstlFu:C:lilV,e xpeiii· e ence with the o:esign prooes$ies. The good p~QdiU.C;t 'comes from a. bas,e ~hal throws lip elements: ,of qUi3Jllily.ill is aJrll iJllLlsion to assume that this base can receive a;oo aooorrb

n'<IL~

AI\iD OIlTFl'l'YJ!!i$

GOW:t!ilAN & SALATSGH

I

----_._.-. .... _..,._I<._---,----

."i
"--

'~ I hAl,
, 1 "--

~:::;==:-~:,.~

-' 2 '--

-_-

----'"'-3

The :arguments aJcjiv:anced i 1'1 L 'Art de.comtit d 'a,ujoUFd~ralii can Ibe traced 00£1<almost poin1: 'fou point "to UlOS. lt would be a Sisyph~n tas!k,ali'ldi one wirth mUe sense, to id'enltitfy every similarity. Takili'l91 points art random, however, 'one migi'll I:ook at l.e Corbl!Jsier's admiralt&ol"lof Engllish tailoringr and 'of 1hefunction<li11iles:lheticof Americall oitie~ and indius1JrY.o Looo' carllot ~898: "The EngJish, the ,ellg.if1l:ltlfSar,e om' Hellenes" .. n oOl.!ldltJ:ave Sl~Nedas the moUOo~or Vers une' Ci'fchiteciure. Le Corbusie:r was also int,er,es'led iin loo1iner goodis" eases, sports bagls, ,and I.!I'Id'eco:r,at~dI'but eXpei'lSiiV9 ciglaN!lUe cases - proch,!Icts bel'on:gil1lg to. ~h1it ca'b~gory of elecvated co:niSumption fiat Loos: had adm[r,~d ln the AllIs~Jrian Pavinon at Ui,e 1893 Wlorld's CP:lumbil<l!ni Icxposit~on il!'il lin the' terminol:ogy of the contempo.r,aneoU!;, Dada move:· eih ica90.12 lhe role pllayedfm Le, Co.rDulsier by 'line IBaumenl, the corner rein~orcement can be describ~d a~, <Ii haus, wasta:ken "or 1000s, by the Wiener Werks1t1Ue:an "ready·made" • and L.e GorbLlsier' S dbjectilrist culture in 111:is example of a~ll-i nltentioi'led bUtt useless ,attempt to drag pe,i:od was, in fact, ba-sed on "ready mades' like tni,S. (:Ina "art" into indus,by.13 ol1lly has, tOlihinl< of the linte~tor 01' ~he !Pavilion d!!'iI1'lEsprilt I euveau (Iig. 5) The fumislhings were main'ly ofanoiYyITlous m<anllJfacture. some chose:n Ib:y lile archi~ect from Ute rangies oI firms tike Im1iooV,atio:nor RQmeo: ~i~m~ thiiJt wouldl havl.'i been weill known to 'Uhe u;)aders oI L 'Esprit Nouveau from 11headverti:singl pag:e's. T inh:e bent.wood chairs 'hom the traditiorlallhone~ range afe mnowned as ai1l0f!rymOU$ elassics. l,oos, himself ,wh,Q had 00e:i'1 a great. adm1re:r of bentwoodoh~irs since' 1!f1:e: time, ofllh:e CalM: Museum (1 Se9)an:d had expressed Iliis IPre~ereflCe, In prilnt, could not Ir,esis:t notingl, however, that Le CorbUrsier had chosentha wroiilgl Thonel model'sro~ hns iflteriors.81 (He was probably right ,f'Or the' armdh,air that can jus,t be seen in the riglht foreg,rQUJnd is pr:obably' the most t1fi1comfortab'le produot in the whole inhonet range.) Whatever the pavi~ion was iik£!!,there' can be no questton ,of an :aUoem,ptllo subjeot architecture, wall decoralionsand fi'Uirligs 'to any lmiflwfQrma~ ,oonoop'l- in contrast. for'exam4
l

notio:n,s Qf quali~y {mrn above. TIle g:oOO preduot is ~h:e 's,l:al'idard type', 1M 'standard type' lis the petfJ'!c:~ly m~tdle product ( ... )I!he 'sti1liil"!dard' type' fs resui~Sint"0i5 In Qlhe~ word~ ·~o insert ,81 sel1lttmoo~rQm Adol~ Loos, wh~ch is, oonoemed with the .same prob!em. rli8Jmely the queslionabillty ,of the ar1isti'C design o~ utilitarian good's • "Revolutions always cornenem belo,w. And 'below' is lhe workshop" ~6 BUlt back to Le Gorbusier. The 1ihrl!Jsto.f his argument lis clear. 'Form courses', as taught ,at 'I!he Baul1laus, or, more generally. 'llh:e ooi'lstrlUclio:n of alii ideal grammar of tQrm ~o be ,applied '10 aJI utilitarien objects, is mieconceived. 11i11ll ~ogi,c, the form .of a. product us 1110,1 some1hillgtMt can be appliedl extemally, bUlt Ir,a/thEir something '1Iha:t.,aooording 10 , llA Co:nbusil9'r• den1veslrom the nature oof the tel$k alia ,of 1jh~ proch.!ct, ~$IIh;e li'Ieoessall'Y Ir'e!lul~of all ,evolu1lionary process. An sxatmple is, tM comer reinfmoemeil"llt o,~a trunk in air! adver~iSiem(ml desigi'led by Le Corbuslier ~or Iinnovation. (tigl.3) CQmpar,e this wirth an ex:aJmplieof "ind:Lls1lriaJ d~Silgn", [he "pull-out ,ellectr&c wall~lamp" d!esig,ood at the IBlllIullatus Iby K .J. Jucker in 1'923, in wh icl1i'the form is oat 'the result of a process ,of industriall evoh.ltioll; but of an Ol.priori aesthetic decision. (figl. ,4) It w,aoS just this type of deo.lsion that lLe CorblLlsier queS:li:onoo in hijSicritiq,u:e of tile IBayllaus ~ellloh· ni1lQITIsthodis.

ple 10 IRietveld"s contempo:ran;em.ls Schr&ler House in lItreclirt. W,i1!h hi,s mooel llIpa!rtrn.ent. Co:fb:UiSie~mliist. have ha.d a basdc OOr1cep~ in mind verysimijar i!'O' that ,of Laos, when, Ih;~enUI!.II~E;Hj8bOllillhe HbOrgerll'dh:e'" house afO'1.md 18000(theadv,Ms o~'Gol:dmann ,and] Salartsch, in .DasAndere COLild serve 8.S !illushations) Oig. 6): "In those ,days one' funnishedone's home iii the same wary as we ,d'r,ess curselves today. We DU,Y shoes, hom 11he'GQbbler, jackd,Iif()i!J·' sers al'lld waistcoat hom ~h:e 'ailm~ collarsan.d cuffs: hom the, sl'lirlmak,eJ. a ha~ from Uu'! hat-maker. and till ,s'lick 'fl'0R!! the wOQd4umer. Norm Ikrnowslihe others, but all lhe things go togetMr ." 9 .
I

'18

Ili!!!!I~1

, .............. . __ i._.... ~_ ---- ~-~-----~ :.-=.:... - ..:::::..::.==--:= --::..=:: ==~.::.~::=~ _--_. -~---.- ... -.,...---~.. -~- _.""""" _"""""""-. _-- ~ -_ ..-.~,_.---~-.__ .. .......... -.. __ -......__ -- _-*---.. ~- ._;...:.~:-~= ._ _-- _--.__....._.
.........

.. ,_

__ __

r_....,...._. ....... ._ .. ..,.&.....,,;;;

........

-__

.._~

....

..

...

__
.._ ........ ...
_"'_r_

.:::.:.:..=--= ~~=:i:l..~~-=~_... .........................""""*'" .. *"......... -.-,,-.,..-;!,,-- """"""""

~w: ':=:=.:_ •

,-_-~~---~"""'' ' '~-~,......_----~--...... ......... ... =c.iIiIi,,=~-::::3.~~-==

....................
-.......
____ ... ,~_,..... __

,-.-.-

oW

,........ ,,_.,.,.....~.,.....,.,-iF"""""'"
..... ..-_

-.___

.,_...

.................

_7

~~

~a

11,Adollf Lees, sketctttlook page·wiih Ihe Kal, ser,i,lIbili\lllms.Gedlldl'ltnrm~die (Kai~er Jubi>lee ~emori Cihm,eIl) III'Id a IruJili!!;(1800), ,2- Le CorblJl9ier, kmD...atiOOl IIdYertisement ifII L 'ESpn1 {l;\bt!'l'ellU (1 !l2iJ.25) • a. ILG Cori)lJ9ier. k100Ya,tiooadver:ilii~meFlt [III i. 'Espril Not!'ve.a~. ,4. K,J_ JlJi::k!lf, lpull·oo~ i3tec!ric wail,iarnl) (applfellttice piece al U\e B~natis.~92S), 5. Le Cotbl.!siet' Mel Pierre .lIeannerel, "iPavillOn de, il'E'sprlil Noor...eau" at Ili!e lifltema:tionaJ E~lfIIbiijon 01 Modern IDecoratl¥e, .aM fGdiJS.'" lilial Ms, Paris" 1925_ . 6, Ad'dii loo$.ad ... tli~Jne!llI!O!" Go'!iJIf1Wl1!'i1ndl e a SalJalsch In .Oas An~e, U9OO), 1, Page Irom ,L.:Espnl ~ar!8, Page Irall1l a ·'Ba\Jha~II".

Or one could cOlii!1lparellhe typography of Das Andere (11903') wirlh that oWL 'Esprit ,,,,kmveau. (ng, 7) ~i1I both cases lh e ~ayout lis markOOly c'ofIVentio:n:al, the, tYlpe area s.ymrne, trica] and "'1i mes" the chosen 1.ypeface., lri both caS€<6 the printed image i~,pJ1esen100 as, the' summation of cei1l1!LJFi:es of the primer's art - iln CO:r'irlras1to ~h;eartlistic romposition ,of Vet Sacrum 011 one hand ,or the "8auhausbiJd"i&r" Oi9- 8) olillhe other. I" Finally, there is, the en~l'epreneurial pr,agmaltism· probably unique in 'the his,tory of the classiiC modem rnov,emel'llt • w;lh whiGn ide~ls:t culhnal tefmmal1d commetcJal advertis· ing! were combined in L "c~t Nouveau, l1he edil~o~s of Ute Parisialil all'M'l·g:~rde 10Llmaii enli,sted Voi!Sin and Delage automobiles" and fiUedhu1'IIit.ure by In f1:ov"a.tionaflld R.o:nOO as, the cultural il'l~afll'~Jry'1' the "new s~rif" ~n the' batHe ,O'f 0 da,illy IHe, wlh ile loos, i rI his, j.ourrI1all as Mdem had tllmed to D gBl1Heme'l1l"s suj1s by GoJdmatlil"l and Sa'aJsch, 01' ~golt olubs: hom the' 'Sport- unci SpielwaJi'eilhaus, Wilhelm lP'oihf' in Vien' na tcos' nets at the end 'of the firs·t,number of Oat; Andere may weill be true; "The ~irms that have been mentioned with
i

,appn:l¥e!1 in the editorial seoUon of this paper h<'We neither paid anylhinglnor EIre they duel to, Ipay."· One wouldl se'8fclil, L :fspm' MJUWfJa,&j irll va!VI'I, however, fer the self~rOil'lllY~ha.t if'lspuredllQos,to pen 'the fcUow1ng note,: "To':arvoiid abUGOO, U is req,u:es1:ed that persnfhs wHh d.em;mds;f.cl~ money Of' favours slh.oLlI~d :s~oplimmedlia.telyandl girve tlhemse~ves, up ~Ol the au1horirti,ec.s. ,,115 Nevertheless, no reader can ha\fe 1iaUed to notioe ho,w .clbsely the aciyerliS!ernents in ()a.s Andere romespondendl to the magazine!s campaign to improve taste,

u,
11'1viiew O'r 11his chain o,ff,ar·mactlii1lg 1;).)Jr,espcmdlences between the intereSits of !Laos, em one' slide, and Le CorotllSLer 01'1the other, ool'Wt!el1l D(;l,$ Andere and .l'csp'ril /iiou·, vea:u,U"r,e obvious cOl'iichJS!i'on wourd be tlil;d Loos:suppJied the- slig:htiy youngeii' emigre Swiss wl~h the arnml!ni~icmfo~ his, s.ocio-oultiJ~CiIII campaign. Lees 'implied this, nUlililsed,f, when he once commentee that. the~ew good things il'lle Co:rbllsier'~ work had beensto.len ~rOIililILOO~. 6 This judge1 rnent was not w,ithout some basis, Indeed, Laos' essay "'Ornament und Venbn:u::lilen'" (Omamel'l~ and Orime) was published in Flr,ei"!ch tr:aJnslarUo:n L 'ESPfi,t Nouvea,r), 110. 2 ilil ('1921), together wHh en editorial fureword il1w'l1ich Loos warS pr.tlii,sedl @IS for,erlllilf'll!!!lF. a "M.ILoos is. a one 01'the pf.on:eers, of the new splrl1t AJround 1900. when) 1ihe entihusiasm for Jug;endisW w~ uns~oPlPaJ' Ible, lin the era. of Ilavrsh decor, with- art bUfsti'ng info e,v,eny sphere oUife, M, Lees began C .... ) his mllmp·aign~a:gainsUhe, excesses of these tendeneles, As one of tna first to foresee' Ute magnitude of indus,~'Y ,and ilts importa.nce 'for aesthe'U:cs. he !began to' proolailm 'certail1 truths" which ~odia'Yseem neither revolutionary nor paradoxical.' , J !.Jistlen 'Years aHfll'~hit$ ,ed ito'rial "'ctla~ '" (probabliy wniUll1l by O.lel1l~afit}, CO.rol,lIsfJer hims.eflf sumMed u,p 'the

des,1Iiny:"1"1 How can one,explaJin Le,Gorbusier"senthusiia.s:ti:C li1te~es;t in the ideas of the Viennese arcMect? He clearly recognized Loos 8"* ·aJ like-mindedl spirit But one shoukl 1'10t be misled by the preemlJlel in L. 'fE::sprit Nouveau. To look for 'the o:riigins of U! Cori:uJisieiF's persona'l 'feud wirth the ref:ormist arts 8indoraUs impulses of Jljjgendsti'l and the Wieli'l'er W'erk· 5 sWIte merely In the L,oosian "influenoe" woulld be ~Q'disn!!··
I

case oif tcos even more concisely: "Laos swept under ('Iln' 'feet it w.as a Homeric oleansi n.g ~ exact philosopni:cal and logical. With i~" Lees ifil~h.uiinced eur archi~ectural

of peace !tes ,over ey,erylhingl. 1he mouirltiill~fFIs1li1fld1 c!ouds raJr'ri!N~(!lected in the iake, as are the hous;es" farms and i CJn!a(pels, S1am::iingl the:r·e.tliley do not seem tD' 00, oo:il~ by hum~ilI h®lnd.lhey seem to Iilave come hom Goell's,work· ~IIIrNrovemooi!"1 008 • lwel\ffi ye<'.l[s oofo:re the I():unding ot shop, li'ke the mountains and trees, the cloudl$aJ~dl the bli!Je L :fIsptil Nou'Veauand nine years before hisd!e'[ijlilitive !'l!'iI(),\!Ie sky~ Everythingl breatlilelS bea!ulty and calm, .. ". to PaJriil>- CtJ.mles Edcmi1ll~d1Jei1llnnere~: (who WlI_$ ,Ia:lelrlo adqpt the l1o!1me Le Co~blJ;si;er)Wiro~ea l~eUer trom Paris 10 Why Ih~s longl, lmidienmioo quota.tiol1l ~ro:mloos? (It com~" his tel1lcher in ta Chaux-de-IF1ond!:;>"Charh~s l'IElpl<liUen~er"~n of eoures, Imm Loos' essaJY '"An:;l1iitektur''' , 1910,Whlich it, JeannelrletaGmiUed: 'Today 1ln.e (;h~ldish dreams trJa\!\e Je.aJnne:r~t II·mewin~ih:e F~~nchtrans!lation that ap,peared ill! booTlI ,iliooJ1ldonedl, IMsedNl!'amS of Ira,pid SllcceSS. such as Pans ifi! 1913iH In thi$ pas$~ge Loo$ appear$~o develop a one or two German sdhools have em~oyoo:.V~enlna, IDairmth€!{me tili3ilt Jeanmerel would l1Ja\l\e already m.owrn hom Alexsl:.adt" andr~ CinQll'lia's Leos £ntli'eti€~s de fa 'lfillt! eJu RoUtelt {100S). l(~ u,flderst~mj the si9ii1~r~Cano~Q~ this 'd!edama~Qry g:es· Summ!l;l!ril~edlbrief try'., Cin;g~ia'$ bel~e~lrlistio book !employs a tlJf'e Qr in;Oepeli'ld!eln~. one has 1:0 !know the role lhait Dar:m~·ri.es ofdlialoglues tC) make 3. pleafof~M cult!Jr~l.i1lIutO!lomy stool if! particu!ar. and 1ihal moons Olo.rilCinl, liJad pl1ay,edl in at Fr,ench,speaking Western .swJt2ierlaiildl. Arguingl thaj the the ~uli~ioll! at ~i1IeEOole d'Arl fill La. On!i!lJ!J.X-dte,F()j'iJds. (Olil€ "IRomal1a'ie" haJs ii, memh3i11ranean cihi8J1'acl~r,Onglria preshould aliso know tllat O~bilich was~ih;e embociimemt Q~ po®~d that it:sho:u'ld be "De,Ge~mflinri2i~dl": •"Not~~ arne predselythe re]OImist tendlenay Uli!lJt tooe dienounced so dassiqui€:, en ,e:ffe't,ne pe;Ult ql!'~vdlue:r dans une tbrmu!e grecQ-~a;tirte.' ,2a~ vigawUlsly,) JearuIl8ml's fiirSl'wu,rks as an archi~~ct· slich·~s tM Vi'll;] Fall&t lilil La (:ha.ux·de·!FQiildis (19C1S(17 ,fig! 9 were It by no means i1iI mino:r detail, ~ihlal JeaJnneret warS in ,ent~relly iii! the Ruslki~ tradition" ,an,ejJeanmerel'shiemjls in ~'ore'ign parts at the time when he was irnr!lil'ilersedl in this the "Co~ns, su~rie;ur de dleOOJOlittOn" at the Ecole d"An West SWiss devotional l~aol: he was ~III INe:uf'Babetcsber'gl near 8elnlin, workiillg liln tlile ofIice o~ IPeiter Be:hr~ns, It was were sml decora,'~i~g ~l1!eolvic crema,toriil,.llm at La Chaux· Behrens's €X:8IJnnpl!e,pall'ado~icaluy ,Iihalt prl;)W,:ld a decisive, d~FOliids under L'lEplaUemier's slu;pervisicm illl ,direct limita·, ~'actor i~Jeanneret's subsequellit aH:e:mpts to "de·Germ1lin· tion of 01 brich's Elr~$t l!uldwiig"lH~us om the Ma~hi'ldenMliie iz~" the amhitectu:r,e ()i~ his Jurassic 'h;Qmeland ajiJd~Q Ilead it. in IDarmstadt Jeanlllernl, nOW with a p~Jrs:i!aJ!"llPerspoolilve. bi1llck.~o ~ihe "I<lIFmlllle glfeco.la!t~iile" .23 fQUlnd thi$ intolerablle, "lhis is~cmsimplel! I wa!i!'~to stn.l!gg:le, SUit to ~etu.rn tQ CUliIgria';s book. which COll!talm$ thefQl:lo.w· w~tll reamy itselt ( .. ,,)M 'rar as: r m concerned. I say thafall this small·cahbre success has ,oorne, too soon; min is i I'fI1Imi· ing passage: " .. ,Ila montagne :a(ppellea ses f"ano;s des nent You can't build om S8JIIIGI."la " architedu res regul1eres et c-almes qui la repoaent du deso:rdre, ~mfer~eulr des sss bases.,ct c'es:t po!lJrquoi les It ~s nlJ€~I1!iJ: Jea!!ilrlieret hadl spe:nit Ine pnll'Vtous wi ilIter (190(/08) im Vliemma winl his bliend Leon PeJ1j'ilfil.8!J~pris,jng v.a!II~lSs<TlJlpestr,e:s dev~·9!fei1t~t~e deoor~es de II(ltnglJles 'OOI\;l:nF rilades, d' hypog.oos ~ranqlJlilllecs et puiissaJilts" de iJas·lI'eiliefs as ill may se'G:m, Ihoweve~, the:~~ is oo$o~lI!~e!ly no evidence laillie.s dians lie roe, avec u netacture g,oomel~rtqlie €It 'gmni" that he kne:w the name L(lo!SaJtl!ha!t~ime. e~11 byhe-.tI's<'lly,.1~ di'ose., .. 24 It wOl!.!lti seem UnalJearmeiFel {aJlias Le Coribus:iew)l'if$t !We Corbusi€r's villas ro,r ~actory-owners iin the,JlJlra • I becarne,~wanj! of the author of "'Omamer:Jlt l!'r1;O Ve~brec illliu:strate~l1e Vi'lla Fa;v,r,e·Jaoot in L.e Lode {19~3·14, fig .:~0) . chen' iirT!1913, reflect thus ,programme right. d!OWfll~O the detaills.. In lhics The Jlirst haDes Ol~toes are to be:tound in alii :aJrttde on •"Le oOlilte~t it W(l'u'ld seem almoot im;wiita:ole, th,U Le Oorbu!Sie:r Ir,enO!lJ\leaUdans l'archit.€ct!.:!l'e" jnlihe Rewe meJls.ueJle' de wolJl'(j h8lve beerlt imte',rest:ed un ILoos" piic:ture of AI:pine flirdhi· raelJw8,1'he: jpulm~11arline We$tschweHj!':er seoHon of the tectultaJl culture. Perhaps he tailed to notioe tha:t loos had Swiss; WElwkbund, jpybllishedl illl LalllsaJ'lne. 1he flj~loWiing so:meth~!ilg qui~e di"e:ne~t im mind 1In!<.l!rIithe 18ehrens·inSipir'ed passa,ge s:peaksfof itself: "Ha,ve we thus become s:avagelS CliiI!SSidSlmllh!ial tile young Swiss was p~od:lJ)CJ]fiIg the: ;:lIt once agiaJinaJUer lwemy 'C,<e!1turies'Of dvm~atioll!'( Ha'ife we time. Ire,·ad:qpt.ed the m;af'l~atbr t1!iUOOilllgl?' ~20 Ilfild~~dI, cf,Qser lil1GpElCtiOlillsl1iows Ihi1lit Laos was o,ppoo~d ~fi!ooUidliUtSt(lI'l, JeannenM also >Qluoloo the 'foillowfng passage to tlhesQrt 'of ~ekmn ilflitii1liHves piro,po®ad Ibythe Werl<bufld" without hOVll'e!!,!',er. iving the souroe: "May I talkll' you to the g for whtdnl J'MiFln€:r,et WiiliS so keen to enl'ist his: s!LlPiPO~t The shore or 81 mountaln l!aJke? "HIe :sk;y uS blueali!dl a.d!eeip' sense
1 ) -

g:aJrO Le CorbUi$~er's own dell,!\elio,pment Fo:r thus oon~liat WOu Id tna.ve taken on li1)$ own COI1l1(M5 ,even w,jllhout tlile i~~~~!'1itf,o!"lof tees.

9,. CI1aJ11esE • .kallner·et (I.e ~rlm~ierl. Villa Fa). rei. La Ch81Jii!.QIPFOi1Cl!ii (UXI&OOI. 10. CIlaIIeS E. Jeanneret (Le CortmS;iei'). Villa Fav,e>-.Jaccl. I.e !Lode, s!,;e!cn (19.12).

pa~sage from Leos' "ArCiJ1iteklw" quoted above, eon tinues.; "Wha.t's 1hal there? A dis$on8inoe ill'! thi-s peace, Uke an I,JInnecessary shriek. [lown among the ho~sesof the peasffilIlis, wniiOihl3ffl: bum loot by them burt IO·yGOd. standlsa villa. The creation of a ~rood or bacaIDrchitect? IId!on'l know. I omly knoVll_ that the peace, calm amd beiimty .8ir·e de· stroyed.'·2S At this point we shouldl also, look aJ the fl,Jlrnitureandl interilOrs die-signed by Jeanneret .ar.oul1d19~2-141..They documenlpar1li()l,JIlaJrly clearly his r·e~ec:Uonof Jugendstilland' Secessionem, a rej,ecliiOfl Which was oer1ainly linfluenced by contempor.aryGerman d~velopmef1ils, The Ik.eyfigure hem was not l.ees, however. but Paull Mebe.s. whose book Um '800' l'ed a whole ge:neratf:on lOt designers ou t Qf the d.9ac· erld of .Jl,JIgends~il. Jeanneret, foi' ex.ampl·e". im h~s many designs ~'orfum illu'r.(i:and.interiors, I~erer~ed diooclllyto l@l,JIis . XVI and 'Iih,e DfN~eloilre. WhUa thGi'e are many instanoes of J'earllne~t ma:kingl dlin~ct·copies of old pieces. he also lil'ied sometimes '10 stylize ,hilSClassicist mcdets ln aspi.rilt of the lligl'1e,st "sobriete" .. Arthur Rilegg does rigl'lt to· compaJr,e tile collaJboratiOfl oif the Jurassic architect and the cabinetmak.er IEgget, wHh 1ha;t of Adolf Laos and the ..oel'ebrated cabinet·maker W!illioh.2'6 01''141)' .example that can stand for many: a Slke1:ch ·Qf the bedroom of tile Villia Schwab lin La ChalJ_x~·d·e-Fonds (1916.), wt1~ch II compere with the dining-r·oom ln Loos' Strasser .apil1lr~ment p 9'1.13" 9'.. rlig. 11, 12). II de not wQJlil tQS!.I!gg:e.st 1 that Jeanrteret adivooalledi 'Ihe same ideas ani intE:rio:rs aIDS ILoos ·eM at that ~ime; his current models - ·dterilvedfJr(lm lhe IBiedermei:er atld Direcroire " would pro!bab:ly tlarve been condemned by Laos as a "relapse in:l·o the oid style·mon-

gering".v The only point I wOl,Jlldwisn to rnai!le: wilii1 the> compafliS!On"!is: that bo·1ihlJ'ean n.er.et~ndl Loo$ had already distanced 1Ihem$ellves: befo~ethe; ,First Worldl W.1lirfll'"ol1l'1l the .JLiigel1lds.~illirH~li1io:rand had thereby created ·one ·cd the , p:r.eoo.!I;dli·~iofilS:or the remarkable convergence f of! their ideas • ideas which were tlO !be made public iin L :ESPFit Nr:)!Jveau~
11111.

Only a few cemmeots by tees on le CorbuiSier' Ihave been recorded. liIhf;s makes the foillowing anecdote by AliffOO R'oth even mQ~e i·lIumiliiatingl. Fio1Ji1 was; a )fOung <liSSiiStan~to. Le Corbusier when Ihe met Leos in Pairis in 192:8:at the rrls~igartkiU! of Kulk.a, 'Tell me, young man," asked Lees, "'what Le Corbl,Jlsi!eJ makes his ,c'oor;s out ·of UileiSe d\ays.'{" "OUlt of pliywoOO of course" arllSwer,ed Roth .."'But that'·s ;8in enormous adivanoe (, ... )! Only a few y,ears ago 11191 was proposing in his boo:ks and articles that doors shol.!ltt. i!il flJlw.e, be .1 p:rodlUced in the faIDc*Jry Qut of steel and sheet me/talL..· toes was c1learty refenirlg ~o the lFioneo doors.,. which, Ilik!ethe tlfunks IITIjlntlio:ned above, had been ad\ller1isw in L 'Esprit Nouveau,2fJ (figl. 13) lhus anecdote touches .exactly the poln1. a~ whioh !We Oorbusier went beyondl toes, ~F'I the· eyes o~' Lees ~ "'the .s~Dr;elmason who· had I'e<lmoo La.tiln" ~ Le Gotlollsl'e(r's attempts to introduce lindu$~riall methodls irlito bLli:ld~l"I:g' .andl Ihis "Appel eux indus:l:rtells'" were a sel;f·evidlentfli..!lf!;otr,on of the 8in;:hitecL 'Yell the notion of$lIbdivi:ding lirying·rooms and bed'room,s according to, the practice: of tile IPiu Ilman Oo,mpet· my, and of 'liUJing them Gut with the sort of 'f!.lmiti:lre that "'ad
I

.
,
tii ~~.

., I

"I . 'II~

21

ooei1l stloooss'lul in the oHice context ($lee the Le GOl'ibus:ier hlrwl!oI'alior'l filttedl '~umiture • 'fig, '14). mru st have seemedl as, absurd to Loos!)l~ the' &dea <cd miillkifllg (~OOl':S01.11 metal Ye'. Le Oorbusier did exac1ily 1ih;is at the 'of Villla,IL!)I Roche' (1 '9,22"). i I'Ispi~e Roth's oontra.dtctory of Ireedl· ~eclilons. (Loos had appare1flltlry t'org,ottel'l 1hal Ihis former office in Vtelflnaa:lso had a vEiil'ffiillliol'1-painted steel door: a detaiil that was stl1ikunQI enough to' inspire the <lirchitect Gus,· faye Scl1h3icher, WhQ haidl visii'led Laos in Ul12, to recalll: ·'Tha.t,for me" was ttle l"Iew spilril'I"SO Back to Le Corbu!sier~ "Et n ',esH:e pas lie Iondement mei'l'H~!de l"ardhl1e(;;~ulr,e,oontemporairne!"'· he ,~s~ed in connec1iol'l wllth the proposed 't~aJncsf,~;m;l'lceo~ indushia~ methods, and materililsto the, builidifllQ seC~llr: "Trail"llsf~rer dans. la doma.ine' in~jnjment p:lllIs 'lfa:stedle II'aJrci1itectl"llre. les acqllJis d'll1lnova!ti,a!1et d'aullN~S pr'Oducte!Jr'Spoursuivant Ie,

de'srgl'led ,ac\I\ertku

merna: but.

.81

!Finally to arcihitectllJre. Tine: dirferences Ibe'1ween, S!;IY',1he MoilleI' HouGe ilfl ViennaJ by Leos (1[926) aind the IRlamilix IHouse in Paris Iby Le Co.rOusierand Pierre, Jeal1!rleret (1'9,27) are immedial'eliy evident, al11d clearly have som,etlliilQI to do

12'

wdth the ind'ulstlrlial methods '~hat Le Corb:u,sier. in G'ontr,ast. to Loos, introducedl into the buUldling prOOOE;s.(figl. 15",16} iMore ,e::~actly" it has to do w,i~h ~lh.eiilrchitectura!llimstQ,es of lindustrial fabri:ca~ion. The.se im3~es, • the,f,![!'otQry·slyle gllazi fl.g em the glround~loo:r of ~h:eIPianeix. Heuse, the matcl.hstick·thin supportsandl ~he ri~bon w,indows wotild be unthinkalble in a tees dlesigrn. Only one a.s,pect o,f modem ter(o-ooncmte ,oonslirllJotionl was, adlmit:l'e.d to, loos.' vocabulary ,!;Ind ~hal as 'early as 1'910 {in the Scheu HOLise); the flat roof. Sil1ce' tihey slilare a simi!arr composition, the faca,des ()~ the t.wo houses are particularly usefu'l examples with which to delineate the mutual lim its of the two ,archittects, iBoth hall€! a oentral ,iiID(is. (which ,cmlv in laos.' case 'oorresponds with the entmrnce doo',): lin both cases a, proJec1liilQ i,iIol'Lime is set on the mi:dclr.e ads at ~he '(Iirst floor' levelL, topped by' some i'orm of log:gia. 111'1 tine Moller House this IOgJgia is Olfl~ hinted at .,irnccm1lrast to the lristan Tzasa HOlJse (1[926·27, fi,g, 17') • the 9 rande'st o'falll the Leos houses" Another obvious compafilooil would be wah~he.VinaJ Stein in Gar· ches, wiith its odd "benedictiolflloggia".32 (liig. 18) If it was a question ol summanZlilig lin a S!lmple 'formlulla those elements that ullil,edl 'the two 8!rchilect!l un the unletnatijol1lal modernist movement 8rroundl 1[ 25, the link would 9 be 'their "Classicism", (lr peiFhaplS Iless Sl.Jpenicially, a snaredilratilOna:list ,d'i®ciplrne in the ma!niipl.J~alion ofa~clrlfl~ec· 'liUlr<li11 f,orm. Ra'tio:n.aiity in aN::h~lecture, of course" ijs Oil oorcept tha1' suggests. two fundi3ime'r'iltallly diUereU!'t oonoeptu!1iJ1 reallms, ElO!~t'larchitects wOIIJ~d seem to, t1~a\ile een ~ixated on b rhe idea of oomprehending the vartous fundamental pos:~u· lates of <I "rafional" architecture ftn a det<lclhedl, creative synthesis.1hat was, at the same' time, bo1ih arudaci'ouls and Classicilst, Fo both t.ecs and Le Gorbusier the quesfiol'l cou~d not be frarned ill lo!:!l'i'nsof "either· or", It was not a cholce between either an empi~lca~, positivistic ra~ionallsm that COil cent rates on the praotical alliance of purpose and matenial, and on the necessity of '[IU nctianl ·expressedl ill [Loos' case Iby the pJi macy o~ the mtingls" ult"ensils ulld the spatia..! plan:: in t'e GorbllJ5!ler's by s:tanderdiO!!ed ,obj1ffictsarn.d the "planfibre" • or an idealisl: and fQrma~i$t ratiolfla:liS!mthat orientates i~self arolJ n.d the IEu:clid!ealnibod les of ou'be, cone' end sphere", and takes axes: and "traces r,~gILllateuirs"as its rompositional basis. Nor waS iii: a choice between Darwin and Schinkel (for loos). or VioUet-lle-Duo and LedoiJ~ (for Le Corbusier), Bo1ih saw their task as theformulafiol'l of amlii· l,ectonic limage's of these 'two dtvergin:g 'Inlcitions oI archi· tectural r,arttona'llism(the "para£lox. ofreascn' " in AI!a1'!Colqulnoun's p'hlf,ase33),· imag:e.s invested, ,almost wilth the stallu!S of ,eterrnal Voerities,

~~

~D~ r--,!
~li.··t
i
~~~~~"':;';;:-!5"'''=:

H. CtiBllea

E, J'eaMefet '(I!.e ~siet~IWlB, S;cl'lw.ob\ Ut. Ohaux.,oe,.F>OOC!s,shKly ror

12, A(!Q[fI.oos •.s~ta$$ef .Apafln'liE!i'I'~" 'Vienna, din· i~g.fQQm (19f~S.:t9),. 13.. I!.e CQ:rO~r. Roneo ad",ertisemmU In t 'It;!;-

~~:~9~e),

;(l

~=~----=...........-~.--

PlJ1No~~.

~~g~,:ss:~~~

14. Le' Coo.mIM, llnn~tion ·a(iwi1igemetJt ~!'I L 'E$pltl ~li"lIa\l.l, 1:5. AdlM LOOS. Mallef iH(!llJse" \!'jgnn:a. (19(lB~, 116, lLe Cotibusrer ,1lliKI P,iml>l3' JieaJ'llOOrBt, PlaiMii>i: HOY~. Paris (1927).

T0 fiM, QUit how mu,ch La Co.rbu'sier knew of Une loosiialfll ""~\aJ.limplaf'l" {spat~1 ~Ian), as reaniz:ed ill e,~empliillry fas~i(ln in the Rufer HOLlise in Vienna (1922)r" woul:d be w"Ol'thy of S!ILHjyi n ilt~ own flight. Mote ,exactly, it wou~d oowo:rth i nrv~stigatingl~ihe to which La C:o:ro'u:Sier drew on the e'Xample o:~Loo:il i!'i!~Ua. desagns,of '19:22:·27.with~rneir 'Opeill Rlall'1:n iillg and mainly Ialteralooliln~ctions bewween rooms.34 Irh~!(jecisu\I\efac:I:o:r. howeve:r, is theiormSltiNe infruence , on Ibo~h toos' "IRalJmp~an"and le Co~blJisie:r'G; ., p!an libJ'e" o~'the: Engm.so COLH"Iitry howse: • alii infl'u:@,rl:oa ~hat pmbaoly reached the two .aJn;:hitects qlJiite ~nd'eiPefi!dently. ilntihe erxamples citedl abowlihi!S ~i1~llIliJiniCa not to be seen lin ,is piohuesC!l.iIeg rQlIp;ifilQs • the:'''prQme:'1ad~$aroh~tec~l!rales'' (Le Corbusier's~erm) diatillited by oomelStic ~um;:,1IiOril are, dev-eloped within l!t1;(i: oonte;:.::t o:~ slwoliIg:ly d~finoo >Dubie eoees, The ooordi n<aUon of iflte:rna;1 spaoeaJndl extem'illl form has a. d'ialecH~ quality ~ri! both dlesigWls; :a!rlOhiltElcture I!S understoodes the ernoloslJim of ill free:ly de'Ver,o~ed interior wi'liI'Iirliiilin architectural comp()si~ion conoeived interm$ of Classical mO!'lume!nlt.a:lism, The d~rrere:n.Qe's sep8r:a;lli~g the lw"Oan:;hit~cts: can also 15

Ibe sUlmmed up br!ef,ly in lWI) points; tj~sljly lL;eCorbil.lsier's (ulQpian)taflth in industry, seeoo.dly tJ is opirriol'll that ardnli:t:ec1Ju'r·e• in oon~rast llOthe IPrOO!Jc~iO!1 o,f uJ~i~ita[ia;rli Muse· holdl goods • Ibelorlgs~o the lre.e:lm of "art". This oolilVictio!i! m:ay ha.ve play.e:d'some pa~t lin Le CO'rbvs&er's 'd'eolSijOIi! to prilnt @nly "Omemelilt etcrim:e:"'ln L '.'f:spt~"tiNb!.weau,artd net "Af()tn~~:ec"1il.JI~'e lesty!e rnodeme"" e\!'~n ~holJigh ut was et anncmnoedl in an ediillo~iall as a for~h'OOmingl arti:cle.35 La Oorbllsier rejeoted·,(1eC'O'J":8!tI!(lnI ~nthe: a,pprieda~~s: ilnd, ~ike Loos, pla:ood u~inUlliSin objeots ol"lltside: ~he'splh:€lre of art, in a roolrn gOV"e'lln:oo by tM ~'lWS ofteonntc-al MO oomme~,oi'al 6rvo~Ji.I~iori. in O(l\l1itrast~o toos. he l1Ie¥e:rtost 1'1 is ,oorntic· But, liofl! tha~ afCtlli~:eiC."Ulr'ewa$lPrimS!~~I~yn :a!!'tfofl!'ifi!: "8~t we ar~ a ~!J!d1Unal 'd~co:r:ation ils Iflooe's:sarylJO ,om eiXis~en.ce., Let us oorrec~ that a~t is necessary to' us: that islo say" a df!Sililt~r· 'ested pas:sf,o!il~lhat e)(3l~s us." ,00 And fYrlih~r: "" .• ~o see thingiS clearly, it ns syWcie!il~: tosepa.r1li~e 11h:e sa~i5fac1iklfil of disi illtereSMd' ,ernoliQl)sJrom that of u11ilitaJrialil need!.'" And [ijnally:"fo p.r(I'rIo~e e!lev,a!~edl s,e,nrsa~ions is tliie! p:ne.r(lgatiye o:~p:roportiO:i"I,wiliich iis a selnl$ed ma!thema!tic~ it i:s affo~doo most pail'tfiou'laiily by ru'Cin!ilootme. ,·37 For le Oo.rbUlsi!l:r" ttuiliFefore. 3rcl1itec11l.Jlr,e iSi3JrlO rema/lns a

is

17. Mol. laos, izata 11'0!.!~, Pmls (19~21l' UI

1ft LIlCcrbu&ier atIC! ~iert,e Jeannerel. ,slilill-I)e Mbnzte, GalrChe5 (U}i2'7). Villa

domain of art Here" ilil oof1ltras'l, are Loos' 'thcu.!Qlhts: '''Only a ~ry small part of archii~ectJ.,lIre be!onQsto art: the gmve 8_liid ~he monument EV€\~lhil"lg ,e~se,; verythi n.g ~Iha'tserves a e purpose is, to be exdlIJdedl '[IF,om the ~eallm ()o~' art. ,038 It ls ill metter Oil' COflilenti!OrIi. whether Le Corlblisier's emo-

~ioPil<" detenceof

a:rcnrteatu!'e",s status: a:sa:n ,a~I'was the

weakness; Oil' llileMmtig1h of hls theoretieel system. It was a system thai enl,angled him in contradictions in ills attampts to lind architectllraiai1d technimII soluUons to' 1he pmlJlems 'of il"ldl!striali~tion. aes'lihetic:s and! massoOulllme" These ,oontradicllic;lI'ls are beyond the scope O'f this essay: they 8JF,e tile contmdictkms (l,r nile' mod'em movement. nile, 'tIToo.reticaJ syst,em. however, roadie lit possible ~or !him to expmiSs these' pmb!ems in W"ctrnh'lcto:njc lif1!e'h~phorsof Qliidustrial r,eamy.

,Zaneh, Ootober 1983

1_ FI£f)'OOr' SaMaro, TMoIy and' Deslgflin l11e' first ~e ~" LoIi'tl'On, 1900. p, 248, j orlgiJ11llJlyolltljned tile rel'il~O!ls!'!iP !)e;!wee!'l Le ,~si!fl aJIK!I LC!!CISin my mOrlog.raphle COJt)tl'$oief_ fl:$metl'ltl' eiJ:jgr 8yn!hese. Frawlflfeld aJrld SMlgwl, 1968 (~e Plle!H.9ml'."t 100. andl ~im), IIam gratelulto PtQf. ii!rnan eudd~nsiegiOl' g;wnSI 1M !tie qp,l)Dri1llrWiy 10 deve:lop and, where n_ssary. correct 11l!lS8rw;slobsmvalfons. 2. II..e'Clll'busier. t 'Art dtJ<c,orllll1 d'lmjoord:lNlI. faris, 1005. p, M.lra_llsAalions I'rom 'RIe D~iM Art ,of Today.lrnnslated by James IOunneU, I.ondon, 1987, pp.B4--&. 3, For ,details ~f L,e CQrDueiet'$ mle as llie jpumal's advilrtising ma:na,g.er. $lee: Stal"lislillJ~ \!'On,Mou.<;, "Stal'Kl\ard und Ellie, Le Caribusler. die IindusIr[e uno der lE1spMt Noo~eaul'·, in lilman BU(I'den,sieg aMI HeMing Q.!so m:JtzlJC~ i(QtJSh;i, i3lerliilil,ll9a,'" IJ:i\P, Iil.a2iS_, M 4, Ilnn()lila'blOl"lad~FI~FI'I-eM'Sappe!lFi!d In ~ne 'k!lklvNig Imlmbers of ,L'£$> prJ! ~~-Il. 1'1. 12. 16, 19, .20, 21, 22, ,29, 24. 2S, 2,fl, 27 aIilg 219,~pjh:J~ references ttl !nnOVolllion pltidu~ISlin the texIS"ete, 10be found in ,nul'nbi9's 21' 8001 24, T,Me conl~I' 'betw~f1 L '"E!ifNit ~1tt1';l'I! SJ'Id InMva;tlan, signee! on 21 ~P!erobei' 1 oommnilled 100, ooilC)l'S to piiiblish an article Ol1lllle, firms, prodUCIS! in, oonsiC!eration 01'lI'le adYarls, ~at were 10 QPpew ,in 12 i~!Sue!i. alii(! al$o 'to llifO{luOE) 1M W1"lolBI seri!!!'Si01 ad .... ens as, SJ ~Patal!! ptlt)licalion •• -00 ,manle-r;a ,;!J, ,constiluer Uf! ~ogue, OCiiilpiet des !lg9ll1Cemenls '~f OVATION'_" (ArcliliY Fonda~!On I.e CocWsier,) ~nnl:l\fa'IIQI'I was also fn¥OOred fill 'the Imni~i!1!g of the IPavi!iO!1 de, l1Esprlt N.aweall in, 1~ as we!ll Q.1Iiei' fDr!rni$lhal: ~nistild in "tttl! ,joomal (rOf el'!;smple '1M firm ~o), Q,i'I, 100' OGlIahcralion of L 'E,spriI No.iNeauan.d Inno ...amiM. SGQ: IJUioa Marlina Cdlli, ,ArI6' arleg_ra'n~l'lo' e ~ M~iI poo!ica d'i.l.e Co.rOOs.ier, 18i!1i.1982, IP,p,4U ,; G1adiYl>,C. Fa!:Ife. ·'L'&,prll. roodeme d'arm 18,peilll'ture' figurauve, De I\ico;na:gtall~' modilf,i'lbste, aUI lJKKjer~e d'e eoflI~p-tiOl'i"" ilil ~er eo! j'~l m.od~e.OOihiblliol'l e3Jtal09.YEI, Pari$ and tto(iu$kin, '; 982, iJt). 81·'143. 5, L :E$,Pri~ ~rJ. no.. U'l' (no pagfllla1IOiiI), Compare L 'Afi ~atif ,1'iW~'I:II.Ji, abo';.te.~ta 2, I'lP,.8SI: '6, Adolf Loes, "&l:vulau8stellunglaer Kliins4l~erbe$Oliu!e··, iii DieZM. 30 nO\fember169'7', roprinled ilill1.oos,lfIsl.eefe~, if.eiVla., 1981,

flowe.

m.

ItIIolJ\Iealli. see~ Arioor FlOegg, '·Anme:rkungen zum 'Equipment de liha'bilatio!ll' unCI mr 'PQlyCliroml!'!, in!erieure· Dei leC!;i!OO$ier". in.l.e Corbus.iSf- La ricm'C<!~rll, e:li!hibft.iQnCEl'r.at~e, !.,ugan1), 198i!l, W- 'i5'j.'j 6:2: 1100 AOegg'. "Vomt!1iMeur z~m Eq,uipmme~1_ Aus~Ie:llungsbeilrlLge v-~n loa,Co~sier ~'925-~'935,", Archljllm.s.e'~. '~'m !iJ.15.loDs.,il soo~ l!>e I'IOled, ..... Ipj:), as1ffl!'11 iiil'~iiIIled a'OOut loe Corbu5cier'~, di'1Uoui~ie$ in '~umishirl(ll ~h!l Pav,illon de, l'E~1 No:u .. eau, iii !'1iisCap:ilCity aii I\'irls, ageiil'~ of the Ver;ei.nigro UP·We.' in BrOnn, '!'!i1'!.O ~U~Ilat ti!ll1e wel,ij] clutyjng"QoyI, c;omnNsS1ioos '~r Lfl CoroUSier; see: Bemillard Rl.!~iilOtloio, <lndl Roland Scl1aehel\ I1da1f L,oos, .L.e~ IPi'd ~k. Salzwrg 19&2,p_ 3lO8: note 954, 8.Adolr Loos 11II11i~ QbiluMjllor the ca'blnetfl1la~_er vei!!ic!io~ "Josepiil Wil· 1101'1;", Fran/dINt&: AJ/gemeille Ze.!'IutIQ'. 21 Mar,ell 19~~l 9_ .Adollloos, "tn!erreUJS'·. NeIJoeFteie'~, 5 J"lIM 1i898. i\eplinted in k1s 10. I.e' Oorbusiet 1It$1 '>II81iloolila USA ill 1955, If#1'lereas,U!oos cou!d dmw 011 his OWl1\, ,~ellstv~ e~pelieooe, of 'Ihe ,coulll!,),. !1iI ~PliIB QI !I1Ii~ • or pcroo.ps becau~, 'tlf ll1isl • Amencan arChilec:wre anal,AimQllican ii'idiJslrial Iorms proviGed. ~igi'li! fr,Qffl the OIil~Ge1,.he, i'i'iII)dels ror ,le ~siet's rer~~, 0flI tll1e ·'AFI'IelicalliS!'jj(' oi L 'Ewri.r ~~au._:fll'likl HiJpIlrt Die,funJ;:-

1,

W·2J;2!l all t!1e un,te(lOr Of the pavilIOn d'4ll'Esplit

teeJ:e 9~p;OC'Ilen, ,~,

iiOlli 6" 168-14.

2:4

tii:me1le $19(11'. U CQJt!l5\iets StmMsioo'· ~tu'l,!:lBil'. ,Motive, ~I.ef{}~ Blaunsa1'iwaig.1918: and' snBn'liSlaus von Moos, "Urbanlsm.aM Trll=ul111ur81 E:)lcb~$1191'O. 11900"" in H. ,AJlen I~S (eel.). I.e CO.rW 8J'e;r'Ar;chJ'III'$', vo!umel 1(1. 1'98.'3, '1,1, AdGil~ l.OOS, "Gles yi1l(l Io:n,"', IfIi\ew FreSe PnlsS9, 2Il Juml '~ase,roepnntec! n ,1m teem g.tl'Sjlroc~, ~.!::IOve. roale S, IP,p, 8a·Sll . 12, See: Adolf l.oo1;, ~!IiCIle ,Sc/:lm:retl., volume '1. Vielma and MlJnicnl ~962, p,p,~ Sf;f, 13. See also ,alXM!. ooil! 5. Oriliclsms 01 design ,edllWitioo. ofihe Wicoor Werkillarlle arK! t1ie Wed<lbuoo are conSIWilty ~ecuifi!'i9 1iIleme i'I I.oos' W1I11i1ll9s,1M IiI1;:t fullln8jOl!' cl)!l!ron.tali(m wilill 'tne S~i¢rI '0'1'<1$ "[)ie, 'QCSdllctll.e clfles <Irll1l'iel"l r,eicMn, Mi!ooe-s" (1900), 1ihe best known and mMi inlluenilal was. 01' Ui~'. "OtTIamenl uooVe!brecI1efl" '11'006). 1<1. FQr lOOli' \lieW$ oflt)i'tPogrlijllly. Sell hIS essa.:'i" ·IBocMru:~k-er". NeIJe Fr918' PrtlsS8. 23 001:QOef 1S98. replinred ~rl ltI~ Leero ~.n. ruxwe" note 6, pp, 168:1'1'.• <11i'11;1100po5i!acrip~ ,of 1931: "\JQIiI aer kooslliUk· niYiSo1:enis ~I!!I' WJet1ier WcrkstlllJte elllfj, IrG.n1;'·, fJ)it1,. W· 2lOOfI'.On Le c Conbtisltlt"s I)la$SiOonate, rej;ee!iOf'l of Josef ~rs" Bauhaus 'ty;oog~p:l1re, reo.: Giad¥S C. F;abre, "!L'Esprilll"liOdeme dans ra pe.inmum rll!l~ratt"i... ", e 1IDo1{e" note 4. p. 113:: ~I~. ·n·113. . ~5, Das~re, 1'10, t, 19(13, 'po 1,'1. 16, Allred FW'II1. ~lIung mil PiOl'l/erell, Sasel and Sluiigarl, 1m3, IP,p. a7. L 'Espril ~rJ. no. 2. p.l59. The Ia.$t·(j~ted pa$~e i~la!l:jm lrom Le CCirbll5;ler's esr;;ay 00 "'Omaroolll unci 'IIerbrect'ien'·. p!!!),!isheci in " 93() in 'the Fraflldr.rrl.BfAlIgedleine ZlJilvl!9. qUOled Ilere fmm AUkSctlcfo and Sclhachcl. Adolf lOO$, above, nele 7, p, 279. FOf ttlr1ihtlt' diteC! Ir,efe~eflces to i1.oo<s, scg" IA Comusier, !. 'Ari dkcfBi'itCf8lJjoufd'lw/, pp .. as, 13'1 a.nd l=Ia~~, The ver~i.Qn 01 "OmOO!leI'lI el dime" pyt.Iiel!'let;l 'in l 'Esplti' l'IOOittfil·u' ~$,a r~ptilfI! QI lhe imnsfalioncoml"li~ned r;y GOOfg;cS SesSoDiil, ii1hir;tJ appe:ar,e(!1 iii! ,les Cafli'OfS d'twjoorrnwllin Jllne 19~3;see: A~ocloands:.chac:hell.Ald'OItLOOS".abOve, nm'!3,;r,p, lla2.1~: we~ not b~ ~ance ih~~ lle 'CoI1busieF !alet" dated I.QQ:s' famous, arlLclr!l "alltouF de 19~2" in L 'ar-I ,~fJrnd'~"iM. a...t:i(iwe" ,note 2. p, 131, 100 tlI~ •. delaiis of tile persana! conlacis oot'iM!Ein ILo ~$ier ,(,orCIl, E, Jronoornl}. Qz,eil'4r'1"t a!i!IJ !LQos; are 001 the prime coooern 01 Ililis articlil. 011 ~11ls SlIb)e:eI, ~ in 'par:l.icular: ,RtIkscl1cio ·and Sena.Cl'!teI, a.1)oye, i"IOle '1. pp. ,2'39.and pa:sslrri; and IElsie A1tm:a(ln.L~$, Adolf Loos.. De! Merrscb. 't.f1Sfli'ili!Jand MU!1!ich. '!'968. p'. 123. Alii ,!tally a~ May 1920. wtiooloos was slaying ill PariS, Oz;en!alli and .mamerot fiI~ IliIeiI "CCmlJlUfjQlfi (I'id'ee-s" with Lees, anclll'lehf "!enteni respecl"' for Lees in a.dS'diCalicn written in O1eir bOOk Apres Ie cutN$meo. Pari!;,. 191118~i!\fori!J1lll' 1100lrom Atloor R~9, who QlN1iIljllhe,~,P'I irl q,tllKtiioo). Thls dedicali¢n is 1u;s:kel'eCI in kl:ms 8alliger, k'1I/aJ'og 7. ~umemliOOn K.iIM!' I1rId Lil-eflliwdin 20, .l8!!fflundMf'$·,101ic:ll. t9SQ'.IP, 25. Seel alw, bel{JIW. MtQ

.2(1, L ·O{1t.fJml.OjjpBnfl offJC:ield.flla Fedefliil'Otld'eshMilec4'es

;2'1.

22.

23.

19m.

24,

25.

26.
:21',

28,

29. 30..
31. 32.

1a. Uuer oi 22 Novemba 1900. irI Jelll'l P,SlWI,UColbusiel hii-mi!m6', Geneva, 1970, ~,p, l4.J6, '1'00 infimmc9 Q~ OibliiCh CIn !!Iie' ,5Cd!e ,d·Art III.
la Cliau:o;-(ie,Fo!'!d's has hardly boon S'tudlieCl, Someo moteS aJ,e!o 00 rouooln S'timilil(!U~ V"C>r1 ~, '·KIo~ter. Ale1ltlt' I!JlIC Tempel. Mrmerkan· goo Zil Chorloo Ed~d JeE!.nne-~et''', Arch/these', ,2. 198:3, PP'.44<01& 19,. ~Jlroo Rothl sec ~, 1i!~16, p. ,207. ooggests Ii poSSIb1e, by~ LlfiiOundecl rmeeting Ibel ....Coo Jelmnllil'(:t and ILooa in IRe, wiJUer 01 1001· ' 08, .aM mor,sIFilaliii"lly IProf, Fiene ,,!ulIIan, sp!laki~~U.iI. oonler-ence i!'l Vienna. oos 5UggIlSIJ)d II\!iI Jeanner,et's, enoounl:cr wlU1ll.oos' Vi!t.nnese lOyi(Jings.wa~ One ofilia, gr~llIOOmools ill hiUrchiteclura! 1i!e:.18111Il..oos is ktU)wl'I to have beelil moving III thai 6ma lil'l circles of v,lliiiclii ·Jeannerel had no kMiNI$(!ge. !t is also sln.:ing ~hM Je-annetel ~ f'iO~mE!nlioo toos 'CMl~ lin 'the fMJe SlJl fe m~d'd'arl Gi'I aihmlagris,l.a! C!'!i!U\Il" d'o.fond's. 1912, ~iVen tl1¢ugh J'eaooefet hoo oo",lsi1'ed ViSni'l;l in 19~ 1.

35..

33. 3>'1.
35.

S~ e1 de 1'~~oiIiliM' S~, 11oml?.ncI'ed'e I'AlI1' QI tM t"ft:rdusfftQ, lnG, 2. 19'14, pp .. 36ii'. "L',(!]~hitS'¢~ifloe, e:i re slyl'e mOOEime"', in CiiJilieirs d'~~. no. 2, Decembe.r191e, pp. ~.; '!lieorigii'ila1Ik1Mt~S kI,bi!'fm.ind!n A!XiI1Loos. .s~lrtale ScM/WI, ·YOlu~l. a!)O':'oiQ'. ooto '12, 3OO.J~,B (IlliK!er the tiU'e "Archite~!yr'l Tile $arme ,ertickl was sUDooqIOOfii'liI)' pUbliS'!'!ec! in Octobei'11900 ynd9i' lila 'till!! "'Atl 91 ar,cbileclme''', in MUon. ~!S' de ptiifCsrJ(JNe er .a'MI. whicl'i ,~if'lS why ihis tell(l was not OO~lislried lin L 'E.$pri,' l\Iilw;gau (1009 also oolow. note 35.J On 'his queslio.n,see alSO Colli, ArIa. aJtegianaro elecniea ~/a poetica Ci U Ct)lbuskll, abow. no,te 4. p, 123,. who cliscl1lsS>e'S, Jcal'iner,&1;'S essay ",L!! ~.noU',"calJ dam. I'~chiiec.ure" wilnoul itlenlilyWlg U"le Q).iCIt'3lion,llmm toes. 01'1 the inlluelllCill 01 Clng.ria,'s. boOk on te Corbus]er. \!ofIlo a;l!'loOleJted liIi$ OW'n GCIpy 9Xtenslvety, ioo~ Paul V. Turner. 'TIre E~!kNl'Q'f!..e Colbusier. New' York, 1971, PP, ro-91. OIfI~n~wi!faS"ai' fa.c'l'O~ QWi'iler-G Ibuili by JeaJfliilCrel inla OF!a'U~-de"F(J1iId!s; and U! ~ fI'I ~hll yaaffi 1'91,2·'14, ooe: :SlanislauS',von Mo.os. Ul',Co,rw' sJ:&: fi.mlm:l'/s of iI' Syrlln.asis. Cemtlf,iCige', Mass., 19791 pop., 12·,20, arid Jacques G!1bIer. "Die KlJOOen van Jeatiliiere~". ;t.fCIWlJte..~. 2" 1982, 'P,p. :n&8 AlllxaOO~B CiI1gri"8, Les Er:r/re/ilffls de' la Villa d.uR~l. nll:J18. p.. ,26;2. Jeanner,et nole(! i!'l !'!i5 marginal oommei'i"ls llilat he iliad a1r>BlIdy Ih.oo sOiila!" 11lo~1$ ~rif'ig a !rip!O '1M ZlJigspilm 'IPJ,oOO'bly inllile spmg of 19'10. ·SeE!; Ti,Jiin~F. Tne Ed.rJCStfon 01 ,I..e' COfbtlsim';, above, oole ,22, p. 86,. AOOff t.ees, "A/r(;!IilekIUI". iI'boye, nOle ,2;1. Sea: .Arth.ur FlC!e{lg, "Ch3l1I~ EC\)UalId JcaJfliilCrel. alIcllilecle oonsei! POUf t'OUleos iil:s.'l:lueinl£iM de d6c0fllJtiOl1im~eure". AJclilhoass. 2.19S3. W·3'9>4.3·· See: Ad(Jff ~(JQ:s, "Wtt!lIluJlgsmo<leri"" In Frarrkwrter AI,Igeme.irJe Zei· ~1:I!Q9,EI OeQ;emOBr 1007. 'CiY!Qled in Fhl'kscl!ii:io 11m! Scooooel, ~d'OInOO$', a.1Xr~.s\' f1O'be''!. P. 1'10, Allred RO'~n. ~n.1:i'IlgIiIfI mJ"f Pfooienm, ,~\ l'Iote 1,&. PoP· 1971-1,On Loos' Pards oojl;)um. see'abt!¥e, oole 1"1 .ll.OO$.·was <lC4.1!I~ in'o'!:tOOro I:a'k<i part in the ~9'14 SalOl'! d1'aulom!l'e, !lilt the e::oohiblliOil w.B.$ abaJlldoood al llie QUitm~a_1t;. V@.lt\e ilw!ta.li()!l w<l'8 finally la'k~ up in 1900. (If Roneo ad ... Uscm!lrlls appear,ad! in,tTIo'loIk:JiioIinglis'S1UIIS of L 'Esp.ri! Nou~ ~u: 24. 25.26 and Edi~OI"131 ,comments en Aooeo,,pro(!yc-t!! w,e, to l!)e, 10000 In issues '18,19', 22'. 23 IInoI24,. fiuk$¢n(:il) al!l(l s<;n.aCI1eII. AC01f LOOs, abQl.re. nol'e 'l, p~. ; 711. I._QCoitM,J~ieoi.~ ~'al'Cl1'ileclW'Q'modelM', ,P.ani:;i, 192-5. p, 100, see d1!l dillailedl coliMlenlruy lin Simisi!aus, VOrl Moos, Leo Co,roosier. flemen.leeiner S¥nil'1esfJ, abD .... , ncle ~. ppo.S1 ,100f. 1i!Jrlner d'.everOj)ed e in the AWleOCa.J'!,~ioo~· ~e same~. ~·e, POte2S, pp, 71-a2; e.nl:! aJw Flu-ksebeio a.lid Schaooet, ArJoff LOi:i\9', aww~, Iii~' 7, p.. 332. Allen CQlqu'!'!oun, "!.oa, Cor!JlI.!$.ier a!1id 'tne ~a~{i; of ~Gn"', UI'Ipub liShed lec~u"iEi' deiNered at W!e THI Deift, 1981. 'On l.OQ~. i!FmOOrlanc:e tor" 1iIle ,arci'i!S\':M'o& Of F\iri5m, I~e: Koooolh ,Fram,ptOll, MOOe.m AldlJ'I'ecruM. A ClflfCal HJsIDly, l!oodDfl ,a.oo Nell'!' Yook. 19B,I.IP'P,!lIE; and passim. IRuksclKlio M(! &;~et!eI, i'I Actoff LOOS, alXl .... ~ e, 7. IP· 250" aJS(;ribe thi!i omission lila 'coofirtg, dO'WI'I in 100 'Imalicnshlp, ...nth I.oo:s. !II fact boos' .he journal Aclion.' Cahi6J:s de p!tikY.;opI!Je e;I d'm1 !\!lCl, in, ,tile meantime, oi:loiBii1!edi 't!'!e rigllis to some' originall !.OOs· te~I$:. perhaps lincliJdilig ~nQ~' in11ln4ed l'or L :Esp"I' Nooveau. 'l1hill 'PFCiVOkedl'Omnfant 10 slmd Ihe fo1la.wlrtg IIngl)l' notQ 10 Jeanneret ~le eomusia}: ''Nous semmes dan, IJOO' vllam~ sll.uafionll.vet::. ee, Loos, car', landi:!, Ql.!i!I InOU$ reproduiSiDl'IS des a!"licies, ,deja. jpublies en Ilan1ti!is, et CQfli'ili.r~; de IOUS (na.meIY 'Ometnem el. crime". s..~'!M,), I"au,ti'e fC'l'lJe plllblien'a d'(! l!ii'l6dill

w..

n.

25

~U1sque ,",otiS !ie-s en tlil3illM, a'\i\eC M. l..OO$ 1St qum wm lail ,dl!l$ prolll'l~S. ~e;i;t,~ ~~I serall Don qoo voos lui dem;lifi(lie!1:: de liC!!Us,laI~' parYeror d'mgtl'tl~ at!i~ inedit Cel'a S8lJ111Ofall nMFe $itu<fliOn.·' LeRer or s July 'i 9aI. FtC lboil!! A2 (15), 36,. ILe Corbi!l$iSf, L 'wl ~1Ufld'mJjoul(1'hrA ~loove. notoe' 1. P,'8.6 •.~fa~a,· 11MIfrom ~i'itieU. p. as.. ,37, ,Ibid, 10"87,IranGiiation fromIDlmneU.~. a&~. 38, AdOlI ILoos,. S#mtlJ'a/Ie ScMften, wi. t, aoove" liOte12, W' 002:-318. ~oUllion lailei'l ftOm'p. 315. ..

un

Orlg' '1€lOlt HlLe' Corbusier uoo tees' in~'!Menl unci die, Iill:hileklUf des 2.'0 Jali1rllu!lderis. AAteti d(n XXV lfItll11laliooa!lm KOllg'ross rt:Jr K!.III$!ge$ChiiCI?t~, W"..efi, 18d.8, 'Melli, 1988, ppd37·150, 207 '2:~e,.

26

Adolf Laos, bern in 181'0. worked as an arohi~eot fmml898 until his dea;lh in 1933. His pJofe.ssiionallife thus eevsrs the periods.~rom tha turn of ~he cefl'ti..Iry' UplO tlhe G,r,eat W,ar. IaIM ~rom 1lhe Glre:a:t W31 up to the' Deil:lresskm, He Iiv,eo iin Vienna until 1924" arr~er which he operartedl mainly fn::lrirn Paris. Adolf toos bel'ievoo lin the e:\!Iol:utton olf arotlitfiCli.J re, a selective development IDeS&gn, he thought, lsa selecti\fe' oontinu~tion of '1Jr.i;Idition.changing circtlmslaincesde'ter· mine the 1easiibrlity of inf1lovabofls, ,andl wi'th tihese qpinions he dista_l'IIced himself first ~rom the Vienn~ Seoessiion. ,JllIgelldlstii ,a~ohiitoot!l who, stressed personal Oil'liginal'ity. Sind later 100m avant-garde arclililtects Who Inegardedl a comlplete' b.~e.a'k wlilh 'Ilraditkm <IS in,evi~ab'le, _ 1he spa.lial compile'xilly of his, li3Ite large villas" howevell', ,oorrveys an impression oif a unique, nO!il-reprod:oolbie pe:r·

~iorn, rransJa;~ir!g •'Raumpl'afiI"

II

developing

a 1heQJY,'the word h~s a ohiefly po:lemi:c8lhmc·

alS • 'spaoo

it with what I reg!alrd ,~s,neoessary, oomp:iimeli'l'tary p~ans:the

plan", [ISiu,ppIOOlen~:

awilil,eclmal quality. No '1r,avelsketches ot his exist nor was he enthusiastic ~balJt p.hotography as a means of convey· ing an:ilitectlJm, IHe did, Ih.owever, suggest 'that 'good Slrdhli. tectUrfi' can be descrnbecL 1 The rnelih,qod dl~crip~ioo uS>edin Ulis article is basad on of "mental n~prOOucibility": wind steps have to be taken, ,and im what order, ilil order: 10 ,!:'mive' ala d:e.sigrlfor ~tn~,house lin question. I'll my view' thjs m.ethodl is 'O'f v:aluelo ~~ooe who Ibeli:eve in the evohJticm of,a,rcniiteatmeand in aJfQtJiOOc1Jufa~ t~aining. The me1ihod appliedl Ih;e~e ia inspired by the' "P(;l'It,em Language" of C. Alexander. A design is built up of steps which he calls: ·'''paUems;;, A paUeJI'l is a. solution fOf a :spa'iial p~,ob'lemwhich has proved its quality in practice (,_ tmdition). Eve'r)' panel'lf'll fepr,e,senl:s a value- The parUem is ,an experientiall rule, not a llaw. Patterns sl1o:u'ld be t&stedl iii the actual situation {selection:I}, The 'emphasis illl ~his ,i!1Jr~icl~ on odh;er,ent deooription, is :suoh descriptilOl1doos net ho,w,e''ioI'er cl!aiim to 'be .~record or r'eoon.strtUc,1iion the actual desig n p:roce:ss, of RaumpJ'an Adolf teos' particular oontribution to architec~ur,e is IUlsuall1y summarized under the headingl of "Raurnpl1liIll"',a term introducedl by KlUlllka,one ,of ILoos" pupills.:? Raumplafl was filo'l precisely de'liined, as more aspects of Laos' work were de!Soribed, the, concept of Raul1i!plan grew ,a;ooo:roing' Iy. lit ls a oontainer concept Since" Raumplan!! ill only used in 'cc;mnectkm with Laos' 'wo:r~, ilt has play·ed 110 pan in

. How does that fiit in with his views? That is, the, ques1ion we' hope ~o answer in lhf,s article, Ad'dl~ Loos had little faHh in the drawingl as !:linindicator 0,1

sonal inveni:iv,eU!ess.

sensaJI]ofil and a'~mo:sph:er,e. N,IS. '~he qli.!~I'iflca!Uo.n"a eert of::2:dimool$ionalspa;oo" ,~'eCQg' nises thaI any Qroundpl:an Iha,c$ S, dimensi:QmIII c:O:rli6~i~u· a ent the, work Loos ptoch.u::ed aroul1id the pBl'1iod of thel Great War, but wi'~hol!.lt traCiing their evol'lJitr,olil.At ~hat. time Laos had,alre~tdy oo!W~rlOOalbolltrorty aparlments and had built
I start by deoori'bing
<I group of "pi31UernE;" ~I'tnnflnt

I'iving plan" <In-oHhe"ma~f!rlial plan"',1'9!roupthe"pa.ttems," round ~hese 1lrllr,eepl'ans (space, Ilhliing and ffililteria:I)" 1. "Raumplafl" - "spaoeplafi '" - 1he Imafiflef if'll which a sort ,of dimens;i'onal or verticall space lisorderedl. 1'1'"1 Which is oompounded: . 2. "Uviing pl\anl" - the way 'the grQund plan, a sort O'f 2 dimensional or horizontal space iis ,order,edl. a" "Materiall p~an" • the way the various building and sI.u1aoul1l9 mat.:miais .ire employed, to ,g'ive lil!duml and UU.!IS

to

sever,alliP~iv.at,e houses, I go 01'1 to show how lniewsolutions in tees: wo'~kwere irdluenced by a re-orreliltatiolil towaJrds the "classics", Fin,a;lly I de.scribe the "rfluil'tsof 'this re.oriel1~a~iOIl as ,ex.empl.ifiedl by his Ia;s~~hr'ee vi'lh.iIS,; Vi'll~s Tzara, Moller ~he aJndMOiler. It lis im;pQrl:aJnll ~hat these (fesiglrls w,flrie aduailly Ibuilt, because on~ u:n,der~he I::M,essure O.~a'©~J.llalcil'oiLImstences canarcihitectural mutations; prove tlh~lr worth.

A survey of patltslmS de'v,e lopedi before~he' IGreat W,ar _

Living IPlan The, mos:tg,ie'ne:r,all sta.tement which ,can be made ,a;oout habiltattfo.n coneeme the degree and the' !'Ia~ure ol~'the ,d'istri· bli.!W:m 01:Va!riOU$, Iivi n:ga'Otiivit1e~,Adolf l.ees' dw.e;llingiS are marked by a matXim:Ulrn f three-diirnensiional compactness, o and a concen~ra/ti~n ,of I'ength, width afld height lihe oppo· s!ite is demOil"!i$,trated by, say, IFrank UQyd Wrigl1rI's pra:i~ie' houses, or the traditto.rle'l Japanese dwellings which aUracted architects' ,arUentiofi lin Loos' day.. In European stone·builit vmas, comp~,"ctfiless. is 'the I!'iu!era~tner ~hanlhe ,e)(ceptiolil, loa'S avoids wings" artr1eXeS and s>elparat~ OuIhOlJses.

Co.mpact living

21

l+
Mov,emenll: Aoonsequlfllfloe of (lompac:t livilllg ls ~hat linl~irnal contacts oWre maximi2!eolanal ,ex.~:e'tnal (m~aJGt5 mini· o mized" aJl'1otit'ler o:n:~equemoe isth~ approac,h to~he neuse c as <l!r'iobjecL lhe,r,e is nogr;adU6~ e;derril'al pmparaHon (e.,9', lodige, foreco'u rt, g~~e. courtyard" horH door)" Loo$shiUslhus glradiu~ intwOO!.1dlonlo the compact living pla.ces m~imn.JrTl1l e:mpnasis 'em eIll1:e:ri a~d Ileaving, n:g a'lw,ays upwaJrd. The 'oiierence bet~!Fll ~he U\lingl~e~ the g1llrd!El'11 IbrUdg~ j;usl ouU,lide ~tJ~back dioo~. is and s<i;;ltso~:~'ol,Jlr(iL!li!ctkmaJllllev,elis. lhe top, and bottom le\i€[ls·, aUic and basemenl res:pectiv~ly • aooommoda:te 11M: seCurl, dary hJUlctiofls amplly ~ep~ese\l'l11JOO the viilhis programme. in Thesa are mainlly se;Nioe1lireas (s~orage, hea1ling,- gara,ge, w~shing. ironilllg,s~a;1 quarters, etc.}I, The I~ving programma is imiP!e:ma,ntedon!h~ twO' rnfddl.e J6'vers. 1,M .fower of the t.wo co:nta:inlS the comfficm Wvungrooms, the: IJPper ·olile the \iaJio!JS! OOdroomsandl ~ela!~ed Iacmtfe.s Sitloh as: b:aJhrooITl!$ andl dress!ing·:rooms. The ~Mng laye;r le8loii;ldirectly outside (einltranoe. ve:raJrli· dle), and is hence Une mOM publ'ic (If the lom llevels, The slleepi ng Ile\l\ellits onlyaccessitile~rom the IMng level" privfli' 'r::y is thusens!ulr,ool. Movemen~s: V,er1ici1lIll diiflerlfllfltiatio:tll of tlhe liliing prognamme ,g.e:n.e'raites \l\srtica:1 mo,vemelnlt in the hO!Jse.thiis movementlaJkes pl!ace via sta~~cases, OO()asiio:niillya sma:l~ se:rviceelewjo(f' anCl irr a.lla~e:r hO:l,I!se ~MOller) viaJa ptl!sse:n;·

privacy) lheve[l'tlicals~FliJcture of Adlol~ loos' town house.s cor!'

The' .difference bt;:!lweefl up and down (gradient

(J~

vertical

The difference berween lelland tighl ,({Jfadient of lilferaJ privacy) .A dis,HnCiti:vefe.a:tL!~·~ot Loo$' houses: isthe prom:lI.moed diffe:rellloo oehveen leU and riglnt Movement ffOmhOlllt 1'0 b8lc~ ,i!!;> tOn:ge!IF,as illl classi:oal an::)h~te(),~l,I vi1ll~he (lenh8J11 no te, axi,s. laos re-routes Une mOVem€Ml~alo:n,g one of the !5~des, whem he pl!aceiS a. dOillllKl"oom wiitha.n oul:side view. Whether the ciloakir'oom ~son thelen, 'or Irigl1il:(~epends 0111 ttlesitua.tion and ti;elnoe on 'V~h:ether the nrLoveme!i1t has a lIe~lor . (hom hOllil to side and rear). Goml::ii ned with :stair bing, ~his gte'i1era~~s:a spifal mtrvem~nt The sr,de' with~ih)e dloakr'oom [,S the Uviir1g side of the house. The opposille !Jade ,oontains 1in:eservioo area, o,Uen irmrudinQ U1,e: kitchen. TIl1s p.rovidas ,ki~:chetl':s!l'aif1wi~ha sliiott cut to tliie:hmn door, Ad10liF looofumishes his Irooms i nl a way oOl'u::luoii\lleto a 'oellltrihigiall use ·of 1Ih;@! space . .A.cti!vit1es shiU~olih;e sides of the rooms, leaving the middle hn.31hiis meWilshl.t c.Q1.Jc!he·!;l diini n,g"n;lom hnf1i~!Ure are no IOngiS'Fin ~1h.e;lr and haJcfitionaJ position ~n nUll mid!dle o~ 1Ih;9: room, IOYl :a~o!ilglih:e: wallis,,' acll]viily areas ·aJ~~ now oriented t:o.wards 1ihiE! empty space lin the mid~dle. In loos' w()~k this Ge'atilng p~Uem nearlyiilw....ay:s w(jriks aut H~: usedl ul rO\r~he dhli 1'1;9ama in his OW'l1lh01JtS~,~holilgh (JOlt aiway'S in h'5 o~hef projects:,where!he d1nirlg :tabJe oUenstill1 ooct!p,ies the mk1d le of the room.

The:centrifugal use 0,( spaoe

Q,ere~e\laitl;lr.

The dlffeN3.nOf!Jbetween' t'rcuH and back (grodiel'~t of a,xigj privacy) The tOWIl') heuses relaite direcHyto, the streett, tllle street· ~rol1ll is the m()cstIPlUblic and CO!il~:ai!il$iihle enlt~a!!i'loe. The t princ~pall'i'Vin;g rooms ere at the back, faoin.g aw,8JY hum the stJee~~Clwards the pr~\late outs!lde·area,llhe side with the gr eSltE!rsl p:nivacy. This paUem dis~irnguishes 1lh.&se tlIo:UiSeshom the tradi," tionaltowti1lhous!ii, Which! is orv9:liItatedtowaNj!s the streett, alUlOuglh workilli1g·c~as:s and mididle...o1as$ GwemunQSby loos
1

am street.-oriented.

Thed'ii~et'fl!ilce oolweenfrofilt and back 'is only sigfli~icaiilt cmlne rivling IreveL The bedroom jB~II" beIng ,higher, ~how$ less dine:r,enoe in ~lhis:fe:spect. Mtrv"emeru: The JrOJ'llblbaok ,giH,erenoe introouced movement~r.(lml tlrlehon~ towards 11M IF,ear(fig.,.'1). 'The diffe~enoe , belweeil'll street Ile¥ell and living le\I'fll is 6ridlged just beyond 1he'~Folilt door" mo:vemernltow.a:rd!Stne maun livilllg space [$

Tifle simple .exterior In loos' houses, COMpact ~iV~filg pa:ClIk.edinto a si rlrIpl~, lis o.:si:CO~biC Sit'lfQ, soont~om oyts1de, thec:e:nlhipe;ta!1character dom! !1!a~es, Leos' white"&llasteredi, I.madomed ClUlbiG ,e:x:rerio:r,s(nota.· bily~h9: Sleirle:r houlse) Ilabe~him as af'Qr,erul'llnte'r o,~Functional'i:S!i'li1I, illt more reoently i~ Ibeel1l p()inted out~lila:t hewas: b Ih:ill.'Ii i~sp~rledl by the s~mple bO:Ulr:geols archi~te()tll,lre o~:arQundl

1800.

1:h~ difference befween top and bOlttom Wh.eNll required by Ilocaliregullations, the N)of ~s piitc!hcoo, but ~h)@! chosen ['arm· a c~ad Ie:Qrmansard woof _.emphasizes

28,

lhe Sp~iJ;;{N1!nc~osinglaispect iiiJrid '11I1e: ·te:mu::e in ·f,r·ontof the living space prOlVides a link with thu~·gmu nd. 'The difference .bet'W88:n ftotd and back Soon [!r,om 1,h;e~ront, the !house has an obj;ect-like, cheraeter and from the back mo~,eof a sp6oe-shapin.g cheraeter. This space-orealtingl character was tater expressed lncrsasingly by a terraced construcfion. The difference between left .and rigfll 01'1 the ,outside the diffenilnce betw·eell lien and riglilt lis p'layed down as: mu:dh as passiblle. The oompound lmefi.Of The ir1rilil'rior is composed ot cubk: spaces, oome, earlly works d~splay the odd e}iioepti:on o:f a. OO:u lj SpaCiiii.. Spaoe n on the sl'eeping level js defJ\l"led by bedroomsWhichaJrfl in:diViidualliy a.cces!Sible hom the circl!lationar,ea. The Ikvingl rooms ar,e related in a variety of ways: we sh@11' ttiere:for,e 'ooI'lQentra,te' on ~l1eliving ie,ve!. Sleepingi and living levells iue sepa!'ate. Even when Laos dlid de'sign doublie:·l'i!eigllt teems, they do not exceed tile liiVingl ~ayer ·and! never form a. Ilink. betweel1 the living and sleeping' I:evels, IJ r'lilik,ethe hadilti:onal .,'hall" in English eountry houses .andl the 'do~ble~h:eight Irooms in le Coribu!Ster's
hOIJ~·s" _

srv'Oids the centre ·and ~h:eroute leaves tile room Ib,y ano~her door wllich is also ,ee<:;;.entrically placed. In this way 'CinCIiJIIa· ticm mutes are I<~pt 110 the perime'leir 100f 1Jhereem and a.wary from the centre 'can then beeema !lii "pilace". lhis "place" on the symme'hica:laxis. ma.y then oogil!elil 'ex.1i~8J foou 5 when a recessed space',,<iln alCOl!le, iis a.d(jed 10 the main space. This "spitiilll" oiroulla:l!ion !I),aHem, lin "horizontal pran'" (Uving PI~n) is matched! by a s,piraJ ciroUilallion paUem lin section, tllte "vertiical plan" (SpaJoe Planl). By OQntrast, symmetrical rnovsrnartt can occur .all the word door andthe doors to 'Uh:eterrace.

wnroh

SuppotlingoofistftJct~bfi' Ex:temal w~lJs .;lJJ'fj invall',iably loadi·beafingl and of briok, wuth b~ick, l:oad-beal1ing partition wallis or a $illg.le, column, acoommodating the fllLle (IRufer" Molle:r)_IFlo(m;. ·aJfe oHimber with larg,er fbo~ 3JeaJ3Iand! suppoortillgl jiQists 'of 'oonc~,e~e·. ParIJition wallis are of timber or thin brick, or are ~·ormedllYy ~~~ The supporliing constlruction is a l!"t~resS!ity whioh does not plaly an~rohiteotonuc rare, in loas' work. ln that ~nse a glr,eater di-rfereiF1C>e: betw·een hlm .and 'Iine FUllctionamst ,ar,cni· teet'S ~s barely conceivaJble. so~cal~ed "GQ!nl$trlU:ati'O:na~ henssty" m.eant nofhi nglo him,
.

Recesses ap,pendag'es to rooms. (i Tha commonest of !hes€l js the fi replace, and aBso the window recess, oUen fitted with a
built-in seat comm.:iJnd'ii'lg a v"ew of the room; the, window recess lis also, oUern used as a ·fJlo,werwilndow. Vai'iious types of storage unit can be builillinto these recesses, such as slideboards .aM booksihe'lv,es, .iilndl theSIS:raeessas hiSve lower ceili nigs ·tha_f! the main area of! a rQomStairs. em tne living I:evel have open aecess to the IRiirilg roo:ms1aM Ute space: under staircases is S(l!JTIe'1imes. used for a fireplace. lhese r,eoesses and open st<ilirs ha\l\e a 1I1ea:tri:caI effect. highlighl1ing the ditfe~em:;e between ".8!l.Id,ienoe" and "actor", The oentritugal pattern often 'genarales. ·alcove-I'ike

Ex'te'fior cladding'
On Ihe town hOlJises around 1'920lihiis is always; piaill ,plas· ter,fir'equ:ently with a s·tOl'le pljl'l~halld ~opped bye. comice,: (this combin:atiOI1 iiS used hauidly at alii lin the pr,eoociing period 8JiJdiis abaindonoo again in Ila1~r pr,ojoots}. This plasl'er is in the h8Jdillion .Qf I.IIndeoomtl1ld plester, its llack o:f ornament oontraslinQI with the lninet,eenth-oonllJty pr,edilection for ,eclectic decoration. Plaste~ l'ikethis has ·the var.Ule of m:axim urn liIeulhamy., I~ke that of a main's gra,y ~hr,eepiece sluil on title sociall plane. Interior c-iar/{'ijng The ins1ide surfaces alway;s diner ~ro:rn one room to th.e next, the' cihor.ce (d materiall, determining a! room's mood Of charaoter. was: impoftall~ to tees, e Maiterial was chosen main'ly for its. affective v.alu:e. Natl.J,r.~'1~one and hlludwood s w.ere til'ea'toedl so .as to s!how ,oft the, natural quafi1iies of the material to their best aclltaJillage., b!.lt simpler mate:rlial was also usedi, and softwoodl was painted. Tradiitio:nel patteU'1r'lsuch .a", ,d~do panellingl, parquetalldl beill.lliiliiu1ld c~mnolS s

Open .5tW<C8se'$

Ecoentric circulation (asymmetrioaJ expeJieriGe ol.symmeDoors tOo rooms .ar,EI positioned off-oentre, Which gives all improv,ed\liiew of the room. CilroUilatio:n through the ~oom
try)

lev6J1(~igl. S)r, Mov~ell! ~rOO'lthe dJoakn:mrn10 !he reception haJI pro· eeees by way 'cd a shorl. dosedl flight of SI:aJirs v.rU~I1, ~IUrn a IFramin.g ,el!em€nts 5lJ1chEls ,ootLlmlr'hS,p.ilastersand beams and! witholJll a door, achi.Gvingl the ma>:limumel'e'nnent o~ dJel~rneatespa;oo by ~tand'iflg out fmnrn the waU as sepairate surp:ri;se. MovemGiI'Ilt fromlihe hall 1.0 tneseeond room. on elem€!lflIts, The ilil~m lPane~s:(pain,eJllinglillindl cofI"ered ceili f"tgs) tfileother tli8_l1d"is by way of open :stair ln the halll, whioh act as s:paoe mool.dator:s. Aoompos.i~io:1"I may explOlt the sthe c()niLrasl in the, movement pattern. int.eraction ,of loo~h :a;speot$ but v,a~r'alion lis lia_b~e~oooo!Jr in problem wni:cill Loos: now had to, solve Was how to the detaills, 1'01' X1limple the r,eg,ular S·S!haped moulcfingof e pilasters, Or between 11h,esquare panels eJndrratm'ngof the g~ve form~o the ,open cOfl1!'!ec:llion" ifllchJding the' splVt ~e\Je{ betW"een the halll and the second! room, The ~irs:t design to Wallpaneming C()tnstl1i,J:.ctioJ'l" . ,exp!oill the pattem of $pa.~lialoontrasts ls the Mandl cor'lver· Irnt:e:riDtsyMa.ces in earily designs die no~ tJreat framesillindl sien (1'916). It featllm~!>a rre!ahvely higlh trr!!ce:p:llion ham ~rom parnels sl/'stemaUcailly, meanifl1g Una,tlihey a!~e ~nterctliang€· ;a!ble o:nl bo:ttn waills and Cle'ilingls, In his apail'tm.erl!ts Loos: wnlicl1a stiilltrcase winds ilfS way up to Ilh;e:s~eepln.g '~W'aJrte~s, 'made frequeru use o~ :storn€(1F9Jfile:sif'! the d~!'!ifl1g.,roo!i'li'!ali'ldl The stai~sal!so sercvea separate extra lroom aJoo·ve the ren~rni'Jce, l~adj!'Jg to 8no:lihe.r :small ~mCl\le:rJooknng the timber panels fnthe dirawirtQ,room. haili. ~alther li'ke astage-ib@x. The idJea seams to be insipiredi ~npu/bUe sPaloes syriaoes are oH'en tor~a1ly :systemalti:!':.ed. jo.inHy by an engll isn c(mrnl'ry-houoo na.11 a:oo[hemh.&.a:tre. A. oomp~e~ehamesystem liS Qreated: piers, ooaJmsandl The S~raJ$seil' house (19'118/19), too, has if! closed room jpls:ts, ~illoo wuth pan;e:IIs.,mM I1F2m€ is dom~nalilt. endolSin:g (the librl1lry) above thecbe;kroo:rfi" but on the $3irne leve~ ls the space I'i~.ea cage r(KlIrllilerbar. GQrdman& Saialtsch ,.~ig. another rOOm whiol1 opens up l'kG a li.iru:i o~oon:oortslage 2)1, ento a S1iilt~liIgi·room(fig, <4). lheoonnection is still add~lirVe nere, as Ita waif had been o,m~U~., The: H!.j~er house (192'2) was the first. completely new b1JlIdling~o d~$pl:ay[his spa:Liai pa.tI~:rl"!(fig. 5), Hers" i~ is I'm lo.n.g€:r a case Qf 1wo, rooms aid:ded~og.elher., bUJt ,of ifillew~n the IPrev~oli.!s.·seQtiolli 11h:epatterns IJIsedl by Addlf tees pen~etratillig di Filing aM Iliv1irlg ~OOIi'!f1!~. w>8'r,edescribed ;a:s s~a1Iic" Be~.weenab<lult 1005 alnd 1'923, however, his work u Memenl a d'evelopiril'i!errlWhictJl can Too des.igning ot split te~ .only be oomprehended Jt.!'lly b¥ e~ining .<::1 number o.f Ule rgallery illl the Ma:MI house has the 'eHool of ii;llheahe p:roji&Cts il1ltheir IPrO\perorder. W.e am ch~e:~lyint€\l'ested ih.er,e l in the~sio1eli'loes airtQ sinoe ~lhis pelioe! of Loos'work ifS box overlooking 11h;earg;e recepHo~ halll, Loos subsequently' sO'UiglHilli more di ~ecl and op€itlIfmm ~orooli1nectili!gllihe diistinguished by tal mariked ifl1crease ~n classical el~ements! it !J!nrnaJr.e:r room wilth the llarge one. 1rIn,e:spllit lIS dimi!i!ished, is aliso necessary 'to took b~~el1lyal pr,o]ects wirth a pu'blic. U'Ie<relsa di reot staircase coi'lnection and ballustrades and UfibOlfl, orl'€:l1taJtion. banpstel's are .aV{lia:e~, lin lihle Ga$9 of the dais in the Stras:ser neuse, loo!] $Of Vied rm::rease in sp'(;lti:~lGQfltrasts the transition p~rQljlem by p:lacingl 11 stone piUar 8l'ld 8.glass lin LQoo' many apartment Gonversijon;s, an~he rooms am case, aimostaJSi ~ndepena:ent objects en the periphery. near on ona level <!!rl,Q one Qf the maa:ns by which spaJt!a;1 dilfleren· 1M s'h;o~tfl ight of stairs (figl. 4}. lhesame ~hl~eee1lements • tia,tiofl was ach1ev,ed was tl:l' I~er Une cei~ihg in ~.ss.ed staMs, p:illiflir,glas;scase • @OQ!JJf tne R!urfe'rhouse" where in areas. ~!'!!i'I~ vil~a$.tDO (S~eirner un 0, Stoess~ 19 111 !Homer , they are, ttQ'iNeMer, am integral part 01 the architectl,lIre and 11912, 5dheI!J 19t2~" LoosworkOO w~th yrnirntenupted 1loor 5 !eveis,' as w,i3iS .a:'-sothe case with ~he DU$ormitr house: of ir;l'l~rfo,deoQrationof I:ne hQuse ,rf~g. ). In borll1lhouses the lih~ee hansirti:onal elements ar,e diesig rtOO in a maJf"ti'1ie~ .~ 915. Mov,emei1tUom otne IrQQIi1i1I~O lih.e next was s:tiilll a illliB'rtdedlo accetnlua!te 11h:e trart silion in dirr'e:~e!"it but eqyii" pr7Qglr,es:s~l1rough~'o@m5bythom 1916 on, movemerllt ina valient ways, A,~the pla;oo wih.€!'r,e l:e\l~lac:tli.!ally Clhatflges, the hOUiSe was dramatized by intl1lf'Hsirlied s:patial contrasts, The tM ma!~e~!all given a mme active pliBIsliic eft'ect beoause it is devioe o,flhe siPlil·~e\!!e~pr,o'rllidedla Q,oodi ili'ltroductkm: nne ls no, longer tllJlsn with the waJlL ~ro:nlt door and a low cloaJ~rooml t street leml, ran.Gan ,e.x.tra· a

wer'e adhered~o. Both 1M cihQice of disllincli\!!elly marked! maleria:ls and ~heir pl!a:sticl!r,eatmentlei'l;a~O p~~y down11h:ei r obj~cl:·liike dharacter a:nd creat.e .a sug:gestion of spacious"

high r€(iejptiorn hall on ~he ~ivlirnglevel.. Above lihe dloakroom them migiht OOia. second, low room beli:linging to the living

ness-

30

~
\

,:;

,,-' ~~,.

".

,
\

~
{

~ ~I
\

\
~ I
[\

1:-.
dt

\
'7

rncreased visual qualify mhe facad:e:s of the Pf~l' hOI.l!:ses.:ilir~cnara.ct.enzOO by · the struggf.e aga:il1!StsupefifluOU!ldec.o:r:a!tikm" Olljschem~s had been !!!Ibain:doriltld, but no In eworg1lini.za.tI@n was yet app,lJ1ent The vaJ~ious el!eme!1its (j.~ tM living p~oglrO\lmme could Ibe ,e-xpre5sedimore nberal~. R,e:slwio1io:r!i$imposed by municipal :~ullhorities. with regard to guUe:r,height had a st~ong i nlllJlJiefilCe on the id~ of mass, le;;lding to htghly Origilln:ilJ l'&sid'e'ncelS which tnowevel'f;eilM to rndticate aJnl architectural prog[ilIm me (in oc:mtrast to tne p.rog rammaltic use ~alermad'e of the dhJsllrat~onof lltlE! SteuneiF resiidenoe). The prooess of rem1entaJition is also e~p:~e:sS!ooin ~lhe iili~chitectum of ths facade. An enhanced\l'isLJal1 qual~ty is, fi rst perceived un the t1io:!'ll~oflltal·'V,erlica~contrast un the! [)uscl'in ill nClIlJse (U)115). besides tihe :stiQ.n:giy lh:orizo!1iI:aJ1 e;xtensr,Oi"IwJ~h its large hal~!there is1ih:e ~rtioal addiHol'I of a illquOire tower. A SirMlna~ t.ower WilliS addled to the Mi3Jn01 hOuse, (~916)r,. with i~s nQriZ()rJlL:aJ1 log;gia and baloony,. The designs (d these~@wers derit'oIe from !ileo-c~assiical ex:aJrnplles lrom Germany, and lPem~s: 'elie:nrhom Schinke~ (Schloss Tl@geli~ Be(~in)., lit is e.a:syto see why laos (fid net ~'eatlJlrre Ilhistype 'Clf lQVJer fi1lhiiSother work,th:em1: being no groulnds for it in the nliJng proglri1.lmme., A hor~z.ontaJ~·v.e:~tical con~rast csn aheadly be observed rin l.ees' earJy s;ketclhe.s.lit .sallS!o con~irmedl un such proje(;~sas ~Ile G!tlirlenbaugr~nde (1 Sr1l7)!lmdl o:~h:e~s· Whit<1"uoos ~liIte· in L glrated: hi:glii wi~ihr mo:r'€! horiz(jl'lltOl~. low bllJlldingls, lhe tioTli2lomal·'Veriic<l11 ocmtrast reourrs llater ina f~aUeJ' form in the facadl;:Qf the 18rol'll'l.fHIiiIl1li (~'9.21). loos al$o 'e)(perime~ted with another kiil"ld of vf!sual COOr hast: the pl:astio cO!iilra.st bel'W'een part aJn:dWhol~, efI'ec~~d by sm~111 exiUmsion!;l, rn Une, 8h.asSier COlilv,ers;io:niit ~ook:Solik.€!1 a strange: pimple on 1!i1ehom of 1lh,ehouse while the des~ign r()tm the KQn~l:andt v:illa {1919') has alii ei'Je:liIsaon on aaeh of Ute: b.:llF wallIS. Plastic8:ooet1!ls are af'ealtum o~ea:oh ,of the lihireelAl!asto be clioous:Sll~d Ilater on in this aJrt['Cile"
1

The cornice, tOO,3i5 I1111h.8 vsohnitz: and MOIndl~oweF.s! D w.a;sgiven a mor~ p~onQiJl1i.ced tlJt1ctklrl .. tn Ute R.Qit~efoO!n· V€irsion (1ge2) and the new Fh.J~er use (1922)" a 'oornioe M finiiShes: oft Ihe wtno~e house !:lIt the'~op and there is even a 'copy o~afragment of a meze from title lPartMm:m on~ln;e facade of tihce:Rlufetr house. The use of clasSJical elements 'to enlha:n.ce ~l'1Ie vis>ua:J: effect appears 100 in IJnexie.all!ited projec,ts: the KOli!s:l:am:U v~llla (1919}1 the 8:ronner \i'lillaJ {192~).1 a pa~ace in Vienna (19\21 ),the SbOSS tno:u,se (1922) and U)e \l\ina for leM. von Silmon (11924'?1 The Greek~le\liva:1 cu~m~!iiaj~d vn the de!Sfgl'll fQr the Trnbune Tower competit&cm. wtn~ch a100 fIflafike(:I its end. He:nce~orth,aparl ~ro:m the odd sk!etch'l l.ees made ne ~urlliler use oil cless&caJl ,el~;me!1iI:s. Whi le JUdQ Rossii rega~ds the tower as ~Ih:e tnignligh~ of LOQs' oouiVrel,a:nd his $Yb!;lequBn~. wouk ~ pari ot Uil.e'8I~dhi· teet's ,diaUy grind, we are G:QJl.Gemedllh:e[le wli,~n Une questilm of what architect@fllio app~oa~h .~epl:aoed the Greek rle· \,Ii\fa~, 1fihe single column i I1tille Strasser heuse has the efteot of an Qbi'ettrou~. ~t.$ho!.i!!d loow'everoo s,e,e:r! ijncontext with the profuse use of mariJlle pahe!llingl of ~tneadI:acenl diningl
t
r

The $urla~oo1!Jmn t(;!:latk:mshfp

TIle Greek Rewval 11"11 S,t'r:aS!;iffioonvl'lrsion (1'9'1r6119) Loos ~$eda dassic· U)e c.aJ OOrLimn ~f'Ithe ~ilvnli'lgarea far the first time. Up to 1iheo he had ,onty used such coh.!ffins· iottle KMma,Vm;\!i (100(3j0!5). in H "Serlio·lPaJssS!ge lead'ing 10 the "FlomM Iba,throom ", Classicall ,eh'l!11riI9nLS never been e~tirely absentrro!'i!'l! his had prel,iiiQYs bLlilld~ngiS. p'lJ'bnc o,1Jildlings in p~~ticuli1ir. Aner Strasser Loos' re$udentiall o1esigl~sfea;tured mom <lindl moraool'ulmll a, bOllhlOlis a hansitio.nihom one reom to 3nothe:r and! in r:oggia.sgiV1iflg onto~h:8 g~m.1en. fih.e columns ;;lot as ,Si 'olru;sicnstic ~ramewo,rk.r'O:I' spa:Ua~picture. the
l • l

room. lhe r,e'a!Uonsh~p bet.ween the cdJumnalild1 tlii.e wall, here stm tar ap.a:rt" is the pre.emil1iell'1lt proble:mr o,~' oeo·clas:si· elsrn, ~n ~heun-executed designs m.en~kmedlaoo'\,l\e:. tni~ reJla.~iolilsh~p is cOJl,ooiiv,edl iinl '~r;3;dli~iOi'llal manner', The flri'oulle To·wer lis o,~ OOLm;ie a fairly IliJlilOrilhooo~ Siol:ultton of the problem. IExamples. of untradnttoli'lal cdl!JITII'lI iortegra:tion iii! lLoos; ,e:arner w.ork are tlhe H & A ,spitz: facade (11918,fiig., (Hand ~tne, entral1c€lo the Loola: HOUSie: olilthe Miclhaellerpla,tz (1 'm 11, ·~igl.7}. ~11 nei~hel Case does tihe desired si~ of the cdumn corJrespoMI wJlil1 ~ih.eheigltlt of the stone base, loos e'X~andl5 ~he '001'1..1 na!tllh:e top Iby Oil sqlli.3J,e S!&Cti:onof column in the m same maiteriial.~opped bya oomice with a simpiJe moldin.g. TI1n'S breaks down t'l1e lT~d~tio!"l!a1 t;eotonio reia!t~onshlp loe~weenGaurer aJrllJ 'Q~mied, fntroducrn:ga visual stI1Uy~~~~ whioh ei'irilphaS!i~es s:tuUfurl!tl;e~the rtmiprociltyof part (c& lumn) a!ndi whole ~walll-.sunace).

Diff!er:anfiatio(j of wall 3ndco.tumn Another fileo-cnass~cal probl~m i\5how to prtwide aJr1l.aJ~ohi· ~eotural oo!'lol'UJsiQnat the lop,. This prob1em,ocoms lire· qu~ntly ill! some pr'oject~ de:s:fg!1iedby Ices linth~ wint~r of 19i22/23, whioh he spent <mthe C6te (fAzur~the 8abylon

31

nl
11=1
Ho1:eil (iigl. 8)" a group ot; twe'nily vill'as and the Molssi house in Veni'(;e' (fig. 9). These are aIl1:eilirS;cedprojects ov,erloolking the sea. Two a~pect:s are limports_o'! in tine dlesig,n fo:r~hese terIraGes: the '~Iower-boxes in Babyl@rn and 11hecolumns in the otlw!r projects, which are riot tr,eiilltedl ~para'l:eJly but ",grow" ~rom the wails,. I caU Ulis. • \'l"aJl,column ditferentiaHon". The' columns are not topped try heavy oomic:es, but by ligl1t Il.l.niQe·w.ork,another br:eak Wilth thla, traditional tectonic pattern. Arr'l v,eglQ'taticm. Uke the oraJrlge trees, ,enhances· the e1ih;e~,e9!11 'Ifali!isiticm lO the siky. The maiteriall h~ a se.riiBJ stnJc11l.1r,ehom boUnm 10 top; columns;.laUice4wigs,slky ... l.ees p~obably oorr'owed the idea! o,fsquare columns, end· ing in lattioe..wort-; from Schinkel (1:hecasino, at Schlos,g: K!lein Glieniclke, near Be.rlin). Schinkel, however" used sucli columns as lindependent elements. Ilevel: plastic ,exreill$ion .. I'arge' hall,llh,ee:dlrusion bel'ow', with two windowlil" tine raised fevel wirth libr.aryand music dais, the two 13irg:eopeniilQcS one abovelhe @ther,e!11heright ,_ the dining and 11'11 U1sicmoms, fhis a:Uempt. to iin:ves,tthe facade with the ec-xpr,essio:n ,of what Ilies beyolld it is I'inkedl wirth the house's urlball seUing Or! UW sfreet, The rear aspect is quite a diHerell't matisir ,Ihis is wher'e 1he architectural contrast belvieen front aJndback IS ,deve!oped. Sii,.i'bseql!l;!fIlt pJoioot$ ha.vef,ewer parallels. Thi·s might be due '10 the heer situillition, to ,grea'i.~r fOOl.ilslng .01'1 de. the velopment at other' 'vlsuieJlaspects. or dissiilitiiSlacti'O'til wrth this first result However, ill ~he three villa..s to be discussed, th,s pattern returns eiXplicirtty, bUit now in combi nation with the Iplain wall.

archi~e()tlJrallimalge.ltrorms a backg F,ound ',or the pattem of wirtdow apl;lrlll.m~!! ,~nd is upstaged by the co'lumrns and comijces. This alii. cliaJnged in 1"922. lin the des!ign for the MioJs$i v.i'lla (19.23) a Ila~ge $ection O'f wall a,t 'lh~ top of 'the 1acaide is len' undivided 1'O! 1ihafi!Fst, t~rne: a blank surlace. 1111 a scale model made f'Oi' 1iha Salon d'Automfll;l, the wan· surface hadl a pr,onouiilced 'Iexturre which stood ,out iiI"!the light and there ijs a hl~ly wate:roo'lo'ur ot the Verdie:r villa (11'9,23). an ec;.::p~,ess~ve rendering of 'the play of light and C~OIJiI'S on the bundillg ITUiISS.1he 11neatment o,iI'M out:s~de walll 'of the' 8,pannef hCJI.!Ise(bum in 1923/24) produoes a dis11inctive pa1:tem, as was later the ease, bUlt wj~h 'differel'lt Inesults, in Josephine Balker's house (1927). Perspectives of projects tm IPlrirliGE! angusKo's stab!es (1924) ,andl an exhi· S bition p:alaoe lin f~er'iltsin (1925.) show the ''riaJIiegalt~d liglht on the facade: :surfaces and in the sky in an almost ,expressionlstlc manner. In die: blank walilnos; discQ,i,!Iereda C<lIl''ilaS fu:r cJhoogifiQ d~ight and ~helexture at; the' material,Slndl used t lit as an arch'itootQ.rtic toelll, a. quality presaged ,in nne~acade ,of the Karmel viilla @f 11904. mside'-D.ut$j'd8 tefatkm 1,0 L()()S, the le>::te,ma.1 all torms an emphatic diViisiO'n w belween inSiide and oUltside. There are ,of COurse, such necess,IIIY 1Iransitionall ,el~me!'lts such as enlranoe, windows, 'tefir,~, doorsa!ld bslcenles, These elements ere placed 011 theoultside In a more Oil' ~essoompelril1g visual arraJng~m9nt: s.ym me~fY, hcrlzontal zones, \IIer1icallw'indowaxes.1Iih:e rather curious facade ofth:e Strasser neuse (1918/19)1 qualifies; in my (Ipinion" ,aslille 'first example at iii facade org~llizedl in ana!logy to '11h:e spatial O'r'gaJnizatiorl of tlhe livingl

The blank ~' 'In toos' early wofk

'he: waH is

a p1lissirveactor

in the

pN)vidoo new impulses.ln theterraced p~o~ects! living moves olitsIde, to be confronled with the sky, :SUI'l and vegetation. A year later, Loos bade f,ar'ev.reil '10'Vienna and mov,ed to IParis. His stay ill France 'Emg,eooe;roo a new sense of space In his fnteriors. he starl:edto design a new ki nd of room wh!dh I refer to as "the seion" .
The' qualrity of the outside terrace' is, brought into the salon, as much li9111t s possible enters through Windows '011 a the long walll, a new design 'foJ the white p4aster ceillung creates a sense O'~ O',peli!ness a:t the top, the contiguous su~roui'ld inve'stsiitH:;l ceiling area. wiI'h a mme 8:ctirvear,O,l"Ii· ~e()tonlc meaninq because tteld and ~rame are un il:ed, Ceil, illgl and salon space- enter into <li ma:teritaJl-spaoo Ir,el!a:lion.

1fle' mate'ia~··~P8ce' relation teos' seaside soj,ourn apparently

The design O'r 1ihe walk;overirng etten echoes the wallcolum n differenlia1iorll paUem, Storne O'J wood fo:rge a rilnrk with the' earthly sphere, The dJder il1f1uence of the Eng~ish livin.g paUem was Inow joined by a Fr,ench one, manifes:t ill theklirm of ~he selen. As well as spaHalloontras,ts, the spacINll'laleriaJ contrasls now become imporl'all'l't. Once this r.ellation ship had acquiredl a farm of ~ts, ow"f!. Lees abafldoflled classical e!emerrl:s, Halvingl per1;ormed its, func.111onas a caUi.lyst! the Greek revival was piafed out

~~

12

Thr'ee large" rea'li"zed., town houses: Tzars Moller and M uilier

I

'These houses are martme ,examples of toes' w,ork, ~JiP~lSlS$· ing to, the fun liisnew awareness Qf~he spacEH''1aterna~ ralatlonshlp. lEach house has its 'Own, indi,viduclity, g,ener· ated bylihe generalliviilg paUem,$ and the specific C!haJfiilC·, teriS;licsoflhe sHe. The livillg paUel'lnI!lar,e not desci1ibedl here" since the:y remain unollan!;jced. Greater fOGY>s is" how,ever" bn;)I,IglhI 10 bear 011 the site. An impOrlafli't aspect af these heuses is how the indiivldualilly oI each one deve!lops ill'l'~emally and exlemally in d[ltJerent yet. MelOgOW:; ways.

1ion. in1rrOOllCilfilga 'break 'in thel li,ving spaoe which tlouted all 'Iir.adition - Uler,e's Dada I.ell' you. BecauS>F3: ot 'UhflS, the' dirning room, d~spilt,e i~s rear prospect does, not rece~ve eno~~thida.~iglhl" light hiiliS to, eorne from thel hQl'lt <lindin order to ,ensure privacy hom the street, Ilhe ,dining room lhas a loggia, two stor,eys higlh to, admilt daryligl1lt. LoggiaJ, dining IFOomandl salon Ue ena OOI'1rHnol'il 8X!is. 8eside dining room and loggia there' are secondary areas, staircase', Ule mistress' drawing room, tile master's. study., Wedged Ibetween the bound!arywaJlls and the principal r,Qoms" they ,aJl'e poor1y integr'ei~edland ralher or,amped.

This house wa~ buillt for l!he R:umanian-oom Dadia poet Tristan Tzara His collabom,tion wuth !Loos was not without its problems" andl 11hedesign was, modified: ~iam!! tor ~he' attic were not realized, the bedroomfilOQ:r wa5ai'ter'edi and a small studiQ waserected on 1ihe terrace, The site The house was biJi~I'Ion the Avenue, Junot in PaJri!S, mad a 'wiitl1 ,e, hilli rpin bel1ld on the Woest slope of Montmartre ('~ig_ 10). It is sitlll~Ued aUhe begii'lining Onll9: bendl on uite wlisf g n faJii1y steeply awary hom the road. The site' backs diagonally ontoar $emi-p~blic!iiqllJare reac!hed' Ib,ya flig'htof st:elPs from theA\I\en~e JUflot The back of the, house hi1ilsa sou1h, soul!h·wes1 aspect and, like tcos' Cote' dl' AZllf pr,olects, it is terraced, rh:e~e is, maximum contrast ibetweenlihe \/elY high facade at the front. an.d the' back, where ~he ~err:ac~ng artlculla:les each sl:orey separately. The living' level To ens.Lue adequate pri,vacy; the I'ivin.g level is siwated one 'floor :above the square at Ina back. The principal ,et.e· rn.enlt'on1Ihe Ili.vingI~v,ellis 1ih,Qsalon" ~eal'i~ed here for Une'~r:st time, occupyingl IMentjre Wiidth of the noyS'e at the rear and w,i'lll1 French wind!ows opening OUlt onlto l!heoo,~a.cent

As IUlsual,'th~salgn lis en~ered oN Dis, wtl'ich provides 'Uh:a best view Clf the' r'oom. Acc:e.ss, iis bY' a door ;dlagoM:llly opposite the open eerner o;f the terrace. Wiithfn thes,YrnJme1ri;caJ plan o~ the house, this de1:e:rmine'Sthe side aJtWihi.cJlil Ihe; introduction occurs (ltg, 112), At the recessed entrance two s,loreyS below, ~he,lia:te~all siIIU(ltic;m of Ulle, in~roduction les,already implied try the posi· Iliol'l of the '~r,on~door. AOCfl<SS to, 'the (too small) e is symmetricall with regard to, 'the front door. leve'l is sudh that the selen lis di,spl'aced by only 1h.<aJlf as1o:rey. This rneens, however, t!hart ilnl ,order to reach the cloakJrooliiliJ from UlJefirontdoor, a pe~mlblillath:m invoMIilQiQiile Ia:~ge turn '11hough two who~e s.to:f\eys is, nece.ssary. r The' ent~aliloe to the di nli.n.g roorn ioS p'.aced symme:tricaJlly in the' side, wallfm once, ur;;de~lining the, dining, room's ambivalent position be:tween the 1,·oM and back waUs.
The' fe:lal~onship between' the living level and g10und tfflveJ The ,di~t'en;mce illlievel beMeel'l'-th:e dinin.g Ir,oom ,and, ~he saloR is COJ'lU,!uy to, that at the Ie-nair! (fig. t3). This is due to the back orienl~:Uon, :an:d results in a dr,1!imaticallry large distam::ehom the sbeet Iindeed, 1lher,e [IS room 'for ,an 'entire servicetlia:t betwee-n the entrance mnd '~h:e~ivi!"ligsttlil'ey.

The' 'irUroduction"

terrace Wg, 11).

i3J1 thoug,h the ol1ief s:tlpulaJted that living activities, be oriented towards-the private area outside. The dining room
ils girllen a po&il!ioo behind the salon" to which it i<s connected so as te Qliv>eas much connec:liofil as possib!e tOlhe wo.rld outside ~he salOn. The froor le~ i!ii rallied .a,pproxumat,eri)l 70 centimetres, but tees prQ\l'ide'S no balu!iitrade nor any other ki nd of sep21ra·
by means of the widest possib.le opening

1l'1i,s learves no

SpiiliCe

for a dining room ~t the otlck,

The spatial char~ctej"tstics Loggi~. di !"i1irl:g room ,sa!on an,{j terraoease ona common spatiafwds which i~aJl!So the, s,ymme,1Irical.avds,oUlle house.
8ecause olf the Oiri~ntation ot these rooms, there' liS madmum vallia~ion abn:g this 8_li:Jis, vertical, axial, transverse and 'dia.gonall• l,aking o:l1'lythe d1i ing recm and salon into consldera1ion; n the centre ot the sel11esilS the point where ~hey mer'ge; iif we count 'IMe hatf-Qpe n Iloggia., the ~ocar poilU shifts 'ID 'ltI.e ,dinnfilg room (tigl. 11,4).

m
T1he ~actthat UUll loggia [sa half·opel1l spaoe is aeesnlua~oo by Ihespherioalillamp QUlts~de.which hangs, not ~n Ule cenlJre of nne logg~a, but 0111thlfi!' same pllaine as the ~acooe. fille spfAtia' characteristics' and 'OOSitUIi'l'tkm Because otthe c~osedl fO!1m of the bl..!'i~dui1g!S.the~e: is marximUI!"fll sep:a:rati:on between '~he sl~eet :aJnea of tiheA.ve" fIIlJeJunotatnd the Siemi-p:u.blic slpaolll be:hilnd the house. TM opeflflFQnt,back :a;:.::isen thil! m~vuli!g ~e\!lell:shou~d be seen as: Qom.plem~1:mltrngl the div~sial1 of nne <lJ[OO outsi:de. As already staled" the Tzara house is 'oharaoteri~ by a marlked difter'ence oot~nl the hig:h Ir,ont and the t:erlraoC~ oo:rlistrlu:cticU'l at the back lnefu'ont of the house is its sGoi\a~ face, '~heone it p:resefllts~o 1he publfiC.~his is the side that should show til:s character, this, Ih,oWfjil,oier, c<lmno:t be ach~evoo bya direct displ!ayof the living i:I_rea:s.ilhe bac~. of the house is mi'ent~ted towards a semi4PublLoarea. lhe terraces awe cormeet:ed more di rectl;y with the lifiltEMior" flO parlicula:r fa.ce has to ee on show" qui~e l~t~ta!lly. the 5uocesSJiv,e terrarcesa~e pr(lgre5sive~y fl.llirther away from the gl[{mnd and closet to~he >sky Inhe unr,eamzooaJUic with .. ilS IPmjec~ingtelTace WiilIs to, have bee\lll~M cUlI'minationo;f IIh:eser'ies. Title pfa:.s:ttcfty ,of the facade The Tzara ~'acaGe,is s~ig'nUyoono1!ive, echoing 1jn;ecurve of~Mfmmage (~igl. 15,). The wa!11is: pi:erood by two open· il1lgs, on:e:: :bove the ,other-The Ilo,wer openi~gl iha$ inweJrc" a sl\anrliitng reverus wtJ leh m<likes a more direc~ ~ink wJth the streetel1lcol.ilraging movement towardsl'he inside, The upper opening lis rootan:gu:lar" and more a'kin to the, ~ectafil" gular rooms behind. B~l.lIse o:f these opening:s, lih.e pia!;· ~ioity Gf~h;e 'I''acaoe echoes 1in.eco:nrnve co:urseof tM stroot in a more el!i!aggera~ecl manner. lfit!i!1~ticlJfatr:ofl of the mcade The material used if'll ·Iih,efacade disp!ay-s: ,alii obvious: tWCI·jpalrt. di\l';iSLQn:p:la$~er at the t'O\P, ona plinth of randemrubiJl~! masonry lw().li1lind~a·(h~H SWMys high (fig. 1!6). This, pUrn~hfallows tlhead'jacel1lt retaining walll" and m:a:tclhes it iin heig:hlt. The .~unotio:!"IOe!tween pla;stew Md pi il'1lh ii$ alt the same height as Une~erraceat the rearr. 11'iI~h.e,,mbuulitve:rskm tln.e p:la.$~eredaJrea. is a !squS!m. The ! forml of the plin1111ls del:enliJ~l1Ied by the width of ~he hOlJliS8

ingl is a.lsoa square, tics

and the height

ot thelerraoo,

but wulh~n this area the open· its spafi8:J oheracte,j$-

Tns artiarJiation a/the

mcaooand

The Tzata Interior is ohaJr~cteri:zed by two rectangular s;paoes 00 a commO:nJarxis. nef.a;aade,~oo, is bipO'lif1ite, e~ohsectiofil having its own opening unlhe same 8):Jis. fine position of ~he spl'leirical l!a_mp(In the orig~nallPla!il) may be i!ilterpre'~ed asllh,e int:e:rsectkm o'~ the sPa~iar a)!'Jis andlih;.e axis o:f the facade.

Drffe:rence

betWWOfi

front 8ndback

'Ihe facade i's pLeroed byiive sets, one abovelln,e,o~her,of three SYimmetricallape:rtures (fig .. 17), <'lililemaJltely,the central. or the sioifl' e~ements domil1a:te; the symme'~ry is alter· n~Jtely ce:nlhifillgalor CerrlrilPelal.. This cma:I~.s a d~oam le, pUlliS1liUngl elr'ect The aJ"(ic~{a'iO!l of fhe rear aspect ~n lih,e realizEd vers[on, the inc~~asing operi!rleJ$$~f ~ihe· asceflldung~eua.ces iQ empha,siz:ed by the form of tll.e parapels, the higihe.r you get,lhe !ess c~oood·illlhe wallan;d the: nftQr,e optlntM ba:llIstrades. WaJls 3Jild column!$ ~J~ \J,isllJallly ,expressed. a pa:Uem wh~ch reoyrs in the opel'li ngs oflii1e f.acade. lheS8ifcon ~"'ca;deJ demon stral:es weU U"IG:crl<1lli'lgefrom ho!e·in.y,fall~oool:UJmrJ·ili'l·aperhJ re, a p.a:Uem aJllsoeneeuntered at the corner of the terrace. The .relatiDnship be'fwoon ,ear waill <itfid saion' 1M visual sep;aration 01' wal~ and cdJumn in the w,indQw ·waJl of the salon [is or oourSie echoed ~nsi:de (fig.. 118). ~t is; picked LIP'Ibyttne! oak panelling, led 0111 aJn,dv1lirioo 011 the IfeaJr wall ,eli the salem rlec>:tto nne dining mom. A series composed of terraoe walll, rear .outside walliillli'ldl insid'e WOii!II i'Il[oiIds. U There is dYinJalmic symmel!i)I, not IPlJilsa~ing thisliime" but oerv,ei:o,pingfmm liheifioSide tow.a:rds ~he·outs.ide.

rh~ symmetty ·oft.he facade

interior $uriacl!';l$: salon

The ceilirtg is a.llarge wh:i~e Hell::! Vl'ithl a..slJiJ'Fot)undl, ceena tuated by two matt wtiUa s:pher~callamps sus\penedl at the secom:!ary ~es. The Qak paneming ,of the wa:lls iilS plainly icJ~rd~fuableas: such because c,f the use o,t s:taiildWd panels wi'th ·vis!lb!e screw aUaclh mef'll1s- The panell mooyle lis determined by !itt@! thickness of theool:ull'l!'l!r1Is in the ~ear o:utsk:!e 'l1li8111.. longl lhe waUs :aJ!'e trealied with the same wal~·colum n pattem, so ~ha~

,.-.;-I

----_ ......

_----_

the W:n iIe oei'ling seems to ~est on Angertips., The sMrl waJls are b<lire spart from eolarn n·wi:de piers the 'oorli!~!'$. the sa:icm is ttu.llsd!e:lined by 'r'O'u mCBssedoomers. r

in

lnl!~.rfDfsurlaoos,: dining f'oom

roem are any'!hlng but €quWva!ent lila dilscrepi1lincy is oom-·

p12:rr!satedr'O:r bylih!e

As we l'iiaVlE! seen, the! pGsWOI1lS of the sato:n an;d ,rjl!fiIifilg

simi'lar healtment of 1ihe 6U rfaces, the d~nlir'lgroom" too. hav~ng,a whute ceillilFl~gaJn,d oalo;",1l1nelledl

walls, There I!S how,ever ;a ooJ1ltras:t:theoomers project in~Q the diningl rOOrTl1, SQ [halt the placfn;g of th€ col'ui1fIIfilS :sug· gi&sts all Gpe'il pa.Vlilion. The wan!> between llil~ comer OQlumnsa~e as open as. pos$1ilble, the wam to the sa!on is alreadiy 'Qpe:noo up to a maxJimum.llh,(il: wall opposille the access dloor comains1.li mirrored recessfl!aJnked on 'enther side by 3. door, with a paJ~i'ltedllborder, remil1i,soemt of an arch.

file proporl:irming of tfl.B salon and dining rOl';lm The pmpo[tioning desari'bed here, i,s based 111001 on mes,su"
rements but on ;a1r!1 interlPre~:a;~iolii,of pUllblished designs and pn:o:logralPhs (fig. lSI}, ILoos began by divid il1g the, depth illlto two': the ~l'iIte!mal depl~tI Qif!i~e saleiii'! lis equall to tha.t o·~the d!il1ing roem, includingltne oelumn margil1, weshaU ilr1diicalte oolliJm!il $i~ by c. (~nplan) The saJlon j,sdMd!ed l;e.nglfhiWiseintolhree', ~In~pening to. o the dini n:g ~oom is Qrle;·thi rd 01 the; int.€rmal leoglth,wln!icl'i is ar,sQthe w,ldtl'lI of the diningl room bdweer'll~he oollU mns, rl1si:de 1lhe columns thed'irdng room pro;portiootS are three by fau.r::1li fUi'te, cl1llssical room. Tile di~rn:g-room mOOlu'le'lis.30. so thaJt the ~er'llgth and wtalih of the salIm earn tlhen be ealeu1~led as 2Jo flI!i!dIMc. Ih12:~!.litiQ of length~o wiolln .in the salon is there,~ore two squares mir'ltls the; widillt'l o~ one column. "Ma~erial size" an.d "space siza" iriller!ocks herel, 'lrihe plan C'11ll'lnOIbe reduced! tQ' .a!neu!'lwaJ !QrJd. rl1~$propor~iol1ing is the com::rete, maJrrifes:talion of the "ma!te~ial" to "space"

I
I

ratio.

,-I

WENEN

.@) :21

The MoHer

IhOlUH39

(19,27 ~,28)

'This house was ooil~rn Vi:enni3i whien lLoos W'aJ3! Irl,!'ing irn P,arns,flhe in1el1ior is tlheseUi n.g klr ,S! c()n~.ro:nrta!tkm between ~he, n.ew Sal£liJ1i·1.ype: spaooaJl!ldi the earlier beamed t1-a!11. The, spaci'Ou'S site' dtd not call for any dramatic in~el'\!lenHons in
the IMngl plan,

The ,s#ua firm TIle site lies at the foot of the Vienna Woods, on the northwest outsl<iirt!i of Viie:nna (1Iig" 20). The I;ong, straight. ICiru,ietlrIC)adrises gently ill a westerly rdirec:ti.on. Theelte slopes dQwn gradually from the Iroad 'lowards the sooth. The land is, par(;el~ed' i nto spa.ciol!Js" deep' ~Oit:s Sluite:ble for vinas (fi:g, 2~),'The buildif'lg~lime' o~ ~he de~ached Imu$8!s is aoo'ult ten metr,es badk fram the· ~@a:dl. 1he back 'g:aJi"delii
coulld not be improved ,awa~ywom the hg.1,;Ise. on: private, .so1l1jMac~i1g" fallin.g

up to the bedrooms. The ditfer,eli!t levels of ~he rnusijcand ,dliiiliJ'llQ rooms 'form part of the llateral movement, The hal.! ge'l::;; its lig'ht hom ~hle fmmt of the MUs(i!', Privacy is net provfded as iin the TzaI3 house, Iby a loggli8,.1iJ,dtevtce which would not be: very ,eHec1iive here, but by a b<'ily win· ,dow above street Ie-vel (Jig. 24), which bS reaolled fr,om the' Ih'aUbya short flight of steps. This recess has, a I)·shaped Ibuilt-:in seat andis the private domain o,~the lady of the nouse, Adjaoont, .and reaohedl by the same SlaiifS. is <I small. cloS!ed libr,ary" Ute master's den, SiUing on the U-s!haped seat with one's back to 'lheh@nt of the house, one can look out acmes Ule music room (when Ine sludfllg -dioorsiilre .open) and d.own il1rl.o the r;ardeill. The stepped s:tring;er O'f the 'gardel1l SlOOps'fol~o,ws 'li'l'isSight-line. tlillue is, ,9!neXlpam::ling m.QVemen~ toward!s Ihe rear.
22

iU'i"Ilik'Elthe Tzara site, the 'terrain is spa.ckll.ls eflough for ~he two prioolpall recepUon Irooms to be acoommodated at the! back o~'the neuse (fin, 22). Together, they occupy half its deplih. As the situations ot 'the two rooms are ,eqlJii\la~enlu u1most cQntrast is feas~ble., lhe 'aJrling mom ~sIJght and 'o,pe'rl 'to the '@u~side, by oonhllst, 1M mu!Sic room iill dark ,end i nltrove:rted. Ught renacted into the dining room from ~h:eadj.oining terrace, maikes, the room briginterand the bakxllilY above the' music room windows cas,1)Sa shadow which enhancE!$ its, secluThe mllslc room is larg:er1iha!l'Ithe dining room. The music room and the! diming lI'oom ,are c.onnected on 'Iheir common axis by a square openDng with sliding doors. The diningl room floor is ,appJO(;(imately ~i,:dy centijmetres higher titian ~ha.lof the musrc IFoom and as: in theTwa liiouse, there.l1Sno b1l!IUlstra,d)e O~ othel"seperaticm. There' is, hol!'!vever. a short flight' ofs.teiPs 'Whr.ohCSin be let down, ra~her Iike' 'the steps of a,ca;r~iage, 1:0 bridge! llh:e gap. The two, rooms lead dimctly ou18r.oe ieoolllal'o:n,g its own axis. Acce'ss, to both, I~er', is oil 1ih:esecoli!dary (lXiis. This rendera ~h.e trafliic pattem from the halilbehind them, V·shaped (fig. 23).
l,

The living' level

sion,

,23

.-+

ThehaJI Unrlike the T,zara tlQ'use.lhere is ,enough room here, to integrate! the circul1lltioiil area in a ,ooli/jj"vill'lg room, This hal,' is on the same lewl as the music room. On one side ate ~he stairs hom below. with a staircase Olj! the! 'other side !eading

The "m'frQ(iuofion" It w<!isfe-asiible he~~ to use thesy,stem of s!paltiall c,ontntSls fnlhod'UlO:OO 19116(figi. 25). The 'olook~l;)om issihJlatoo on in the side wan, from there 8J s:nort. turn leads to 1ih:ehaU, no door, but a r,eooss:, ente1r,edflrorn on®: Slide. The, hont door is placedsymmetrncaMy in the faoade, [From U~e ves~ibule a faj~Iy' shorl:tum,sicf~ys ~e~.dlsto the cloar::room. This part ,cif~lhe introd!.llc~iol'l! is fhe most cr:am~d, e,k~~.e:re the lilan 'fo:rUlle,rivfn91aN:8J is al~ow.edl to deve~ophee~,
1

w'm,

J.he relationship :between t.fle /t'lling level tilm:1g'm,mQ leveJ The diUe'r,enoe ~iil !evel betwooUl the dini . om iaM. my~i()room isocmtr~ to th~J: o~thetermirl 26). ThiS ffisullin91 ,dJillf,erelilce is strongly Ilatera'l: ~h;edining room a!nid terraceareiillmos[ a. slo:r,ey higher thaJn the garde~ and

oomma.l'I!da panoram~c view. wh.~eal$t.he muslc room liSas clooe as po:sslib!e 10' encol:ltragingl the expe:ri·
'I

'Emoe ot 1ihegard~n. Tlhfls .Iacement faoiiitates: a.ccessto the garages en one ~ide Oit the balSement

The spatial cnars.ct'8fistics

Tihe i'll~v,irlgIlayer" 'can be SOO!!,as two' oonnecl!ilng rooms and a haili. The Cenh'fl' of tlhe lhouse is m>aJrked by Ilile parti· lion w:a;li"where, 1lhe ce!1i~rall column ~s allSiO pos~!ioflled.The V;8inioiiJsactiNity arrea.s: Ibay window, dil1iilllg room, k!Lt'dhen (flg, 27).

"liiVinglleve:1 calflalso be soon as a centra:!1han encirCled by ,. r.ibrary, mU5!ic· room,

Thespati?Ji cha~i!lcteristics and the sftua,tio.n Becauise tlhe vUlias ,ar~ pll.aced insude the' builtling ml'le, .31 spa.oo In front o:~Itle house ls S!eparat'ed~f,om the garden behii!1id. but du~~o the disl:atJ.ce, be~ween~h;e 'vil~ these two spa:ces ftnter1ocl;t This interlockiil1lg iis oompl'enrnem:ed.by the cr,e.aJr distinction in plaJn Ibetweefl~h:e front an.d Iback zones which, however, are ilflfQrm:allyl'iri!~ed by' Unes ,of $~gliit The dlffetfefiOe beil'weefi trOfl" aJ'id back 'The: road 1acade faces sooial s(p<3lce,~ihebaok is Q.ri~nl~edl ~owawds an u!"tde~ined space. il"ln,e ar,etli be~hind ~h.ehoulse is lamgreaM private, ~ile pr1ivacy is I'einb'ced by 1iheraJlof-Uile land. A terrace ~s not necessary Ihere" becau5ethe rooms command an open v,ieMl. The t:e:r,~aooaM bedrooml ooJoo· l1IiescOl1lseq,uently have rail'ililgs: [but th~ roof"~euaoe Ms a oompl~tely c!l'olSedl pan.'pe~Which. togethe:r wiilh the Overii!,;mgi~gn:'l(l~', formSi a basin-shapeaoulsi'de area co:mpl'ete· Iy $eiPara~ehom 11h~ living areas, to' w'1'I leh 11101: even tlhe aUk: rooms have acool'is.111e oriernta11iOl1l~DWaJfdsthe sky, whiclh develops in s~ages.i1'ltl1.e TZi1ita. house, COOlt~a:stsin (his house 'W,lIil1the "~iv~ng programme". Jne plasticity of the NCill/de The hoyse has a ce{nltral, block-like bay wrn:Qo.w,top,ped by a.olosed pa:r:llip!!!t (fig. a8). Thns p'a.s~ic ar1uculaUon ail'udes to tM co.n'l'iidei~al:lle distance of the house rromlihe road. The l1iol:!:sesta'l1ids: OUlt mc.ea btook in :spaoo,fhespa!tnaJf,o~m of which IS repeated in 11h:e bay w,indow.

37

29'

30

The articulation' oJ the facade The faoode CQf'I;sis.ts of a p~i!iJSteredsection an a.II(}w pmntlfl of uncilresse:d stone' (fig. 29),. The p!aster,edl secl1iol1l I'O:fiMSiii :squar'9, 1II1eart!oll.ll~llio:!"IO'f the' facade ~,esl!'lts in focal p<lin1:s ibelowaJndi above the middle O'f he, ia:rge: square: a vertical
fluctua~km. The I!:laSleffient window, si1U'<lted in 1he plinth, is too ,only eil.ementth;ed refers to the, a;symmetricaJl arrangement at the dw'ellfng, The: darkened, low I~elief surround O'f the two' OOJoony dOOfS 01'1 1100Ibedroom level ,of 'the 'facade, is tile .only exalmp!s in the P[,oj&ets discussed he-Ie ,of a pur,ely g,mphfc compositionall de'Vioof,(n a facade. . _. The ,ar,tjcuiat.itm at the fa,oode i!.ii1dthe s,f)<JtirflJ c$ractierisfic,s: The baywlrndow is a Oii:nlhal elemeJilt"su!l'~ound!ed by a wtea:~h of wind~w aperliu'r,es" compafab!le' with 1ih..ePoS1i'tion:· l ~n:got the' haJI ,and its ,eru::if,cl'il'lgrooms. The graphic ilJnity O'f the two balcony openings, d.escribedaOOve- i:s eompafiillble wHh ilhespecial position ,of the two IilVingl IfOOmiSatt the

Interior surfaces; dif!il1groom The di rling room us ~igiht and open. The ceill01ll9 tJlU (he whit'l;! Slllrlrlcmndi {amil lar to us tram ~l1e salen patUerrll. The ceili n,g is ""supportedl" by four pjoject[n.g pf'GilCs., ag:a11'lrecal,ling aJ pavi lioll, The columns and plinlths are ofllroaverline, a;s is,tiletropartfle dirvision O'f the' entranee warr, C-upboord's and walls are in O~ume-faoedl plywood" jonningl a.teIlSl'i' eolour scheme i11combjfla~ion with the, Travertine stone. A '0resser opposite the outside walll is '~iUed with Olear mirror, ,and the dresser ,and!oupboalrd doors 'opposite the music reem hiElV8 rnercrs of obsC'ur,ed glass.

Inrerior surfaces: music: room Despite lits 'brrn arlO s!i1JU'a:tionwhich ,a~ev.err simi'larto
those the di ning room ;~he mus&c :room is, ihighly introverted (fig. 32)" inhi!Sintmversion lis accen~ua.1ed Iby bul'l1:-in seats with their b.u::ks to the' wall, andl by the' ni!i~rowingof the' three windows; the box·I'ike consnucnon af 1t1e: ,kume o plywood -panelling, enhances lhi,s charadeif' and~he centripetall character of the, room is r,einfarced by the use' ot the same mat.erial for tile casijng that runs round the 'lO'PO'f the waIIl, jus't below the white ceiling, and which oonl,affls ~h:e lightiing.,

of

back.

The symmet'Y of ;the facade' iih:ef'e iiS hem 1110 de¥elb;pment along a cen'tral axis, as there is in the Tzara house, buta symMe1JriaIJ ch.!S!tefofO'rte, 'two or three axlis" The relation 01 the 'hcmt door to 'ttleoentrai e'lemen~in '!he 'acade ,is probJ'ema~ic, as ;,5 the relation
between en~ran(;e", cloakroom arid !hall in the plan,

The'articulation of the reB" aspect The, back aspeet hiOlSh!vOiilxes (fig. 30): one ot them may be saidl tOWliden to,wtards 1lhe top, the other tapers. A ,cliliM' fIi~y'~urUner ba..ck; forms a "'material axiis" betllli',eel'l ~h;ese twO' symmetrically to' 'Ihis chimney-This 110'11,;1 'oo~re~ponds me wiith the axis ,cd the lefHull'ild 'Wil1ldow O'f ~he music room, wh1dh ils alsO' that n>ol:lI'lI$ "ffi()i:s o~:enbance" . ' Il3e~ow the terraoe are hi'I.ilO symmetricElirl'y p"a<M1l:(i ,smarl' w,ifildaws (fig. 31): one 0:1"1 ~he •"spatiall axis'" O'f the dining room, the other an ~he "'material axis" O'f the dnrimney. TheeRect of 1Ihese addilti(N1il;l is ~ha.lthespBit~.a:li'lIndi material axes are both b~Ql!glht int.o play" so drawing attention to' their equality, s,pa~iall ,aIXes ,and a pseudo"Columl'l Qn the mof is plaoedl

whereas, the' dlinJng room has columns, which PJfOJe.cI' (f~g., 331- There ls a $~lu!ii!Jre opening betweOOI the two rooms. On the' side o~ the music room this ,opening is, framed! by two very sligh1'1y protf1uding columns" on the dining room side the 'edge of~h:e oeiling acts as. a horizol'l1:alframe,to~ the gap. The opposit,e wall ,of the di~il1g !"OOm is articlI'lated venican'y ~y two cupboards tla~k the dresser. while the oPPosii'le, shorl: walll 01 me musio room lis articulatedl hert.zoi1l'lallly by ,8: ledge8lt winClo'W-sm height and a hori~oiltal window htghew up. lhefO'ur silor1 wall's arelhus artictlilaIed as fiollows: verUcal, IhiOrnwnUll; verticaJ. Mrill:.ol1ltal. fnterior surlaces: hall 11'1iew 0/1; 1he dlf1erent fittings in the music and dining v foams, whalt IOO~~ibilities ramal 1'1 tor the- haJII?Here, the' dHf· terence between these two ciharacters is •"pnternalized" . The' side adjaoent to, ,the' mUSljc Foom and entrance' recess 'has a P'VWQQd claddingl, the o~h:erside, wiltoh is adjaoi3'rUIO tile diiti!"lgmom. Ute :stairs Ileadiingtothe bed'r,ooms aild '~he window recess, lis treated !by 'fr,a.medpanelli n.g, The cei'liing is ar~icu~ated by two' areas ,enolosed by beams: one abo:ve tile recessed window and orne UI1Ihe t

The OOfl,trast OOh".-l!l611 the dfning room and music roam The music ,Foom is bo.x,shapoo, with indented cemers,

middl'e ,~f 1ih,ehall (ff:g, 34). ThelSB a.ooentuate ~he,domBs~ic character of the ludl aJod the sUrrQlJllld'iF!g area may lbe regarded <lisa tr~dfioz()l'lle, It oontains the staircasa 'I'eading, 'LJIP the bedrooms;, parlli11iotrloo at! by a kiM'of tlr,e:I~iswork to r:ci:rglroo.ter privacy. Oli! the o,~Ih€!:r a sh:o~t f1ig:hit~f st'a!lrs sidle !eadis to niHEl,bay wJr:!dowand!i~rary. The .aooe$~ $~aks and the el'll1lr1inDe aJread~itior!sto the whole. 'The en~ire space U'IU$ develops :!l!$ymme~rica~~y"a dev.e!opm.e'mwhlo'hoO'w.tifillJUilS ~nto lltteentrance ~nd mYsic I'COm (f,ig., ~,)" This contiiiluesthe p:re1;lious!lymentioned obmqu€ ,I~flle of sight ri~om bay window . If'!!U18 pSJnellled entrali'loo,smaU panells the nninQI~ihestairs ~orma plastic pa;U~m n;l'S!JJIUOQI in one 0'1Ute

rru,),st $(llPhisli.cated'·rnaJteria~·space" carnlPlex:es in Loos' oeUiVr~,

PfiO(JOrliMS In hwms o~d€lsign techn.iqu'e f\!1s\l'€'was n01 0\'~~.a1J ~o:por. Uoni[I;g: di~~ng'mom, music rOOJlriliilindi han arer:ak~yinde,perli' dent (fig, .30).

PRAAG
37
ways wtrile 'the library is orr,ented t,owards 'the access road. The po,sii~ion 'of the' UV11ng area offers: m.ur,e $cope fO(r <II ving H lh~s hQulse' was bum in Pr,<IIg,u!e Dr. Fr<llntisek Mm~er,a fer buil:ding oO\nlh<llclol". IBeciliiuse, of the success of the oo~laJbo· han :se~edl by the mule pastlih:e s1airs. Nor ls a. comp~etely separate stairGase,as in 1:h,~Tzara Muse" here a 1easiblte ra1iicm between cl1ent and Mdh,it'eCt, the very diflie:re:ntiated optr.cm forIne Raum~Jan, For ttie,fiil"st time" Loosoombiln;es a brief resultedl iill Adolf Leos' most sqphisttca:1:eci "Flaumplan", lIhe par1icl!laJJ' site, hadl a 'c:rI.lcial inf~1!f,enoe on 1lh,e French salon-like room Wii1h an open slajrcase,,, so doin.g by pllan. . op~ni!"lg up the salon walll and plaoing the stairs alongi the' periphery. The stairs 10 nne bedrooms ai(,ebehind Une diningl room, in Ihe situation the oonltre ofi the ih;oiJse, and recerlle dayiliglht irom a skyliglit The site ~ies 001 the norUnemslope of '~h:e hills above in the root. The stairs oom mand 'Outside views in thiroo Pntglue (fig ,.37)., The northern aspect commands ,111 panodirections" through ~hesa!on, dnning room ,an;d r~(d skylight ramic view. Ibut ~aoes. ;fjiWtJJ'I from 'the sun, flna sit,e is steep This dev.a!lopment m~kes for a mor,e gradual$epaJraIion (fi.g. 38" arnd is oorderoo at the tcp by 8. quiet r'oad servin:g ,aJnoldler re:.sideifllt~ aJ,ea. The' ihollJse,s,taln,ds ~ree,em ooe betv.reen I'iving and $~eepirng11hElJni i nl pr,ev-ious p:rQje{l,1;s. The d'il'!ing room opens ofl' lIh:e salon and has, a Ihi:gher side, 1j!JItJere publlcsteiPs slltirl the site, One o'~'iPl(.1l!gye's of more thana ma:]orap:proach roads ru f1S pas;t ~he lower end o~ the t'e'~" floor ,as in earUer P(o]~ts, a disp~ement rain. .. metre this 11ime(fig. 40.), The g~ is brrdgedl Jb.y~h:ethroughroute' upstairs, behindl the sal'(1,nIwall. lwo aIX.es, at right Theslte is thus SlwTolJf1ded on three' sides !by public anglles~o one al'lo1tie'r, determine the oriell1.a~ioiii of tlhe space, 0:.1"11)1 east side !bordering 0.1'1 private terrain. The the diining !room: via the Ibay window on the side aind via the house is deve.loped depthwiise andl as '[:airw"Gst ·aJS possible. saJol'! at the back, the squar'e plan of Ulle dining room is a yielding a closed garden onthe east side, If=,or aximum m reaotion to this silu<lIHon. p:riiVacy 'Uhe gard!ein area was l!evened ,andl a re,taijning walll SILlq;l'(i:singl elects retSulthom nilatij'Onship between the built. on the side oord!1f;oo by the, I(,oa.d. duning room arid sabn due to the oeen walls O'f the saien. As, usual, the sa~ol'l is ,(j!ivided Icmgwise htolh~'eei the di nilng The 1i1tinfJ' fev:e~ room Iy~ng011 the $eloon:dary axis_ Tine diningl mom is wider Iii II: ,salem ooo1.!\Pies1lh,ee:nlti:r'ewidth of the back. oHtu;, 'house(l}r. D!Je,tQ 1ihesloping si~e, ill has a higlh siIlUi3it&On, than one bay oi' 1he salon, SQ' tha11;h:e comer o~ h,;i' dining room does not. oei ooide with a saloJlI post This proch.ices an which gl~es, adeq;uate priivacy. A terrace is not feasible open cornell" in ~he dining roern- Laos' first 'Open corner, II here, and would in any case face north. Tih;esaloli'! tl1€lretore' Ir,~lates the dining, room diagonellylo the salon; moreover, I'eads out ontc aSffiall ooJoooy wiith a.oilQ'$edlpa!l'a,pet aadne r,elltUia:nship loll the • en. Oompel'ls<IItion "or 1tiis is ;achievec! on the tep . ,(r;eaclhedl by an ,elevator) in the form O'f a large iroof ..gal'den leading O'ff the br;ealdast room. As in the Tzara house, the:re us no room for Ihedining hCDlJoo, blJit 11h:ere Iroom a~ the, side. lis The east sijde, Qverliooki'n;g the closed garden and t:ien:eethe most private side', is the obvi:ous placetor it. The dinuli!g'IrOOm window, !however" is pl'ainly visible'hQm the aeesss Il'Qad, a preblem whioh was e$Olved by adding ill! bay Wiln· dow. Due,to ~he sitlJlttion 'of the dining room and tha adja:oent pantry and kiil'dhen 011 the side, ,of the neuse, their,e is plenty of room 01'1the otiler side for the introduction. The cloakmom at the side looks out onto an 'open ~pace .. Aoove the Ilobby and clookroom there lis room fOil"a library and a r,oom ~eseFved Io.r 'thie ladly of the house. This reorn faees si'de-

IF,oom at the back o~ the'

this dbli:qli& I'ine O'f sliglhll is oohomrtJirther down by a steiP' ped stringer, remil1iscel1l1:,of the outside :S~li!IPSf the Moller o house,. . The reia'tionsl'lfp :i:tetween Ilvil1{J hweJ and ground level The obl'ique line oWsightrwo!'lfn the dining' room l'otl'1e salon COf!linu~s ourtside, having passed through the ~on wi r\idow (,~ig.41). TI1~s downward,slantingl I~ne is pos:sub~e Ibecause there itS 00 biilil:Co:nryin front (d 1lhis window. The line Q~$igt!ll appe~Ir1~1.o run paral~el lo!:he s,lo\pvngl $!it:e" tlhi's iiS becausethe diMen;mce ~n Ilev.el betwe;e;n the dining room and salon ls p.aJra~le~tothe dli"iTerence in g:N;l~.mcl l!eVel oo~h longi'lil.J:dinalliy andilatenll~liY.

Tha ellSUeifllg paira~lel (Klmse of natu'r,e arLd CI..dture replaces ali! actuall outwaNjl '8'")!;1'e'nlsion Ule li,ving' llevel. of The intFodu.ction As in U'10 Moller heuse, access ~D the IMngarr'ea is vila ani sleeve apprQachedl by a short f1~ghtof ,s~airs and a tum- a tlhoo~rfcal el"!~r·a!i!C!e(t~g .4,2). 1he alcove llies On 11he:seoondl· <lilYaxis of the salon. On ent~ringl the lrooml oiillil'sffrst sigl'rlltis the panorama that is vi!.i~b!ethrol.l!gh the same w:indowthalt frames ~he diagonal viewflrQ!im1 the· oilnil'l!g room,A, numool of ~Qlj'~esint.ersect dirElc~~yin flr,on~. f ~tnisaloQve aM ~liII'1lmed'i~ a a~ely behind. the open walll or the salon act!S as a menumental ga.tiilw,ary. The clo~kiroom, thaI precedes ~he llarge salon" lis elaselcally dirvided i nte tlh nee along its ~eiilgi~Ih,arn:d again is approached along a s!eGQ.n:dary 8X1is_The cloakiroom fiS on the same leVe'l as the ~m.nlt door, ~o whiCh it is linked by a short lPas;sag~like vestio'U:le'. 'hehorn~ door is set in a slhallow reoess topped by'afllat, open porch . The (wont door is atone side of the IF,eOOSS,!1li b:uUt·inl bencn lill the mirh;tr:e (tt~~s is the so:ulth :sPde), ,aJ'),{j a h~tch t.o the (loal-oellar ,chute on the QU'J:err :side, 1l1is ,isllh:e most erreciliiv.e ~;>::ample: O'f ILaos" honl·doo! hea~ment, which always reila.tes :subtly to iitssll!r,r,oundin.g spa:oosaool fUlilctiof'lls. 1M rumosl s:trailgM lineClf appiro.achf,r,OIl'li!I the frol'l!'ldoorlo th€salon maintainsi!! seco.ndary axiis, IOlillthe primarYalxis move-sin and foo,.Never befm,e was s:yrnmEl·tty So dynarnk:. Closer ~nspeQtkm. however ,shows tha.t the axis ot the facadedOOs nOl (;olmJidle wal111nat of the sa:lon (flg.43) bUil icS staggewed by half llh~ widtnof nne s:tailr:s. The main P'lac1ucal adv;aJl"!ltageof 1ihis stag~gered axis ls Uliillt the erntranoo ,N300SS is than able to dwelQP ]l.IIIIY,thus haviiilQIUhe: same widthan;darmng)eme:nll as the clQakroom. On the olll1:stde, the staggereda!Xis is compensatedlf'or byOili Irecessed CO!, ne\[' of the Ibuildillg. I dQ no'l Qons~deJ it~oo farcfetodh:ed to' as:socilS:OO: mcessed COmeT with the QJjen C(!Jin.erin the th~s dli ning room; the recessed comer faoos a side· mad In:earrily opposite the hOlLlse,

~-'-J-

="f1
""--T
I ~-~~

';1'

41

(;;)' _.

II~

._

43

41

-_ -_ -_
45

The' !rOOf leveJ:S Determining 'the ~Ioor Ilevells with regard to tl1es1rool is p~,otilemat~c:aIl, becauSle:of 'the steeply sl'qping terrain, Laos, keelPs to the pattern of as.oen'Ciing to 1ihe :salon. The (:lls· pJaoemenrt of 11he salon floor is reduced by havinglhefront ,door lower than street level (fig. M) SlO the salon ends up, at a:1'mosttM same l~velO'l!s the afreet, Oonsequenlily. in order' 10 reacll the garage und!e:f ,the, salon, iii car must descend a. whol~ storey, passing :a;lofig a I'o.ng,d'riiVeway rin frcnt af the tnoliSieandi along the side. This lower ent~ance makes ij'I easier tom in the Ubrawy arid a foomfor the mi!lb"e!ls of the house, none'lhella.ss, the plan rr,esl.!li1sfa:r 1lhe first time rin ,diH,erent levels on the bedroom solo,rey; a differ,enee wI'1:ich ,oontriburles, to a ~ess ab.rupt tr,ans'i1ijon between the Ilijv,ing andsleep:ing levels, Bath the ~ibrary and mis,tr'ess's room lake! up 1he 1hemeof diffe'ter"lt Ile,v,ells, aaeh in i~$own man,Ine,. line mis,tr,ess's rcern adopts. the diag.onal line ,of siglht do,wn thes~ajrs a!lmos;t !literally. I'n the "ibrary the theatil'ical entranee pr,edomimdes. . Chl!!tacterization

orienta'lijolil, tow,ar.clls open space. lhiiS orientation is rein~cm::edl by means of the closed par,a,pet of the tenrace at the badk arndl open railin,gs ,at the' side, This is the' firsl~ime that Loo$ '9 iVles spatim mE:!O'lIniing 1lh,ei:::IasemelnlL to

The rela tloll' with the' cUyoentriil' The roof·garden is p8.rtliy·en,cilos.oo by two sktewalls1ihat link the' chi mrneys with the roof eonsteuotlen (fig. 46). A large
window pierces the, east end wall. One'sfilrst sight, on anrivingrat the root·gardeiii. is of Prague Castl!eand St. Vitus' Ca'lhedral, framed in this w,indow ,and tlhis is '11he~irst time U'iat Leos makes alii explicit relatfonship WiiltJl the city, Because ,of the view ,an.o booause ,of the breakfast room gi~ing 'onto U'!:e roof-gar'den, the roo1-gardenSiGquires a social n!l!eeoinQ. alS weill as a relationsh:ip wi~h the sky: sociaJ~ aspeot and the slpatiii3i1aspect merg:e. The plasfk;ilyof the' facade The house is close to the roadland 1his; proximity is matched by a subdued pl1a.sticity {~ig. 47): a serai-reoessed por1oh and a subUy·proJecl,ing po.rdhl. IBecause O'f '~he sunken area infront O'f the house a semi-open area is Q.ener· ated between thef,acade and the road. The peripheral ohar· act,er oJ this area is echoed by the shallbw plastioity ,O'f the recessed entrance. which has a detailedfi'll-in and a travertine lining. For ~ bJiie~mome:nrt, the I~i!!'!gl area is extendled oU~Siide. The (J'r1:iol.1Jafion of the' faoode In this house! 1!M plaster,edl (acaclle is wi1ih:oUlt P'lifilh (~ig. 48.), To, tile Cl!fSOry glooce'" there is not a square in sighr1, Iuntill one I'lotioes~heyellow Ibrick r,etaining warllibetween drive and emrance, wilidh is now seen '10assume the cneracter of a separ.art,e plif1'lh. The d'ividingl I'ine cQresponds with 'lihe level efthe salon floor, A!bove Ute entrance i'SEII'l anangement of smSil1 Ilarge and windows. Tille midldle wi ndows owrf,ooking the service s~aj'rSi,are dlhsp'la,ced by a half.·Sitcm~'lf.Ns: rna.~esIJhe b'lal'1lk I space above the Windows appear to,spreadi 01J1: 'fa!n"wise dowrnvards. between the w,indows • an eleot which the added surreund to 11h~Mall'er house will'ldows ,delioorately avOids., An asymmetricall~ placedl winoow is addedl above. lihis of course corresponds with the asymmetrlical disposHlion of the neuse behind 'Iihe lacade, the centre point 'o'flhe top windows,. CQneSpondiS lh.o"Wev,elf, the cen~r,al axis. of the with salon and rear wall.

The salon is the db.mim,mt space. The central axilSdoes

of the space plan

not 'connect up witil My othe:r mom, bUll wiltil Ule staircase lea:dJng to 11hebedrooms (tig. 45}, The' main ads accommcdarles th:e 9'l<:tremes ot ImQbil1e an.d statio:nary actiViity.

The other rooms en 11he living lIevell are ,oriented 'towards the salon 'to a di nninisihing deg Fee: diningl room. the mls-

tre'ss,"·s room, the! Ub~8!rry;there is, 110 break. no OOf'lstlric111on.

The spa.tia}' characteristics: and' the sjte Tile sDte is: charactel'lized by Ibeing open pracli:caJly the' wllole,way rouod, ~he on'ly int'efTllptiQn being on the ,!Jarden side. Inside there ar'e no continuous ,axes or lines of sigrht 'e)(ceptfo'I tile line Ibetween the diningi·roonn window overlookingl thel gar,den and the salon win.dow Ine:arliy,oPPosj1ie. The staircase in the rn iddlle of the house haa a cetlrtri~ugal etliiict on the va~ioil!s,riving rooms. The dif1eumoo be~n firQ(it and' :back Both the ironlt ·aJJ"!dl ba..ck walls faoe roaos. Each duly displays a mainly 'ol:osedl Sl!JrlB:OO with theal most graphic r,end'erin.g of the, window ,ope'l"'Iin.gs 1ihat determine the ,house's appea.ral"!oo. Due to the raill In 1he grourtd andlih.e

'ns.t roof·garden, the back wall iis one sl'orey lower than the 'facad'e, A Ilate;ral:shiU is partiicularly in 'evidenoe a~~h:erear, where! Une d'ri,\I',eway tums in10 a terraced extension fOJ' 1he automobile, T1he ,garage el'iltr,anoe is set in a. low recess,
IReoess and l,errace gi,ve the basement a strong sidew,~ys

The facade and spatiaJ oharacteristics The entrance recess is,11hespatially dominanit ,ef.emerrt of the facade. separiiiih1id'hom a cf,us:ter 'of wiinoows by ,Iln
overhang, An analogy is proillided by the' sepa!ri!litionof tile salon hom a cl:us:lJer of moms by the aulorllOr'ii'ilo'Us resr wall. The centre oflhe iacade ifs ffi<2rked by th:eWilndows which Ir,all position oflhe stairs: ii"iScide the,lhol!Jse.

Artiowatio.o' of ,the teM aspecf

are:;;hiUoo beceusa o~ the staircase. analogous

to the cen·

~ho~Thearficula,tion 0" ~he rear m.cade k~8rirangied ir1l!sfciea SQUBJre. tile image' lis l'ieiil1fmced in ,order to oompemate,ror ttJ.e m issiril,Q base .

The roorfacade: has no e'llid!ent base. (f!g .4'9). 1Ihe pro· jecting] balCony and 'ga..rage ~en,aoe ~o"ow 'Ihe grodiierlt of ttll=i' tel1r,a.in, ~hus; nlh~ifIcil1gllaJteral 'orientation towards Ojpen e spaoe.. "iI1he gll.~age 'terrace isf,ormalliy il1vd.l\lled il'll the

.only if one lis ~amil'iarwHIh rile, plan inside' can tile' special posi1iol'il of one psrUoulla:r window 'in tile ;salon 00 ,appre· ciated: this, window now marks: the' 'vl;!n1l1'eit the Ir'earfacade ( '!oge'Uher with th.e op€lI1 space of th.e ,garage terraoe.

~,

47

[J[]

[J

OJ IDOl

,~

",,
) ,.

43

The interior sunac.es: Ihe~afQJ:I lllhvs is ~he d~rated s;;Ii!lcm of all th.e houses desOI'i'OOd1ine oeilingland i~s s:urmlJllld areW:h~te.llhtl$ is enlnal!'!oed Iby fOij r matt·wliii~~ SiP'tl,*~ica:11 lamps on SieOOnd1alr)faxe'S. C-zyJ~ m:e €!Xpressed assepa1iml!r:!!S rnle hum waUs wlil~nflree·s~andil1lg ool'l!lmns ~!i'I~ne I~earwalll, ~he car'iflers ;ine indentl'ld, By ,oon1Irelsl. ~h.e sealing aroo oPPOsite iis incol'jp()l'a!tedi into the mass Ol~ the wall, the, indented COl!1I!'!~~s;am~raJl'lMol'lliililoo ~ii'lh')iIPFojectifig on:es.lIihis ,duublles the, (mtliJmn zone be~ween whk:h ~he sea,til'llg .~s
(I,pel!'! real waUII!iililiJResi~ um::leSclwabile to, llimittl!'le marbile clMdinQ '10~he immf:or of the S<illnlfland it.Oiulllycontinues to, '1M bad!!; of this; 'wiilm in~ne dining rOOliilmland tll'affic ~ol'lle. The other slide o~~he Ipmiilr'e{ral ~raffic zone, rOll,lnd Ule mha~ce recess ber.ow 11l,e IIilIII:is~ress!seern, is clad with the r sama: Of,p<JIlino ma!'ible"Uhu5 reinfoJcingthe QhaJ~ac~~r olf Una periferal clrcl.!Jl\a~IOIi!ZO:i'!ilil.
I

[irUedThe

ltu'l,open eemer in ~l1!e dining I~(mm mak~s lt impossible rO.fthe :Space to' be definedl ,eithea' Iby pftljec1iing co:r,Mr coil! i'iI'iM"IS orr by im::leniledl . ' The room iiS n~eiF,ef,ore IPflimanlly de~ermililed by Ii, 1:e'b!e inllhe mliddle, ~ts granite sul'ilaces!Ulp,portedl by an ootag,o:nalllPma~ (fig,. 51 ). At IN:mli!dl~firi!p 'ot maU p~ai~e..glass is sluspeliided :above the table and the reern ~s IlIJrUilEliFdefined Iby a co,ffered me:hoga"yceili ngl. The lliOrizO'ntaJ~ pl~!m~SQflihe reem 8ir,e primill!f'y! 8Jnd enclosel:Mspaoe ~ik!e iOI;H:)!ne8Ji!lI ,af,ers. w In l1on;a a~ the
rOOMiS

In tMOJI sudaoes: difiifig room

:so'faJ~ dlesc!'Ii'bed does Leos open up

[he walls to sucni1lln ,extent as in~hiis ,diinirligl room (fug.52). lhe bea.tmeni['Qf too wall adjoining the salon has alrea.dy been iliidicaJted; n~iSg~e0Ii1Neinedl CipoUifilom:ttFtile of the 3ll1I0IflOffiOUS. I~,eafwall. IHowmell'! the dining Iroom needed a, character of iilts ,Own" liM~:peI1Mje\lllt of ~l1iesalon, The salun is light, SiO~he d~li'Ilng,~oomr():r coii'ltra:s~" is ,dark. This rnJtlans th~1 U'ile m8~ble Ihas ~o stop ~I eElJ:h walll is: CQ.ir'lseq~eli'ltly d'i~'ferell"lit.[he diHenences meeting 3tmJ!:p1~y illtfhe cOr!i!erS, Whi te plaster; mahog:aiifyClJPboa:~ds, Due to the \I'3ria~iolil<in the w,all finis!hes we observeku ~he first Urne a. Qen~lI'iif1.J,gal broo ernans;lling frOlil!li!1 centre. um::heckilld by the, OOIi'l~ri" the peil:al force of Hie waU'O'l,o'er"

.'

L': :'. :.-.-,._".

~
..,.

,.

The mistresiS'sroom
The se.atil'1g area in the Iroom n~sefVedlt,or '!In.e tady of the Muse ~s pa1fl.eUedin lemo.l'li-woodl, ill"lcrudil'l!Q its: ceilingl, \Wliclii gives~ih)e room a, t"miK·like dhaiFac1,er. Thete:du re the·woOO C:O;nJtmsts witi'nthe qpel'l!ne'Ss oJ the diningl room. iin vi~w O'~ the symme;lrfiGal posWOI1l o~' lhetw,o rooms (figl.

at
-

SSe).

Propor1,tons' A5 in tM Tzara house, the saf,OIll is nearly twtooa;s Ibng ss

~tis widie: ,(rlig. 53}, likie Tzara agaiil1l" nne depth of tn:e dirdrilg room. i~clud.il'lg the column ,;ron'e, equals the d.e1P11n ! ~he ,N:' salon of~ih:e sp;;lJoe ootwe~i('il the column:s.111e ,ell"ltim I"IwiSe i:s Msed! on tMse propon~OI1lS, wullilinthe Wiili~IiS:.~Ih:e whole 1h00uls~uS in a. ratIo of2:S" The dLl1ing room, itn.c~llIC1U~g tine column z!OIi)~, is olle.slixJh of thislii!Mangement, but tum-sl eut 1.0h<livj!l,b~n moved the tlil~dkl1le:s:s of one oo!lruMn, in order tooonnect ill with nneseooruja~axis at tM sal'an am:J1to creaje the; spa..ce ltl;eOOlfld in the oen~re of 1[hiehO!iJsefo.r the st.<!Jif$_This om;N:)oium~ shilft <1I'SO occurs eis~tnem. The oO~i.lmI1thickl"l€'ss is ~heSiilime: as ceiHl'I,9 piilinell in the CHfilifllg rQo:rn,Unesalon i:5221< x 112k. and the totall Inlside vI> 2<:tk x 3611\. The d:ill1iing·rcOffi lamp anC! the l::limp in,~hemis. tresa's Iroom ap~81IiO~'oI1rlr!i together the double ,oentre ot the house.

~ ...

•• 1.

~~,

'.",

~.:J:t.-: '

1~·~:.===W.illt
,/

I.

_;.,-,·:jl

,:,.':.

~ :~'~'.~

"

Summary and oonduston

dences i(~e$r.gl'iledby AdaM l.oos. lin d~cn'ibjng the "IFlaum· plan" the au1ihm sll.ibdMda.s the t:elFlm to diiS~ingl~i~h between mvinc plan space pliaJnl~nd liiI1Ia~eil'ia_l pfiaJn.
1

Uiis aJrtr.dle,des.oribes 1he "Raumpt!a!n'"

of priva.1:e u,uba!rI re!Si-

re;rns.

~n tlilrn. each of these is I'Ol1med by

,rill

oomplex of pa:t·

The IMng pllan cd ~h;8sehO!.lses plan dhSpliays no [inl'lovations. As far as the living Iplal'l is concerned, Leos was conserva.1ive_ lEach liiVingl pl1anl was [~e!;l!IiZied a dllffereot, in concrete s,itU'a:ti:on. The au1ho,f shows ho,w each situation generated rill SiP:eciflic space lplaill. Given the IPlanan:d sHua1[iQn. this spaoe plan ,em€iifges as a (fol'lctional} m~ces51ity. The mElIleria'1 piaii'! confirms '1:1he slPeciflic s~nJctLlre olf 1ihe space plan, fihlis cOfiltirmaIHOIi! is caused Iby 'the k~n:d I' pliiiOO and size of the surl'aoe m~t,eJials. The relattofi'lstnips ootween ma.ter!a11 and space ar,a seen to dl'l'YIe!Q,p gl'ilcre~i$ingly 1111'10serial orgal'li~ation. a This d!eprivecs the space plan at lis character of naeessiily, iils uniqueness emerging as a differentiated wtldle" In this, diff,erentiation o. spacE!'al1id rna1e.ria.i; Adolf Laos was revolluitiO:n:S1Y.

de1ail.

fihe ,ar~icles1arts with a :syrv,ey IO'f the palletn!!; <Cinar,act'erizin!;)1Laos,' houses up tc World War One. This w,as (,allowed by a precess ot r,eorien~.Uion to,wards cilassicaJl architecture rn IlOOS" work lof the firsl postwar yeal,s ..This reorienta1!ion eventually' led to,1ih.eemer'gen.ce of C!lassicail el'emei11'S (col· u mn cernioe], andte the d'e!l,i\ero'Pmell'l~of a me~hod fooU\Ss· ing on relatkli"lstnips (betwoon ma:leria.ll and space, inl'erior ilIl'ld e(l(terior). This new' m;elhod evdb.lledl into its defi f'liti,v,e 'form in ~tne'last 1Jh ee town Iiiol.!lseslo be b~iH: by Locs, These n three lhouses. i.zara, Mb.1ler and Mf.illil'l'r. aJN\!Idescribed [in
1

1. Good ~Me¢lq,necanbe,aescri.bed: itnood 001: be dra!;Io',nl. 'iT'haPantneolil can be d'e~~. Sec~tfIl:K1ildililQS 'C8!lllool. HGflllrldh KUlkar: A.dctIlL~'" Viennil193,~. p, 1& 2, W,he~fl1NC SfI'Ilk~of !h!!illi>Or p'lan l1!iU1!et!o. ~lnce'llioDs· we cal'! spe~ of ill ~eplm. . 1(!.I'lka,[po 14. 3. The, plan, ot tl'li'; room q,J1lOe~1~ QUlTe,,1 Ji!pill'!esel inUueooe is ,cel'lltrill.fg~l, Too' furniture is ill the OMtII!ItS ~Ol alII. sial'll, IlIOWSI!$,~I ~I~!). The Clelttre i~, tree '(epaoe for IOOVemBlll), AritiIIloi ~t ~ 'id'!!ll<e' il. is needed- 'The midClle liri flol &CCel'ltU!lted. Kulpap_28_ 4. Too walls 'Clf a house bel~.i'lg lOIITleE!rc!"liteel, There I1e rll!!es·!ilt wi!!, As wit!'!, Ihe wall's so wllb .any 1ul'llib[lre!~! is flOl P'i'K)'oIable" Suci'i tis tMli!t-iIl C!J!pbcmds ami so loiih, They lire pari 01 d"le waIIl, and do rrlQl lead[ nlie i!ildE!pemlenilife' 01 osieniatioos unmodl!ltf11 cabi'nets. The maitUfa¢ll!.Wei 01 mo't:Ille furnihlFe (br:ass bedstead\ "0111 bedsread\ l'ab'I!I, Ohair. aJrmCllair. dGsk. Qlc..) should be; lel"t~o cr:aif!smef!. EVElf!IOOdy shoo'id ,co1leel U'l~ ooI:oo~ .aoooWlng 1.0 his 0WTIl d~ire, la'5ibe' afiitl[ ii'iClrrna.1iO~, KJJ!lpa IP, .24, 5. The MiJ~ $IlICMJIld be witM~1fI '00 ·the OIJt!9ide. re'fealilllQ .alI I~ oohes insidQ. Adolll-oos~ SlIm!llclle &;ItriJi'elJ, ed. FII,aIlZ GIIlCk., ¥CII, ~, V1emlll, ~rjch

1962,p,,339\.

IS, Thelooa1ir,e Iilasiieroo. stOl'llIy,h~1l galleri!l$ or 8Mexe$ (lbootoie~,lin Cl'OOri ool'il'loolion wiih a mailll ~pace which 'OQCll!JS)ias ~~ Il00FS. ~. reali'Z:ecI llia.t ll1!e Cflml~ 00l! vrolAd be lIJ.noo.aral:J&o wllfiool a. view ,of lhe, qir'lSpace. aoo Oms tflal by OOtIlneclillg a hig;hl!lt main spaoe 'Niln a leVier anne~ Iiie OOfIIICI save space, he, made use ,ofitis disco'o\[lt)I' in hl~ r,i!ISkklrr 1131 btiildin9~. Kul a po.. 13. 7. As in allloos OOlJSCs.the slafls are lin d"l9 Ili.ili'lgl room Q"lSII~" eM(;ring in r m()l\s apa.~s, There is orty ilFl<y pain!: in hatiol'ingl,a, separa.tasiailease in.,8JlI ,BJ:)at~m(!M ~irotlitig a~Fe(I [by :sever,a! p:artie~.Inside $ljjjr~ f1Ill~' !;I Clne'famlly hoost;l mooo spaQious al'I(I QOIJI'fol'lla'b'ISc Itioams Of! d1~rent 1Ioot~ are easily reacl1edl'r~Qffi to'le 11!.l'Idings, Kulka p..33 {On Stra~eil. e. As Ridha«! N~Ii'a ~e remarkedl, i!llllat lpeliod Loos ,haClll'8nspfanl.ed 10 Vloona "100 Cinar:ac~eris!i~ HlHl_ RichaKIiSOFI, 'thai iii, '!afse beB.m$ in light ooIc placed for tl'l~r beau')!' and fir",pleoos 01' uiipiasler,e(i[ !:iriCilS'·. Bened'eilo Gla .... a,gnlIOlll: Adol.nOO'S.' ~ IJf'td Wo;fk, New York. ~982 [po

0:'

97,

Gr,oningell'1, DeoernOOf 84/ October 86

1Jr-aJnls~E!ited by

R:uth Koenig

'1

I-

It II I ,t I'

-I

The 5 Points of a New Ar:cJlit~cture of Le OcubUlsier and Pierre' JeannernI w~N~! 'Iilte ~esult 0'1 many years Ibuild'il'lg ell(peniel11ce, and were vntroduoed as, "'elrrohitechual facts indi:ca1i1ng an enltirel,y new m9Jlllller o~ Ibuild'il1lg,," Iln~h,e:ifmost w,ideiy IkrlOwlIl form, ~he 5 Points a.ppea.r,edi illl the book plJblished t'O mark the Oipening 'of the' Weissenhof Siedlung 11"1 StuUg:aIt (192711In 'order of theirappeaJranoo in that bodk they ale: 1. The Colymll(Iespilbtis); 2;. TheiRoot·GaJden (lies teltsjardilllS}; 3. Tlhe Fme Plan (Ie plalil libr'e): 4. The Ribbon Window (Ia f'enehe en longueur}; 5. The Free Facade ~Ia raQacle libre). liM "Free Pian" is, usually taken as the focal point of these' 5 POints. introduciing wha,~ was an e.ss€i!!ltiially new ,!.l,rQhitooLlJr'e, ol11e, hich dievelop:s 'hom the inside lowiilros w the outside, The' column and UliHuninterrupted floor silab are the ,oons1n.rcti,Q',nal premisses f'Ol' this tree plian: i~ ls the' flJncti:Oi1that gives the [ofmto the interior space. .Hcrwe'l,ller, ahhQugh prompted by the :5 Points, the ,externail form of Le Corbui$ier's olJi'ldnngar,e not solely the' result ,of 1lhisinside-to·outs!de, treatment His imporlant slketo.'h~ ot ,diff,erilllgi modes of ,com:posi'liion (iigl.1) perrn:its.m ,examinar· tion of the methodl he emp'loyed both for the tUFlC'tiOFl!al pr,ogramma ,andl fo~ the total mganization of '~M desigllFoor desiglns forfolJr diH~J'~lIlt vimas, sliiow the ooni$tn.l!ction of the mass scih;ema.~ic<1llly Sind c!u'Ol'I!oloQI!'caltry. The first lis a om:n,poS!ite ' 'pf:dlu'esque" 'fo~ml {Maison- La: Roche·Jearmerei" 1923/24), the second a sim,ple tmx (Villa Meyer. 192.5/26 and VIiIIBIStein de M'oIllZte, 1926/27'. The third is a ibaSlic form derilned Iby free floor slabs, wilihl freely placed interior walls (VliUa 8aizeau III. 19~9)_ Finally, the Viilla Savo¥e (1928{29). lis shown as the most S'ophisU:ca:led scheme:lhe basic organiza.tiol'l of this villa. is formed! by regu!a:dy disposed pilotis which SIJp,porl ,a'W:h:i!le Ibox with a pHljecUo:f'I on two sidles, Wj11h;rn this basic form the outside walls arnd 'Uhecurved Ilines onhe roo~ garden ere Jreeily dlisposed. In ~h~sd'eJlib9'r~te recog !"lIlLianO'f a rel8ltkmsl1i~p bet~n: a IIFOOp:r,ogramrn;ali(;, d:everDpmelllt on the one hand, and 1Jhe r,equiremen~s of the ,external term onlihe other, te COflblll" sier's ear~ work. repr,esents an impo!rtaJ~t con1lri'outionto a!rcih itec:tU'r,e. Ho.wever"ll'1e llatent danger in Corbusier's.own Sl!mmary" as ,jixpres:sed in this drawiing, is ~hatit tempts us to see the de'IJelopmerd illl too, Simple, Of in too direct terms; sheer speed prevel"lll'i:ng us 'from gras,pingl aill the, limpilicartiof'ls ot these formall cencepts, AHer ,al~,,alrc'h:irtectural form lis rad'jcally helll'lsformedl hem, iilndl it lis in demons'IIr.a'ting UU:IIttransi

In the elev,at,edlhouse, the ;,ocus ,of the architectl"JlrailoomlPosi'~ionshins toa higher level. In ;;I sketeh in Pft!icmioflS, lie Corbuisier iIIlJ!iitJr,atesthis in a very direct (fig. ,2): the ane r,emaiflling point of referefllce 0'1'the facade" the door Ute einltranoe, the cern1irre'crf the classi:cal ,oomposition, is no

formation tha~ the house desig ns diwectliy pr,eoedingl the 5 Poj'n,ts, Maison Cook ,andl VIUa Stein de M:OrI!zie, are'-importalilt lhe 5 Pl:m?ts themselves also cOl'l,taJil'lIr,efe:r,eno~ 1:0'the d!esign theme oi' th~:I~pelr,iode - the 1iherne af O'libstrac~r'O'rll'li1l. Notably tile llast two points, the Ribbon Window and the Free Facade, pofntclOOrily ln this direotion; ~he'Ribbon Window" for instance'" gives no clue either to, the, various tunctions or 10 the·1i!ool' levels; behind the facade. The eceurste ,dei'l:a!ilingllo'f the IRib:bofl Windows ,als conceals tile diHer,enGes between thie ,opening and ~'he fiixed parts of 1tJe wirndow. FinaJlly. Ih:e can1ileve:red ~Ioor hees the facade hom ,oons1nJc:tional' elements (point 5}. Insho:rt. the 'j,acade no Ibnger remir,!; to extraneoys ,eleMents" Iburl:has become a 'C3JnrVaS, few aes~hetfctreatment However. one' pmb~fi(r1IiI~·tm rrema~l'ls. and calls for another look at 'the :5 Points. Examiningl tMm again, alnd focUissing 'Oil lPo\irnt 11,1lh.e Column, and! point S, the free Plan, weOlire parti;eru1arly stru:ok by the posWon O'f the seoondl point, the Roof·Garden . lis this point 1'10,1ilJoo:rdina~e' to the itsllankingl pOi!!lts? Is 1he S floof-Gardel'l any mote than a.Junctional suggestion tor 1ihe top; a digestion ,of impr'Bssion:s ,of 'Iihe aro!hiWofllJ~'e of the Middle EasW Andl yet 'Ilhe pl!ac;e 0'" 'the Roof-Garden In the structure of the 5 Poill'ts is l..mderstamjl1lble if we leek at pOints 1 and:2 ~og,elher" both have a oo'ar~l'lg on 1lhe position 0'1'91 bUiild1ing on its, site)'. One' o~ 11h;e postylartiolls, in peiott, 11hie Pil0,1Iis,is, lihat they railSe 1h.e:house oH the' gro:und, ~iml11gthe roomsarway from the damp glroum:l surfaoe aliId aJIl0W1ing Iigll1t andair toeirculate freely. The' gafdenl pasSies under the house. otl!ndthe sameamoont of outside space hScreated on the· root Point 2, the fioof·r;ira!rden, 'goos on to state thart "lin ,genera'l the roof·garden means '~hia'ta ,oirty can regain its ,e:rdire bum erea", These Ilirst two po.ints thus br'oa;ch ~he id~a lha!t modem build ings are siler,(;',Ss,objec'i:S lifll ;91continuo!.l!s (uriba,m) landscape'. lh~ VaJri01..N~ d!esIQ,i"ls for UlU'i~' Mariison Citrohan (19<20l1922:n 927)c1oorl;y iltus1Jrate this i:dea.aJnd its develop· ment, 1he massprod'u~allJtom:dbile stood mod'e1for~hi<s site~ess. masspr,odu:Cfid house,: a concept W1i1ihl taH,ead1'ing consequ~Fl:ces ful' town pl'anning ..Howeve!!", it else caused archi1:ectu:rallr'O'liiill to undergo a miior change.

wat

47

Iionger1he s:tartingrpoi!"lrt of tile whole organiza1ion. Here the en1!f2itOO is, in 1he dark, hidden under the Iradial'll part of the buHdil!'lQr: wlilait remains, lis a, p'ay of vO~l!Jme'.s ligiht in 'Besides demonstratingl [Its IFree' IPIIan arid lPiiotis structure, Maisol"! Cook (May/J'ur'le1926) displays for the first ~ime,the poten~ial of the elevated house, with ribbon windo,wiiilil"ld free faca,ae integrated iii! ali! abstrac1fcl1l'rl. It is, no roincidooCfil' that this house was, chosen to, illustrate-I!M 5 Point~ in11he O'euwe Compfllt'etlnO"t91!!9. In the preli minary designs 'for the naxt: vi Ila, Stein de Mo!')zh:: (Juliy1926{J'une 1927). we recognize Maison OOO'k fe8ihues: a house Ilifted 'lor the greater ~rt off the ,ground_ Fot various reasons Le Corbusier had laler to place 1he villa ,d'irec1Jly on the gml.J.nd, The Tormal means, to, which he ~,esoftoo had been parIJly developed eZlJrllier in the vlliia Meyer I(Ap~iI119251 JlJilFi.e 11'92:6)andl are (armoS'tof necessity) cl'assi· caJ:a fronltiil organization of the facade, en emphasis on a simple basic fo m and a ctassiciilIll manipulation of the mid" die.

busierto

M1iJy tst, 1h~ee dalYs after receivinglih eecrnmeelcn, he' had esti1liblislhed ~he ITla!f!"lrooIIUiF,es,f ~he'house {fig. 3):liha area. Q
of 10 x 11 metres is divided [f'irto lou r eql.l~1I rectafllgl\e<s (5 x 5:5 metres). one of which accommodat,es the service functions, all plledlone onro,p 0'1each other. The heighl is dil,lid'oo into four fa;yers,; the ground r.evel through which the g.den passes from front to back, a garag:e, a, sma!11 ernrance halll 3_1I1d staircase: the fn~sl.loor a f with the bedrooms; the second 'floor with kitchelll, dining and I,iving rooms, ,al~linked by the ,devroe 01 double,height with the, thirdfl'oor; with its lib sry and larrg:e roof-garden. IIn1his preliminary sketch we Cain already see, how rahl;ing the house oU 1ih:e,gmllnld affects the organization of the ~U'rtCli,onls.n the elevated house, the r'ocrf-gar,dlen is the most I directly aooossib!e olJtside area. This is whY' 'ihe !irving hJl'1Ic· 'liofls in Maison Cook are ,01'1 the top floor, adiojnirng 'Iihe roof-ga_rd€!n, and the bedrooms: downstairs. Ino~her words, 1he verliioai orgaJiilnzation of 1he hadi11ional res:[,dence is reversed. In terms; of spaoe, 1his creates 8i surprising contrast OO,'lW"eiillii compact, co.nrlirluOUS starr,~e the and the top, Itght. dOlJbte-tneight liYingl levels. Du ri ng the design precess the column grid was changed linto four quadrants; at 5 x 5 m~tres, each, wHlha '-melrEl: overhang at the ironit. This creates a "Free, Facade" (fig, 5)r. The freedom ~t the facade is expr,esOO<i b,y 1ihe two r~6bo:n wfn'dows i1ulF'lning tne 'whole' wid'th ,of the house, by ~l1e' sophisticated pattern ot recesses and projections 01'1 the top floor wd1h the roo~.gardel'l, and by the independent
rhythm of tlile stanchions,

draw the bas"c desr.gn so q,lJickl~. In a sketch

of

Miaiison Cook
The dates of the commi~s'iQns '·or the Maison Cook andl the Villa. Stein de' Monzie followed il'1 close Sluccession: Cookolil .April 28 1928 aJl'id Stein de Mo:nrzie 9 clellYs'a:ter,(ln M'aY 7, lile MIaiiSIOn Cook site, was 110 mellfes w,ide,ill 11}meM·e ~ 'd'eep strip beside' the road WaJS,lr,eta~ned unbuill and as a r·eslM th:e land avaiilba'ie 'rol' ouiild'il"lg was on~y l' 1 metres deep. The house next ,door, on the lien, WaS a MalletSlievens design 9_od the highest poilfltof~h:e Cook. house WillSnot perrnltted ~Q' rise above the' baJustrad!e oif tl1:e neiglh· bouril'lgl rocd"ga~'dlen. In sMrt, the' e,xtemal dime:no$icms, of

'!tle nouse were

fixed ..

The ~ogic of Utese restrictions

may have liIelped le, Cor....... A ....... '

Ihe disposition of tile rooms 0111 the two top, fl'oms is ~rnter'es1iing. In the' fjnal design the ~wo sl n:gle-.h:eighl rooms, • I'he ~ibr,ary and dining room • are situated oross.wise w,j'lh regard '1,0 'Ihe, double:'heigh1lMng room: the single-heigl'llt
.I

D
i_ ...... ,II>--I .... -

~
l

.
A

~ ~
."

...

'.
48

I. Le CoibusiM, ccmOOSi1loRa1 compariSon. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

2.

I!...e CortulISlier. l',\Ii!isan CooII.1 st drall. La CorlOlJSier, Maison CoQ)(,I!ODr p!MS. Malson (:001;:, laJ;:ade;. MalsGn Coo,!;:, ,elevated $aCo1iQl'1. MalsGn Coo'!!, U!l1tai !)er$OOCIi,v(!,witl'i

te COrMIer,

,~~etc!'l'rOOlPrecisions.

ro-

Da.ted f100f aMI aliling of Ike li'IliinS SIr)i"S¥ (dJiIII.w,n by A.H.). 8. t.IInisoo Cook, Iliving room. 9. loe ·Corbusier. Villll Siein de Moozlo, plDSIIi::

c!e'Si91i.. Slieelt
'10. lilli CO!rbu.r.

00519n. sllcel 2. , 11. lie CorOO~ier, Villa Stein de MOOlio. Juty design.. 1926.

Villii S!eir1 Ge, Monzie., plastic

za
studio window ..01'1tile con1Ir:a:ry'1hier,e is,a s~rongly horizontalOjg~lJIi21i1tion, compP'Silion oi' tlNO' ribbon windows, and tlhe flat roof. whf.cihl, 1:oge1he:r wti1ih the rlic!gie beam. e(l!l;tend over the' entire widllh ()~the ho'USE!.T ~ ettco'U nlt,er the a:mJi)1eheighit room~!"! the inrt,erionis all ~he mO.re SiLirp.risii"ligbecause the facade g ives no inkling of it, Fi nally. 1he prii!i!cip1e o'f lining the house ,on ~hE!ground .at 1he,,enhal1lce~lev·ell. gives rise to another possibility: the dfvisions o~ the hOlllse il1lto an ,evel1l nLimber of b~ys: a oo:llumn occupies the middle. A dep3i~tum from the G~sicallPrinciPie inwihich an ,odd nurnber of bays results: in an opell bay In the· aiif'ilire. Proceedling from the design o~ IMaJisonCook itself, one might also say that jn a cer1aJnsense the I~ogico,~'he size' of t the s:ite rn8i)l niillve, g,e,neratedi 1he prinoiple of en elevatedl builldiflg. The 1Q.mehe' site- lis simply' divided into, two hal\l'es, of 5 metres each, a unit: which l,e Co:rbu'i'>!er look wheroever feaJsib'le as his paimI ofdleparliu'r'e. This ,did i'esul~ lill a cemtrall 'oollumn, and the entrance, al,ways in the middle of a, bay (as in Mlaison La Roche or the' Villa Mey.er) would ,arfl'ecl1he eql.lil'ibrium O'~the com,poS:i'bon of the Iwo PaJrt f~.IJ::ade,of the Maison Cook. There \III,as no, way that the entrance could be made' !pari: oflh~ organilZ3i' teon o,~ the facade', The soh.!1h:m adqpoted was to lift the house proper and place the entran.ce below. set badk a.

,dining room at ~he·front, ~he singre-heiglht l'ibrary above, at the back. Thi-s "'spiral" of rooms is chief~ indicated by the ,o\ler1ap;pinglot t!hii! 'floor (of the SIelCOli.d level) aJiid ceiling (of the doub'iEHleigtl'l. ~oom al"!;d the lib:raJrY)Ui:g. ). 7 beams are shown. They do however" occur in the construe1ion d'r.awing:s" with the important exception of the, living·

This Sjpatia~ cons:trw::ticm is most a.ppalrent when the ceiril"lg is not ijn'le:ruptoo Ib¥ a beam. In Ule oontract plan riO room ceiling.

Photoglr11lphiS 01 me' lilVing-room interior, however, show that one bearn W2-S used (figl. fl.). The omis:s&ol'l oif the beam mig'h,t nsve had 1wo IJndesirabl~effecl:s; the roof floor would have become thicker than the CJlther fl~oors {since it would he.ve had to !lipan a space more tillan twioe as widl,e ('10 metres). malking the eav·es of 1lhe 11atroo~'f10m (~(m) 1lhick lin [M reaJr facade, and loweri ng the aJreadry r,esIJric;LooM&ght of 'Ilhe floors sti'll further. Other importent expressive elements ol 1hnsintell"lim are: '~Mc·olou r, the chimney an.d aoov,e alii thel spheliical enlargement o'f '[he roor-garden., a huge 'formal ,element suspended in the ,doll'ble·heaght space. Tfle five' pofnt-s and abstract form To sum up the 5 Poinls als ,e,x.emplified by Mais.o.nl Cook, we hal/e here the columns l'iUing the house off~h,e ground (regarcdiess o,f ~he' heusa's in1em:al1ofganiza1ion): the' IrOGf· 9laJrden: the Ir,e,e plO1lifl most in ,evidence On the bedroom ( le\,i'l)I); the ribbon windows (Wh,ich do not vm:W:ate the' durferen~.functiorls behimd them); <;lind the free (rTonl) facade. which does not ~ltow <il!1li'ji' suppor1illlg elements. A furlher ill uoStra'lQcm or the abstract form is that the spatial organization ,of the house is I"ICJlt ii,recllY Irerlected in Ute d facades. In the important front facade, for instance. the d'Qu'ble·height I'iving room is not empha.s:iizedl by a large

IliWe. Wh9Jtever the reason. il1l MaitSon COOk a. number ,af Le

poi nils of depalrture' nrnerge
'[lOr

Corbusier's

seemnfllgly autoffiiilllica!lly. ,d'ue to the very limH:atioms orllhe M!aJison Cook oommissfon. A charaderis~ic of such "hermetic" woriks i!li~hat these ac:h~evemel1ts. as in the case ,of 'thiS last peint, are ,armOSI unno~ioed" so IlogiooJ is the soly·
~n. . Three years later, With the mote spacious sUe of the Villa Salvo,ye. le CQl'ibl.lsi:e'r's p:nincipl'e.s, together with his lnew'

the first, time.,

. I

•
: I

.~
~L~

,,_

.=::.!
~f"

' Q"..lLii =<1::l:I-jr

~~.~
,

....

.J'~ ._ .... ' '

'9

f,o~m,aj evices, r,eadh a newaJnd more manif,est 'cllmax.lhis d ,d'esf,glil aDOe,p1s thefl~ee m8xnipu!a!tion Q,t ~he centre 8_nd ,erTtrance of the ,el'ev,ated Ihouse': central cdlll mn and 'oontral enhance are one be'hind the ;':lnottiei!'. both on the .same cenha;lllliilie,

Iliving area consisted of the' hall, a saJon, library and dining room, Other program i~,emswere' a Ikitchen., guest rooms, staff andl service rooms, 'iii gar.ageatodi a oaretalker's apartment .A ,oollection ot modem scul:pture ills hadto be housed. 9IS

Villa. Stein de' Monilia

The Villa Steinl de Mionzie (May lSeS/Julie, 1''927),'the design ,O'f which eomes Ibetween that of MiaJiSQnCook and vmaJ Savoye,. is, the' reSllJlil of an elabolate des1ign process, in 1he C()IU of which the es:sen1lial compon.ents, welre mod'iiiedl rse lriight up 1:0 the' actuall state of IbuildJng (e.gl. the fOfilTilof nne! doubf,e,·heig:ht spaoes)!. The stalrt of ~h:e desig n preeess may be (jh/,ided into 'lW'Q, periods. the first ~,aJngililg from the datel of tlhe oommission, May 7' 1'9,26,to July 2()( ...44 days). andtl1:e second ~rom the' design of Juty20 lDtha~ of October 7. with the AB,ABA. rhythm (- 18 da,ys). Studies on nne hiiS~(lry of this hOlllse's design cOfIc.enlbate parltCiu'larly on ~he lissue Q'f wtte'theJ e>::pe" iments with this so-called constructional ABABA why~hm (5:2,5:5;2 .. :5 5 me:tr,es} had taken place prit'i'! ~o'the (/e'$igrl' of July 20', and wt!:etlher .' ., rhythm derives di rootliy ~rom Pal'ladi:Q's Villa MaleC! or ,emeil'ges ~ogiCillilly NOm tine program.6
n

well as, the owners' anli.quefliriliihllre. rhe site is in a rescdeflitial a!fIe8J withdetadhoo hcuses, i!nd is 1186 metre-oSIlo:ngan:d .27' metres, wi'de. A flew g,rQups of! heesaind shf1llbs on i~: werecar,efiiJlly notedl. TM, norIJl1 point is paraJIlel to the si,t'ehol'fl badk to '~ront As stated above, ~he' prel.imiinary desi:gns f,or ~h:evilla fall ,2() pliiln and th:e desig!Uls with ill ABA8A rhythm. The shiikling ~hingl about 'Ihe first ,groul!) is that the plainl as designied occupies tihe ,entire width of tlhe site. This is ,a remarkable del'Wll,lre lin a resldenlliaJ dis:tric:t of detachedl houses. Th€l two, "blind" w,81l1sat 1lhe sides arouse 1lhe sug· gesticm of! ill 1:enaced heus-e. I'nl111"1,~se designs. part 'Of the garden passes ynder a raiiSled s&c:~iol1lof the heusa from front to back. INotaLbly'this 'featllr,e acquire.s eocha signifli' eanea when the hQu<se is placed acr'os:s the entire widllh of lihe site, like a ,kind o,f"wa!II";. I~the l101Jsehad been placed some distance awatyhom the boyndlarte.s of the, si1:e'"lihe need 'ro.r.and tensi:Ofl of. an eleva~ed sec11iernwould be lieu acutely felt lhere is some resemblance Iher,eta the Maison Cook idea. lwo, designs, use the entire width 'of thesne: tI, p.'tI'stio design (figs" 9 8. 10). and thUll' more abstract d~$igfl o.f July 20 Of lhisfilr,st ~h:erle'exist two oobur,ed sheets o,t paper' on which three r,oughlly icientic.a:1oblique pr(Yjections a!re dr,aiWfll. On the sheet with tw'Q, dra.wings of ~hehouse there is also a sOf,ilbed'Ql'oulndlpla1'l.The other S:h:eetis more detailed. The fact ~h'at-fhi'S de:s&gn was drawn ~hroo times demonstrates, that il: was mor,e than a pa.ss,ing fam:y. lhis may be !;laird to develop 'Iihe potefill~ial,ofU'le a1eva:too house that MaiiSon Cook had pr(lmis,edi. In tile 5poinls, f,or ilnstance,leGorbusier had h~ghhope.s 0€1hequ'aiIHy af ~heoutside s,pace undertlhe buDiding,wih:ere the ,garden appears to oontinue uninil:errupted. On examifl~ ingl ph@~Dgf'aphs ,O'f th~ Maison Cook garden (I\lg. ,S). we S~a thaI gr,arvel and mes 'dismissed ~my idiu ofi anu f'lil"lltermp'tedl garden. lit is dark ,andl rainf!ess: in s!hort. nothingl oo'U~d grow there. La OorbUisier was well ,!,l!ware,@f this" as is demon· strated by the changing desi'gna.tion fo:r this, spat in the Maiison Cook drawing.s: U,p 1:01Jhe spooltica:tion stage it was

Two'sketch'Bs

il1lto two gro·u,ps: the July

The extant dUilMl1IgS do nQt perm it uneq,uil\,l'ocallooncl:usions: to be dr,awl'll. AJIUlOUgh an im::ldeliltal answer to, the ques,f!ion is sugl'
gested" 1he,main nss!l1e here is, to, trace tine formal cha_rac1ej'· istles of abs1raclform as, impiied by the, 5 poin~ arldl the' eleva1~du :sitel~ss, Muse. ,aJnd,a'6 iniUa!llool ~f1Mlaioon C@ok. 1I11is: r~icle US ~he~,efo~,econfined to 1Ihe aspect cd the des'ign a pr,ooess tlhat is difeetlly ooncemedl win. the Ilew achieve-

ments, stemm'inQ from Mlaiison Cool<. I shall therefore examine~h:e cOl'mec1ionof the actual ,a'moign modirfica~iom;;,.I~iiS~nthe des,jgn P:rQOO.ss, we, can Ullat see how ~hie' steps may be inte~la~@d and how ena step 'gel1erates ano~her. 7

Program and sliuat/arr Alithoug'h Le Corbus,i,el' made notes ot some o,f 1lhe r,e· qllliremants, one gets the idea th<'ilt ~hel program giradually orystrulized in discussions betw&en the dlient-andl ~l'Iearchi· toot ,aoout the v,a,ri!Oysdestgns. The princi,pal ,oool:llpant:s of the house, were: Mme de Monzca: her daughter. and MaJlfldi Mme Stein" eaeh wi,tlh their OWIi spa:Oi.01.JiS ~bed)~ooms and baltlhrooms. Tine shared

111

can~daJ "jardin". f()~lgW'ed by a per10d dmingl which i~WilliS nalmeless~after wtlk:h it was lialbelloo "abri". 1'1"11 p.'a'Stio dlfl'sjgn fOf the the 8tei 11 de MQnliell~n:e prQbl~rn lis avoidedl by ,or'ealtingl a doubf,e·tneugnt aJre,a:and l1aflrowingl~1h8 wa:l:Si9':dpart to a 5·metre Sit~ip. The high coli!.!m rlS, edho:lrilg 'Ilhe nearby treech1.Jtn'k:s. rellnfurce Ute im~ressiol'll 'oJ a ,oontimJOus stmtl;)h of garden Und~T~h;e: l1o:UiSe. The ,eli1tranc€" as i!il Malison Cook, lis 1I rtder the raised part ofllhe house, UU.IIS 1'110'!cmg;er o1Qrn~na~ul'IIg le ,oomposi~iofli. U Thils 'oestgl'll ha;s 1'110'Cel1lIINl!poil1lt. 1rh:e s~etches dis.:plO'llY La CaMtmsi:er's m{}st sw~pingl eXiperime:Ult in terms of abstmc:t oou'lptum during thaJt. penod: arJdlihir,e6'; ~temiS reqli.!i~especia:! aUe:ntion. The dispositioningl of the id\ent&~ COl'lstruc·1iiol1lrubays pmdu:oos a :seri<llilcomposillian, which can 00 read ill the top "Mage" W1ith square windows. The width (of 27 me,1Ire$) is dii\lided lnte 1ive 5,mehe bays and <II 2'r1rlle1IroE1! This sszone. riialism carrtes enfrem Ule llogic of the "Domino" skeletolil (1'919}, 'wthith is marked lb,y ,one finiit'a an(j oneifllrlfllite di~~o, 1110111. A forma] probh~-rfI1l.cd s:€llflial composition lis l"Iot the: aooolil'1Iua:liiol1i 'IlheC€'rd~~, [by mearilSiof Z!!XialsY,l'lfllmilltry. bullh:ow of ~()I ~inish at the extremes. ~~this desiglnthe serlle;s el'llds in lihesp.ir:a]ly stag;gered ~e:rlraces. The $(I"()all'oo "arcliiih'lCU.J ra:1 promenade'" is almost or,gafllicillilly linkOO wli~lhi~[hes~ staggered[ ~Qcdgardens. finally ,llhe ,ae;siigl'll is not domilnatoo by a $ingl~ bas<ic form {the box). It is merea QaSleof several fo:rml1lS add'oo 1ogether"of tel'llsion betweel'll a "'.rai!Sea[" seetlca ofl~he ~en and >a "solld" secttQn orrthe riglnt, and of iI'lj\,lersial1lO'f these parts lin the ~ourlinl bay. This design pr,esentsa filumoor of new vis!jal aspoc:ts, WiI im porlaJl'ill mooeffilfe,a:h.uE: [, _~!i!relaitW:llil1o symmetry _The des,ign is pres!;) I siiamrl" dr<ll'Wirng, inttnis cam ooliq/ue pw,iection.. This marks a depar~u'r,e homlile usuall ",el~v.a!Uorls", wihicli! are mO~'F.!ait home ~fIa WQ~r,d of~ymIThetrica!lly d!ecsr,gned facades.

vm~

"'Ollums, lac!l:dng the~enSiio:l'lt of the pre';,!\io:uiSdesig,rI, wiith what, may hallie been a Irather Qv,erabstract ~ma:r~e. To, (;()'U i1Iteraot thijs, the July 20' design re,em;pIiiHi!Zle:s 1ihe~ro(m· tal'ity oi 1ih:ef.a:cade" wltihl the ,entrance rJow~h;e rl'1;QS~ limpo:r·, tant symm~hica!I,el:erl!'lu;mt. in the middlle. The elevated parl re"iilnihoo'l,I':CeS 1ih,euseless sing:le"hei;gIH 1We1.lJ(seeMaison Cook). and CO/!ii@'rS U)(l' llarge an are:a fair {17S m9. Because the Iraised[ pert ~sno !cmg~rrella/ted to the enhanoe, nl f()trfe:i~:s al'lly ~'unc1Ii(lfi!it may Qnoe ha\l\e had lin the compo$ition and orgal'lli~a1iioi'il of~he heuse, Tlh.€! JuIy.OO desJg.n retains its seria~ Days .. Nlota:bly in tne plan ,of the OOdroom s~orey. ttuill conseq,1JJe'nic~s of thiisare m3inifes~ ifillihe 3irrafllgement of ~lh.e n.ctii;):nI5{fig .. 13}. l\::Ienfu liical program ii1~ms: ·aJ~~ ordered in 11M in~il1lit:El' difecU.cm envi,$aJg,ed in 1lh:e"[Dol'l!1!irno, slWle/ron" ilnl~oasodled "zene gmlmd pli1l!n". This SIOOr,oh a feasibl:e sys.fe:mfQJ orderingl for a ,programme ~11i a,hee pJafll was ,om31 of ~M tlilingslih:at p~eoooUipled Le Oo~bl!.lsier ~1'lI this destlgn. The JulY.20 design aliso p~ese(nils ,aJ SiP~efi!dr,daJ~chiil'ooll!.lra~ pr(l~rUimade ailorng the Ihigh walls .cd ~ih:e~erlrac:e. in parti{;ulaf" tlii€l stairs SOOftil'lg lifllto tiM s!kyhom tlhe facade crealt.e, a magnificerllt, allbefrl aliematingl, eM'ect neil,lie:mlheless, the terraoea!ilo[ ~Qute harv'€ a m~~e:ex~ra!'1;ool!,!s'cha~acter than in the ~:reviou$ design, in wih'ich the r'Ol.l!1epaJ$~e!!lthe :stag!" 'gefoo l~rra:oe!>. - domina/ted[ bya singh:1'basic FinaJly" the mass f:s farm : the box, In the ~iS!n.d seoti'on the 'eno~m.Q1_iICS sCreen (),~the ~eiFlrace,completes the box .. The July ". _tak~$ a :step l~Jds mo~e classical deSiign p. el'll11ranooin'the m~doJe'l ~~~1 sym~'1illl~" try and Uleempl1asiis of <;lsingle iba$i(: fomlil!lll.
I

7:l1ed.esign ,of 20th July A,Uerlh,'s IjjM~JEld oou'lptural design, matters, progressed tOW;1tNj:s the aci!ua! de'slgn ot Jury 20 (fig. 11[), 'The mooi~ieddi&.sign could have been prompted [o¥the s poS;i'llkm of ~Ii!e ~erraoos ~~ the scu~phual design: on _ orlhl'fa>o!il'llgflrQnl Qf ~tne'liil~a. The pnirnciple, of ha"i/ingthe entranooaJt ~he!>iae, however. made rClUtltion of the deSoign a simple· maU:e\l'. n did pose a IProb~em ,~hiOUlgh: the viewhon1l 1lh)edrive, Ogw ended with an IJ ninler,esliing

The d€signs with an A8AaA .rhythm The chief IF,eaSOI1l chaingiflg ~l1ieJuly .20 ,dssi{;n, apaiFt for from flaiWS inl the: biiief" was in my o,pinion the unt,easib'ility, hum tine poi'n~ of v,ie'll'll' f the, neig'hb<luriing nOYSelSand 1lhe o g:e:l'1er;1~aoeptwnce' of tth.eviillaJ type (by [Iooal au~nQ.ruti~s), of a a! lh~~e·storey [h:OUlsewli'liI1 Ibni'lid side·walls, Uila,t Sit~,etched[ hom one boundsmy Qithe de to the o,~helr, ln ,onesketch,ku itns1alfllce, afkst ind'icaltion Qf thefoJ;Jli1O" tioJils (fig. 14), ~lhe wh:Hlh of ttn~ house $eemiSto oow.nart \I'II,as l€ifta!flJerthe SiUlbtllracti()lnI f lWlJ' dearly ~nd:ic®i~edl d[sUmoes o rwom the [bo~ndaries,4 aiM 2 metres respectively" Al.lthe moreS(l' rn vi:ew of thefaot [halt only these 4 an;d2 metres. and iiliosol!IJtely no oU'i:er mea'!iurements, are noted as <I Irequ~n;menl, obsessiveJly, en e¥eflj Single gmund,plan. ~n short the firlaJl[ design t!ad to keep !Its dishmoerwolii!ii!the bouflidarr,es, oocomur1g. .21 meMies wide instead of .27'.
1

51

'14

A's wei !lia.w e3J(ilhllr"$~en a measure deprwes 1ihe e'JelVarlool hOlLlseof much of itstensi:on, sinoe i~ moweooirded by the iiS gar,d:fli'lli. iliilhiee.levatOOI seetrion im d1!e July 20 design lenger' a.structural eomponen~.Qf~he co:mposi~ion Wid orgMij· zatiorn oUhedesigl'l, nt.seems an ,ob\!'iCIIJS step to place Ute whole, ~hing on 'the ground.. " This b.~iings us close' 10 ~h:eABABA rt1ly~hm in Le (;orbusier"s design syslem. liM IlXlssible, maximum'width of the Ihol!Jsel,a'i'l we have! seen" was, 21 metres. Le' CorblLlsier's 3lPpr'oach Slugges;ts a wid~h o,~' metre~: .. times a 5·metre bay, H:owevef, the 20 centre hf 1lhen ocolJ;~ied lby a c(lil!Jm inoonoolrv,abie, in ~he, 1i'I, fu:lrillt facadte of the cle,cssiic,\I',i'IIa. This, ~sthe plaoe for nile, en,tranoo, ,oeml:ainly mr a oolllJ mn. Indeed.; in wi the ,ea~iy' no~ plans of 11lins last 've:f;sion" the entrance lilS in the mid:dle (fig. 1S). Fa! the p:I'O,po:rtiol'lsof nile MILISe thus memoS: one 5me~rellba.y in the Imidd!e" wi~h a remainder of 7.5 mell'esat either side. These can. Qllliy bEl ,d'iillided il'l~Da Ihalf~bay of ,:;U5 metre~ and one of 5 me:tfes. The ABABA rhythm is,then (agaJini)a fact.

no

translatedlll:ijr

Ruth K!oenig

INotu

1. OeUI;cM~ W.eIt1!-'bUOO" Sti:U'!NiId W.M_I'NJ1lg, StlJtlgarl 1927. P'_27. 2'. ILe Cod:Iusiflt &. P,HlI Jeanne;r~, ,Qeuwe co~re, ~L 1 '119~IO·,'~9,29, Z~1iI119$, p, 1:8;9, 3. :2.van MiJes, ~~',of~Syll1~. Qmbr,ldQ6" M8s:sadlilil:l'e~,~9~9,

r'~

J~bai't/$mB. IfilVils 1900,. 5. CoIinl Rowe, "'1I'ihe Ma~s

1F'8ris~984" p, 11&5-189.

IP,12-13" 4 .. ILe ~f"

o:f the Ideal Vila.", Archl'tllc!llflIIReWew, ILondbn,'vcI. '1,111, Ma:r.c1l1!l47;IP. UI'HIM6, lim 8enloo, "Villi! Les Te!mS~".l~ Villas de I.e ~',sro-t,900. Marc OuOOis" ''Twe.e woningetl WQl\OOn IMn", Al;d!iS-r, Oe¥efilet. Jam.!lllY HS, p. 4&52. 7. '~pa_re FkidQl! W1~Ut~tr's IIIlpem aOOlysis.: ''Micnebrl~$ 81bliGtt"oB· ,caLaure~"i 7h9AttBl.dl6ti1'1, wlL X\I'I, 1934. Rep!llnl:ad 11111 ~ i!'dtl:a fma,ge, 0¥E!f WaJ~, 1~lre, 1ffi1l. Po 11·12,

'''~,S!lt 09, PI,

1m et&t ~t

,ae .j~lec~

,e.! diIJ

ri~~'"

i"~
I

52

dl'aUs_ Hi. I.e ~sie1"

13. le CorWsier, Vli!13! Siein de Mbl1l.l:ie" Roorplan; bedr;ooom~IOtey. JWY ZO ~igl) ('~Fawf'l by K. O~llrmBlre)_ 14. lie CCWtMlier. \1ill'8 St·eifI de Moo.~!I. fiJoclioo

~BABA l'ily1lhm, symmetrical dfa"~ wiUl el"l'trMce in t.l1e ~.

1!!!!Il!!8. --

_. :l

53

. ...

Max. Riisselada

ViUa Savoyeand vlrUa. B,aizeau f\evi·s~tedl

With Ute d.esign a.nd ~eS!lis8ition of the' villa. Stein~de M'o:nlzie during ~he' ye~r:s,1926-19128 a phase ln th.e wtl~k. o,~IL.eCorbu· ster was brouglirt to a close, a,phase in wtJ~chthe '~u.i'licti:o,n~I" sp:a:llial, 3_:nd~orma~ possibimles lof the' [Domil'llo,J:rame :a_rid 'the Oitrohan p.rob;rtype were investigated, like the Maison COOk this: neuse, 100" is exemplary iin the wary it evokes the ",[ive pOints 'the new archiltec'tline'" and[ re'[ates them to' OM snotner. llil 'Uhe Maison Cook this had 1ar·r,eac'hing conseqlu!ences forllhe ordering of the, programme and kif the house·town rella.1ionshi,p, Here the tradi11ionalwrtical anii3ingemen1 ,cf 1he,town house lis reversed ,., bedrooms: d!ownstafrs andllli'lliing rooms aoove ., whfle' the, ground floor is, left (Ipen. TI1is: means, that the ,entrance' no long,er ['oirms !pari:of the' ~acade 8f'Id thus ceases to de1:eir· mi ne ilts compo<!!litiiOn. The rea~iiSedi de!5lign oOf the vma 6,lein·d!e MOIilZiie,. en the (:)'ttner hand. is "'lraJ:JitiO'nal[" in its program matic org<a1'!ijM· tion: $lewan1\s' rooms on the ground floor living] <l!r'69! n the o piarilo l'Iob.ile, and [bedrooms ,abollJe.'TIie facade can a'I&O'be doomed "Classical" il'f'~h;esense 'that 'the eotl'anoe governs ns composil~ion, in this case, by a game displ!acements. Theoentral axis. tor instanoo. is not occupied! bYaJn enitlYway. but is, de'iinedi by two great Qpenings,:. en the; roo,i' the Ioggi!a, andon too glr,cundflooJ ~he big wind:Ow of tile entrance hall. On eHhfjlf side is a door wi1h a canO'py. 11 In~hi's house 't~eacoei!"lltfaJls, mcst heavily Qf!I farlmal e)(lPeriml1!'J'll:the way lin whiml a, ~raditionili.l[ and ,a modem sysll!lffi oforQi~n'i$iilIti;or'l relate, to one afllo'111i~r. CcmseqlllGl1rl!ly it is, this aspect 'that is 'fooussed on in the many interpretations accord!OO this vi'[la. One ,S!!Jthori1a1nveinterpretation lis that 'of Collin Rowe ,and! Robert Siurtzki; they were the first 1'0 'establish a connection !between the ~ront,iIl, hliyered orga.nisalion a,I the des'ign and the co:mposi~ion<'Ji11devioes ,o:f dleconstm()tions",o\fe~lappjng planes, and 1helsllining rella,· tiO'~s .of rig~nr~3Jnd[ ba;c.kg~oU~ds dayelO'ped in the Purist a p8l1'1tll'lQISalf Le' Co~bu!slenn 11hetwenties, less aJtten1ion has,been pa'id till now to ~he' v,ertical orgillni,sart1oli1 iln:skie ~he Villla, particuilali'ly to the spatial relation· .ship between 'Iihe ground '~Ioor en'lirance hall ~Ir'tdthe liivingl Quarters on lhe planQ nobile. The many v<lTlianm drarwfIr durlil1lg the ~su~sive desigln ~s~ag!es d'emofllsh:a!tethe 'formal pr,oblems 'that arosewlhien illc,O'rpo:rartin;g stairs and[ dOIJ' Ible·lhe~gllt spaces in the Domino'f,r,ame. The.sewere SpEtOeS The Vuila S~sin.d'e M'O:rl!zie thus appoorsto i:lIl.IshaJteperfecUy the ideas: which Le' Coi'buS:ier put forwBirrd in 11'900, [long 00f'Ore 11~pu1:tlhem into practice lin 1Jh:e !houses he built Ila.~erin the d'ooa..de. ThUls vn 'fawams a ~'W Archiisc-.tu{19 he wro~e': "'Mass and sunf'aoe are lelemen1:s by wIiIich arcliiiteci" 11i.J'r,e manit,esH; itself. Mass and surface ar.e determined[ by 1ihelplan. The plan is '~he g:eneniltor,., Theplanc~mies imitllielf ttl!:!l very essence ot S'ensallol'l, ",4 [From thi!! QI.JQtatio'!'11t s!hiOUld become clear as to wha~ i position the plan oocupied in the theoretical observations of !LeCorbUisier before he began investigating ~he pgientia'i of the [lomino frame 11"1 design o;f.<'Ji tile house. Thua 1ih;e plan generates not only the ,ellw8Itions; lit ,enSiJil'e,s the Sipal~ia:I' expe:ri-e:n:oo itse:l[ And this, in Slpite ot the fact tha!t itssigllltiti·, (lance li'e;s,outside iii: tor ~he plan ,alwa.ys OO.!'lru,;~s; w~;~pped in 'hit ether el!e:men't • 'the vdlume" 'Wi11hr in~rodueHcmof the Domino 'frame ~hlS empha,sis tM en 'I!he plan is ,only strel'lg11'ie:n;ed further; the tnoriwl1ta:1 sectlion dominates ali other dime'f'ilsions, whilel the '!Iertieal section !5ee:ms to go IJnno1iioed. This iis p.ando.xical[ if we ,obsewe tha:l the cihapter devo'lied to the plainl iin "nois ~appels .~ Meooiem~ les arohitec1es';' lis uius:tl'a!tedl w,i1!hl a)ionometl'ics "rom Oh.oisy's Histoire de i'archltecture, lhese dem:Ofls1rate tile very IInii1'y of pian; S!ootion "and eileva:tion as eleme'n~s that dmline one'.mother. i1ih~e axonometriics are; howeve.r. drawn in a definite ord.8'r:firs~ the p~anl. after wt;;~ch secHons Wild elevatioliisClO'iiJlJ:I be mea.· sur,ed[ out, It iiS as though nne makiing of! ~h:e.sed'rawiitgs govemed in the long nm '~he mel1llta.llprocess [behind'lne physical pr'opo:!!laJl[, ln the work ,of L'e Oorbu,sier the distance between 'lioors seems no [Iooger of importan:coe: only by way of stairs and ramps can the V\elilicaJ dimension be reallised. Wh{IJtis s:linlk· ing., then, is the negl'igib!le numlber of sec lions illustratedl in the Oeulft:e Complete" as, ,if~h;er,e is [lit~le more be'tween ~he Uoors than tnl1ilt alr,eady ded'u:ctiblehomr the, plans., Should[ the internal v-articality of the Domi'n;o fratTle consi,st only O'f' Ihe layerling of'fl'OOfS, '~here then remains 'Iihe facade a:s '1Ih,eonly ,continuous wrllical ele:men~ - ,~s the, free! fa.·cade. fihi:scal'lnot, however. be inmtlPtetoo as a. sec~ion thro'U:[;Jh the butidilllgi. not being d\e'te~miln~ by lills intemal 'organisation. Like the bee plan 'the freel ~acade iis organised ,accordingl 10 its own [laws, its grid[ coordinar~ed by '~he ,~bsbact syst,em of "n;!glyllatling lines,u; "Freed" by thel 'fl'ame" and Ibourid by their 'Ownl lawsfiree plianl and '[wee f8.cad'e are s~tagainst one' ano1lher. This confrontation takes place lin 1lhe zone created by 1he' can1ilever Oi1' ~he' Domino s~l'\J.c~1ilJral[ llInl1::the s1i1'ipbeIlween

that in essence could no Ibnger be defined -

walls, bu~

rather obtained s;rmpllt by punc,1ming the These versi'cms make ,e)(p~i:cit.whatt the w,ell·known perspective draw· ing o~ the' [lOm:iIlO' frame only sl!Igges:ts:llhey looli'ltinn the unassail'abr.e na.~l.lreof 1tne,tiOQrs [o:Y pl'a.cing 1he s,t<!!lroutside 1lh.eunilt.

2,

Villa. Sa'!oi'O'j!oll:rIocI1p'1ans nndl pws,t:l!ective, dr.a'O'!liI'l{l;S1~. IIID interim pba.se fOl'the firs •. ~~tSeJlite~f 1m (fLC 19Si33}

~h;e: CQ~il.!mlilsaMI~h;e sllJin o:~the: fa.cade. lit iis this ship which during the rQ:rmu'lajkm 0'1 th.e "nile points", dI~.uili'!gl the desigili'! p:rooe'Ss of Maison Cook aind the Villas: Meye~ and Ste~o-de MO:rr!!i!':ve ~espectively. was anClUeda~ rfl;o~ea!$inQ:I'y illlde,pernde~t. po$i~iOIl, . [11 Ul;efmnt~acaGi;!, ol Mai@on Cook the !»si~i(m of IlMis strip lis stilli amblv.a!lerl!t, partl:y Ibecause here oiil~yoiile:conlij!il" l)I(lI,JlS coh.mmn was neoessany" On the storey of ooairoorlllls ~ihisstrip is inrfistinguishab:le, fram U'i:9woms behindl; ,U~he livingl q,lJaII"tersand roof half o,f ijt isa co.mponentof the s:paoe!;i oohii'lld U'tefacade· tMdliniilnl(;i room, nne' roof g8W· ,d:en.At U\e dOl)lble·h~:ignt drawing room in the !)11I'ter 1lil~lts n
1

ab:le.,

through the UiS€ of~loor~o ceili n.gre:nestra1ijon lin the stde elevations, and ti'Ul, ,ilnilertQr. whu;lre,tnus stripao:quire5self· slyiflici'eI1O}1 a b\r,idge between two voidiS, 'OM inside M.d as one O!Uit IlnteriiOr arne! ii!G(terior ate, as it were,. intemh<llng:e· Thus: dulinglih;e: design process off the aJbo\l'esej'iles of

the sWirs. :<:!Jserv,ery. _ Flil1ally, in Unelfront ~acade, of Viliia S~l'lilrn.d'e Monzia the lill'ldependerncy of Uileship is expressm both unttne ,exl~riior,

alllegiM.ce istJ)~he faCa(i!al, In Villa. Meye;F~lile iliidepe:nderJlt status: Olt the :striip onlih.e facad!e OOeomes.a reality ..'lhilS iseiiil1lphaS!Tse.d'furtl'H~iF sti'lllby the fact tha!t in this case the facs,'(je ~sseilf supporting, w'Uth facade ()Oh.!flUIS pb~d befo.re those O!~the DQminohame itself. At ~tne level 'Clf the Illiviil"l~ s.tmey thiS strip extends unimped'ed by .~ny ,obsta.cl~$ along '~h;e !1l111til'ef.acads" 'rooked, on the limlide by free,stW'lldingl elements in ·W:hich small oompcm:ents, of 1iheprognamme :e!re brl"lI!gh~together·

houses 1ihe Slpaltia~ ocmsequem::e5 'Clf the, [)omk~o frame gradually bec<limeiillPpar,ent. Wli1!hi tliiisthe di nnens<iof'lal Ofder f'OF wliiich~i'!e Maison Oi'I!FOhan :stands • theveirtf,cal 'ef,emenl- was d urin:g ~h:ep:rooe$s illl d~fllger of going by the b!:iatd, U lis 1iI.1u.n.g IIFOFir'll ~he Villa Scl1iwob ():fUllll'l', wlhe~e way a (lE!ntral space tW() :st:omys high W'eldlslih:e: S!JIFIF,ouf!d'ing ~Qomsl.oge~iher ,tothe Vtilla 8t~jn-de, MO!i!Ziie, where the V!oid seems no more than a hole in the ·noor. He~e 1ihe\'IQt'd is ,!liCit th~ oontreof th~ lhousea!i'!Y more" but is there merre~yto h~'ghlig'hit the suooe$~i()n Q~ lobjects ~inilllgi 'Iihe ''pr(Jmena:de i'!mhiteclurn/e' ", In the Ir,ealliOOid \lsrsiiOrliS of ~he VillM Bai~eaiiJ ®lndl Savoy,s· olt,e(! asex.a_lTIpile$ illhJst~a!ti!i!gllih;eIhasttwo of Le OorbU1sier'::;; !Four ComPOSitiOIll5: o~ 19~9 . -floors surl'aoes are eeminueus and tnespaJtia:1 dleveloprlfU~nl predlomin"ltely horizontal. On'ly tliie ,oonnecticms ool~e!i1lfl'oor$ (the sta~rs aJn:dfaJmp) constitute 8" vertioa;l element in the i!llterior. lhe 'Q~~ room jlil~olivingl more than one storey "for we 000 ocmsidle~ the

~irs:t·~loor terrace Qt Ule ViUa Sa\!\oye 3S!>UCtn• wilI.S elected by (ImitIJilng1.ll 111!U oo~ of ~lo(M MeaS. In these· two vill!asU'l;e: m ~reefaca.dle has: beenlr.emovedl; each floor can be: read off In lihefacao1e- With this the prindple with which the propor· 1iiol'lling af 11h.ehee ~acade, was a;e~erminoo (tM '·regu~a.~ing lines") ihacSooen era.d~ca1:ed, lhesG facades 3_l"e Ibased Oii! a modiulor :system of measurement go!!'!".eminglthe dimensions and the poofrti:o:ns ·Qf ttievarious co:mpculenM. i I'll IN~la~io:rli 1:0 ona al1lo·~h€!{f. n ·Y!lew.e:r·e 10 look into· the prohactedl, C(JiI'il1lpl~.d'e.svgl"l p~ooe:ss; O'f Ibo~hvillas, i~ wouldl become appawe:nt thia~estab, lishingl '1M primacy O'~the, pllaii1above tlha cross sectiol1 was fi!ot an plain sai'ling. It wasllhe fl~td!esig,l1s in p.a;rt~oLllia_r of tl'ne$e two \liba that ibn):lJ!ght tl;lgether in S)ffi~he$i5 the, div,erse qual'i1iies ,embodied in nne, Domino <lind Citrotnafll mooels" !1!ame~y IhO'ri~'mtantY'andveil'tfcajlty, 8J1!d cdJUIMn !'mdiwaU reSipectively. (ii:g ,.1-2), . We can even d'is>ooverh:aces ofttnis desiire ii'll tl1ie w~ both vm~asam 1tre-.a:l>ed ~l1ie,G8uv:rs Com¢8'e" lH~r,e!of Uae in first. d~sig f"I ~~tJe V'illlaJBaizeau ,on~Y'the sectto!1s are pub~ish~dl, SUlPpteMeflrloo by a. :pair of p€wspectfives of IlivJng room ~!'l!te!ri():rcSm:eanil t'O dlarify ~he wela~ijQfi!sh~pbetw-een the ,auu'ble41Elght spaoo and the, me2:zanrn:e~oor. Of the [e1lill· ised \!\ersiiorn of ~hlS villa we i1lIreg~vern only tM wo:rking ,d'rawingiS o:~the three' plialllS 8.!"!da Siootfo:il, \'ihlchow'Jr1!gto its layered oons~lmGtton is ail ~irst scaroely disti n:guis!hla:ble fr,om the pla!liS. O~~hi:s realised v.e:rsiol1lrio photographic ~1~lJslratio!il$re, ioo1!.1!dedliln,theOe,uvr~ Co.mpl~He, a Aemarlkillb~e is the way the, Vnl~a.Savoye is presented in the Oeuvre Cu.rnptete. In wlume one :(1910-1929') only the i'ili~ial versi:oilof this design is pu'blisl1ied. A.t. first glan;oo 'iil d~ners luUle 'rromthe blJillt: version., In this deSiign there are, hOW'€Vler, ill numlbef o~ d!9;parllu res <l.t roof I~vel: 'the p:niv,ate ~Qoms 0'1 Mad\alme Sa:VQy€" acoom!'i!'i!odat~d if!aJ~f·orm volum.e 81M! reachedlrorn withi n bylih:e stair only., ln th~s project the con~irnwus lr.amp I'i!'likinglfrO:rlrl~hefirst floor 11M two root gardlens is on ,one side bo~d!ered in its errlurely by a walll or the roo'~ stnJ~~IUreo . The seoo;ndvolume of 11h.e Oeuvre CompleJe (1l9~·11'934) eemmsneas with extensive cO\i\e[O'.Igeof llhl@lr,eal'isea VierS~OJil ~he Vlilli1ii avoye, emphlasisingl on:oo agi3ifn th~ spe0'1 S ci~1 position acoo~d!ed this, ~he llast of the fOljr C'omposi· tiof!~. ~n'~hi:sstrllpped-dow!i"l vers.ion Mladame Savoye's rl:loi" [o,p QIUii;lrLershave been dispensed wi~tn: 1lh:eCUNed w.Slllsof ~h,estneltered sun ~erlraoo,are <'.Illlthaltr~main of them. Wtna.~ is: l"enJ"uulw!ble,t:!ow~ver. is 'Iih<a:t the ,o~'osssection mustr.a:lOO en ttne SamE!page as ttne,fl\)Q:rand lroof Pr,aJrll!> oo~olilg!ii ~l)ttne ~ir$lvers~on. lhiis secUon follows: the IF~MP: the e~evati:o:i'liis
1

the capt~oli!s pllace particular el'll1!pha!sis on Ule propen1lies o,~ a rarnlP" "'oHeriI'1lQOlIn aJpproaoh e:nrtir,el:ydiHer,en~ fIFOIillili1!i stai~ maa~e up ,of ~lFeads.A. stair di,'vLdes s:tor,eys, a ~9imlP IUi~iiles litem '" • thllS drawfng m:a_lkes:esp€c['a!ly dle'altl:l' IUi$~h.e , impor' Imoe, of the dO!.l!b!~hei~li1t walll, which woul:d lnaVe givefll~he terrace both am e'xtra verlica~ dimensiio11l,an:d ani O~t&ii'itatto:!"I to 11h:e fooad~. lit ,seems a.!ii~oouglhl ~h.e aJl'o.hitect wi3Jntedito millke, clear, roth to himself atnd to us, w!h:a:t had been lost during the roUTSE! of the desigln prooess. As muchas ILEI Oorbl:.iisi~r, poSSU)1Y wJlihoUit re~!nsili!g it. was aUadhed to the S!pa1l1alchanwteriisUcs o~the O1iigrnaJ versions oi both Baijl'ealJlano SavO}!\e • v,ers'ions in whi:chthe vertkiall dimensionssliill pllay sudh an ~mpo:rti1!introle • i~ can be inf·erred ~rom the prOll,raotoo 'd~'$r,gfillpmClOOS!l that battn pr,o]ools e\!\ollved under pfl1lssuref,rom '6X.l'e:FlFtail circum· stances,

of the w:aU tormedl try the -orfJginal roof s:lin.!cture wtMch accompanies the ramp u.p'to the rl:lof gaJden"~M~tnough

v~na.8aiz.eau
A v,isilt to the hOlrSeSait th~ WelsselilhofS!fedlungl in StuUgflil't was what prompted the oontract:o'.r t~oie:nt IBa~eaJ~~ocornm~ssion la Corbuisier and Pierre Je<.aJi'li'lier,et desig n a to house near Ci1!i~tliiage,ltlnesaa" overlooking the M'edite~fi1!i· n:e.an: Sea. In StIiJUg;}~t Le Co:rb:UiSue:r demcmsll~a:~ed lin two build'ings ihis two oasic ,dwell'ingtYlpes ·~he MlailOOf"l Clt:rdhool wi~h its closed, v~rtjc~~ ori€'nltatton, 8ndthe Domino frame: with its open :aJndho~iz()flIl:aJlly developed po:l:enJtflaJ, Tholl!gh Iboth horuiS~sa~e Ib!.l!iltaccord~l"Ig' '1:0 nile· "'~i\lle pOUiiltS" aind have a frame,they diHle~ in their use of the Iialter" In the Maison, Citll'tih,anl it merely raise$~h;e heusa o~' the groul'lld; iin Un.B dwemng pr,apeir 11Mhame ls conHned 1'0~l1ew.alls and plays no' spa:liial rdJe. WliU'l~t!e twin hous:esthat conSi~i'~Uilethe ottner ec,.;;1'lmp!ethe n;lV!erse,ia~he case. In them ~tnea:palti1ll11 oonsequences. of~he IDomino, f,r.iililillile fe ,d~m'ms:t~iilitedl 10 a the fUll. In ~ihefirst 'VerS~O!i'lofthe VUlla!IBailZ)ea these t1No'conoe,pts are fused, 'h~$ 'QOOUi~S nerefi,\!Ie ~e!!'!"ellsre staoked. the w e lIomiil'llo, frame formirnga pair of bays; wittn om ei~her sf:deO'.l caf!'~illever. Each ba:y OOii'lltainlS dloub:le·lheijght Sipaoe alter;;3: Ii'lJa:ti vertic.alily. iiilwhich not oiilliy t'l1e ~Ioor b~tw&etnJ~he rig columns is; aIOse:nit. but also~he IPro~ecting 'ef,emel'llt o.ne wesult or ~l1iis is a.fr,ee·stand'il1g cotIumnspa, , two storeys., In theoentre, thiS ther~by ,glv.es rise to a. :st one storey high r!flJid 1!e\n,g~hi!NaYs ound the central row ,of eel~

57

Ihird'Roor·

3.
4_

S, 6,

Villa Brumau: ~rellmii'!aIY (!esi'gns r~ Weiii' FetiruaIY 19ea, Mar,cl'! 1'928. J\!ily 'l!92B· iloo~p!ans Wle. BajiletlU; projeoi March 1928; axo!ilO' melrl¢ IP~o;ectiO!'I otthe lirSit reduced v,ei'$iQn ,(F'LC 4871l~ VillI, EIiIIiile3U( proJ!!>CIJ~ 1928:nlwrp!l!:ns 01. 0I!le' 01the ';I'IIl,imis~FlC 2:4~) \lilt.;! 1Ba1~ea1.:l;p",t;ect JufIy 1928~ ooc:tiOll$ ,0.'1

one o~~he'",anai'l:~S {FlC 84"9~

Anhough basedl on the p:riincipl'es aflbo~h houses in SWill· g~rt· t!he cl1ent"s reasenfor his commission - Elaizeau WiliS not hap,pcY with this desiigi'lfoJ ilhfs hcmSE!!. Ilgnoring tM faC,l IlJlli'lityrooms this: zon;9 becomes ~oocorriidm ~hat S€iNSS ~h.e that because of ~he size' i~ wouldllhave been too, eXipEll1lsiy,e, independent, double-height i,paces, he was opposed in Ipart,icuiar 10 nne open 'wrticaJ ,OOI'lIileOCentral to the Iblock 8!re the, stairs separating 'Itle living 'lions betw.een IMnQr spaces ..He ruso,desiired a tenace suraodsleepl!'lQ quarters. In 1ihis ,am;lng:ement ~hel !building is IrOl!.md'ingeachfl'oof as pr,otectiol1 from the sun, He,lllfmseU made a. sugg,es1ion in this dir!eoUo,n,of a bunding~liImee fixed in one d'irec1iofi " i.e, in the wid'tn. Lemgrlhways lit can be' e:derlided at lboU'~,emds: a clha~acteris1iic of the lDomirw, storey,s high wirth fill. conven:tr.O'IIIs'1subd'iviiS!cm. Ofi!' the g~~;lYnd ! hame. floo~ 'wetreto 00 ent~al'lce ,andl IUIli'li~.y Irooms, Olil ~he firstflwl ln section lit us ~y to discern 'lnespatiaJ strlJcilm:! o'f 'the 'Iihe'kitchen and ~ivdngarea" ,andl ,abov,e,tile bedrooms, Just how much ILa Oorbusier and his: colleagues were Maison Citrd.han. Equally" we can see here thefi'rs1 step towards: the'cross section of the laler Unite d'H<lb:i1ation, attached to ~his !leW syrlitllesis of Cirtrohal"l Sii"ldilDomino is wherre two' dwelling IJlI"!i1swith dOlibr.a:-height sjpaiDeS on 1iM apparen~ hom tlle~enaoiltY'wi11h which they toillowoo uptlilis [acad'a are r'angoo mum] a ooJ'IItml oorrid,Qr. COlI'!;oo;p~ in the subsequent, mare econem ica~ p:rOIPosals; Whtl't was, in the Majsool Oi,trolhiilin, hutherlo kepl hidden against the wishes cd 1ihe c'Iijenf5 !behil1d the "closed" Ilateral walls is here completely visible In ~he first place ~he QUit·S made we~,elin 'the possib-lii~ies in1t1e 'Iront ,el'evat!oI1, namely the OrQ$S sec1iion ii1self.And offered by the original concept, namefry i~s flexibrlity length,· ~h:QlJ,ghibQ'1h tile' lateralfa,cad'es are, non·loadbearing • they ways. The lenglth ('J,f t!he vdlume wacs diminished Ib,y halllf;, ocoupy 1he' ,edges of the pr'ojecting! eJlemen~, fUilE!' lDol'lTlino, crea.ling an almost squate plan. As ,;:li ~esJU'It ine nl!.lmber of O 1 frame- ill lis thenr wrysoltdity tlhat ensures the Sipeciall quali,. bediroo.ms was reduced as was: Ute av,ai:lable iiving space;: ties 01 Ulis cress ,section as well as ,orientation to, the vdew 1tle o,ross sectiofi!, however, remained ontact. (f1gr.4) out I'nbotll pElrspe;c~iiVoes puiblished in the Oeuvre Co,mplele There then followed a seiI1iesof v,aria/tions" in which the this, relatian;ship in padicular between 1he larg:e opening [In original Sl!Jootructulf,e of one s,toney high W'ilcsabandol1edi.lt the facade and the 1all space wHh me,zzanine is, made had oontanliledl Ihe enlrance", g~raJge. and IlJIUIHy rooms, ,expricit wlhich now had~o be accommoo;il,ted in the, maJinvO!li.ImmUlj" 11M cross secti'on Q~'1he' V!illa!IBai!Z'earu,coul\j well have This nece.ssJi1'atoo the reaJnr,ang~men~ of r~:rQgramme combeen devised 'to ,effect a basic, nahual ventilation. Thus on ponelirl:s" whioh meant s:acr,ificln;Q nile cla:riily of tile origin!!1 the Iuppermost floor are '10be fOlind the Iell'aoeS OOVIeredin concept El1trance,. garage, utility ~;oom, and I!titchen now their 'entirety by a. canopy, had to shatelihe groiJnd troorwHh~he drawing room, which,
I)

umi1<S. At the, living.wea this strip pO$ses:ses an ambi,val9iiit o11arac1:el';to. tM higl1er o'~' two UPPEI's.to~ey"S ~ulilc1ions ~h.e it as a recess, 1:0 1ih~ llower 0315, a 'gal!ery. At the sleeping and

"lUi

59

at a "'~oom". At roof tevel are' the priva.~e' ~ooms ~: Madame Savoye, aCCIommodiatOOin an a1rt[ou'la.~edi as.ym· 'WaS! ~otat~OOI ~, afild seen. (fiig, 5·6,) metrical \l'ohJme haNlng reference ~DlFi;ei~h:err ~r1iphery l'I~n hame •. 0111'1where it meets; '~he ~,ami1lp ,dOOs this vo:lQ.:Ime In ~he end the ,origJlilalc,anoept turned out to be too riigidl" concur with the bilJrldingl's Q~dleil'.fig ..El) ( l'QQ illlflleooible, o assimilate the (,na-nges; and so La Coriout This di\idsiol'l: into three iiS also clearly ~ecognisable iimthe sier deoidedl to' revert t'O ~h:edOlll,ioossolu1ion off'er,ed by '~h:e IDomiooflr,ame .. In this ooliuition nile, consequenoes, of ~his outward ap,pearnnce ..A1fJ pposed 10 the blJi~tversi:on of the o Villa B:ajmaJJI U!;e.v.ertical[ order of the Villa Sarvoye is ~inii~e:iii! , conce,pt ,are oamied to 1heilr limits. The ,col'iJmi'ls and floor dominant middle Ilayer withl closed 'facades ffo,Uing i'lIoo·ve Slabs wiU'I Iparapets, On the, projecting ~ooIiiol'1 define thel the se1badk 'gn)undlfl'oo:r and cro·wnedl wiill'! a roof structure. main es~ruc1y,re.Ilirlisid~ ~M programme o~'each !i,toney has ln 1hls triparl:ute ar . ment, [however, ~here! ill fm1hel" been given sh@f,l'ein oQm,pletefreedom and e'xpressed in the facade'; lh.e programmaUo division is basedl on th.e origi:- ordering involving two icors Of the facade ool'umns, whtc!hl nm proposall,of Ballzeau himsel~ ..The vertica:l cones,em 'OUne on1lh:e ground flOOr are round '''pilotis,;''., and on the 1\irst~loor sqLM1i.F,eposts bet~nthe ~hip wtlfldows_ interior was achieved by ,81 s~ap!I'We~1 ~h1'lee ftig:hlts per wHhI The ,spi!iit~aJl e:xper&enoo of ~he' iflterliol' is ~'orcibiy d'eter· stQr1eYil whrch made ntpossi'ble to' ,join up 'W,i,th ea_.chlev,e~a,~,,a minedl by 'the way in which ,one mov,es ~hlrO:u:gh and nne it, different position.. lhere is IiIO ~acade in nne' traditional design of the eermeeticns be'lween 'floofS is~he only means SElthse. of aohievingl \I'·el1icallcohesion. The e>:planatory 'te~!(t in the The disSApoirnllmeflt dogginQI1ihe entire IProceedings can Oeuil:j'e Complete includ'es ~he followingl: "Arab ar,ol'lib» be read off in ~he, way 'the Villa. Baizeau W,B:S eventually tUlre can teach us iii great 'dleal.lt 1avol.irs the ac~of w~lkingl; published in the OeuWre Complete and in th:etersfj, eomme-nitsaccompanying the thi~d QfLe COfbusr.e,'s FO'ur-Com- this is 1he means; by moving from one' place to another. wiith wlhich to,e,xp41!1"1iem:::eh;!, al1iCl.llaitron of architecture'. IHer,e lis posiililons of 1929 illustrated here by ~his vilila:: "'Very ,easy. a principle, opposed to' that Ol~'baroque' architecture, whOS!e prac~icabl€!, aUO'iHS f'or combilila,1iolils". conception has a theonMlical1ly d!etermi ned centre,. I prefer the lessons taught [o:yAirab, a1rdh itectu1re. " Alii mO'\!Iement
was pmv,ided at tlhefl~Qn~ wirtn a Iroofed tenace, lilVing!and sleeplng aJreas ifilflwmil'lgr,oo in the etess Sledi'O'J'iI,1ihe s~air
status
1,

Wo'.rik on 1Jhe Villa Sa\iloye began In September 1928, limme· diatelyfolrowingl the radicalohange O'f course in 'lih;EI desf,gl1l erocess of ~he Villia [Baizeau ..We mary assume 'theft it WttS the expe!F,ience ,gained durirng the des!ign of the Vi'lla iBab:eau that made Le Corbusie:r hark baok to '~neDomino trame with U:s ool'iltii'l'U()IUsfloor ~urfa.ces'li 'wIle-f'e the prO'gramma coMld be, elaoora~:ed Siorey by storey. In the volume of 1h:e Villa Savtlye the 'oharacteris,tic arlenla!tion of ~he'o~f\ginal [Domino frame, ,Ms vafilished. In 00111'1 dir,ec:ti'oos there ar,e f,our s~tlu:c1Jurall bays of 5 metres. wh~dh cantir.ev,er' 'On tw'O, sid~Q.s • thro!:.lglhl whioh the volume acqlllired ,E!! c:enaJn orfe:n'l8ltkm· :and which pl'a~edl al'Il impo:r,· tan~ ,r,ol'eil'lfaiShioningl U'te e,1eva,ti:Qns. In this: struC'~ulr.alls:et· up lihe pr,ogramme's components are o:rQarnisOO 6tor,9'Yby $1Qre,y'each in a diffe:rentand Slpeciflio way. On tlhe 'ground floor ,!:lJiehe, entrance hall and !.Il'Ulity rooms t • ga:r;age :servants" CiiJarI:,ers..il1l a voliume, that Shrinks ba:dk , from~he buildling"s peliphery; IhecilJwed shape M ~his v,of~ lime derives trom~he 1umungl radius ota car, On the first ~Ioofalle the majQrity o,f IMngJ!!Jlnotions:theMar,j, in COIil1ra'St 1:0 the gJQund l11ool', -a_fi!ged ,do:ng pe!~iptlery Ifoundla r ~ the 1el1r:ace,wif'ii.ctli borders, on af>a.oade too', '~hl!ls, cquiring ilia a
ll

omission Qfr'QiJ~ Hoor surfaces: it de·1e:r:mines; the s:pa~ial nature of the'terra..ce, its heiglhitalldl 0Iienta,1ion..This vertical elemsnt also takes care 01 the link betW&en 1M two ,annexes .,the !iviflg room o:ni'cme side and 1M rooted section of ~heoutdoor ,aJr?e31n liM o~h;e;r • whochao:mpen!ia~e'fQr l~e o missingl cellingl. This observation appears 'oo!idlirmed by the series ,o'f desiigl'ls Crurifld out onee i~1ransp.ire(i 'that this Orl€! 'fal!" exceeded the budget Ii Little iis known O'f~he wishes of tlhe Savoye 'familry as r,egiilrds '~hjiSoouFillryvil1a and we may assume that Le Coribusier was ,given a.~r,ee hand as to the s,pa.tiaJ disposition 'Of the IProgramme, compcnents, We may ~he:ref'O:reasSiLlme.al'so 1hat it was" and remained, his,Yr,ish to, retain Ine roo~' s,11r~oture, during the "economY'd~ive" that ,ensued, peirlh<Bjpsf'or lh.e 1 reas·o:nlS Siugges,ted albove.

eventually cometo rest at the 'l:erfiiloo en the main~loor shown with some emphasisi in 'the first des,ign as an '·in~e· IriO"'" Already men~ioned is tihe oornl~il1'U!a:~iofil'O~; the Ia,cade 'liI1r;ough which this space is 'g'iven wind\ows~oo - albeit minl!ls the glass. Essentiall here is the presence ot Ute w,all O"f 'tile roof structure whichaGCompanrie!S the ramlp'. This, wa'll ens!U,res thatlhe terracel lis: net seen asa space res'u'ltiflghom the

;, 8.
9-

Villi! s.oVl:IYO: pre'limlliillery d~1gns: respootr.re-· ~ OctO:oor 1'~ Ii fiIIGWm~~9as, ,2'6 Nco'rIeiflber 1928 -lloo!pIari.s

Viiiia Sa~i

IlIdiooJami 19418)

CKI$$

projecl 5eplembm 1928, iCNi!'J~ ~-tiot! wille ramp' (FlC

VillaSa,voye, p-(!ject 26· Nb'iKImbar 1'928, cross sooliQ;n Of en1Jali1Oe hill .and terrace. (FLCt9486)

! .-.
,

i i

..

1I
-----------..... __ ••• __ . _.1

.......

~•• ~ L

... I .L_

•__

'10

11

12

tn the finiiI plaoo the ,economising process consisted of a reduction in tile horizo.nrtiilll pliili"ie" the prograJmme being housed UI'II !lj,llmctui'e' of three fhi',e metre bay,s lin two dfreca 'Lions. Owing to, this reduction 111, nurnooil' offlimd1ml€i'II'I:a1 paints. ar1.ure from tne first de~igl'l had to, beabendoned. the 'd'iminished surface' ~hel'e was, 1'110 kmg,er room for a car ~Q turn a full dircle,. Also, llile IlIti1i~yrooms and ga~a:ge tog,e~he~oociIJpjed so' much spaoe thaJt they extended to 1IMeperiphery 01'11 three sides. Thus the bui!d~ iilllg's origillalll aspect, i.e" elevated on "'pilaUs", could be applied to one t,acade o:n'ly. lit ~ikewise became impos;sib'le '10 accommooa1e illl this vdllilme the e1oli!gelted bOOyof ~h:e ramp. A single s~air s,ta:lioli!ed inlhe cellltral bay • now COJ1 nsets ,<lJ11 tloo:rs. On~he I'ivi n,g 'rjoor ~hiS!sur gain!S self·SJurfficr.eIlO'f' ,8JS a free,staJndilig ,el:emen~" situated between a. smal'l loggoa. and Ihe terrace'. The' estair on ~his ~IOOfIlinks, ~wo wing,s" one of whidh ccm1ajns the livingl room ailla kitchen, the ather' the bedrooms of son and guests,. The bed'JIoorns o,i' Madame' Savo'ye 01'1 the ~oof ariearranged in a. VOlume,placed at Irigluangles to both the ahoille-mentioned wings. (fiig. 10·1,2) ln this cloS&o~nit deslgn '~h:eIFoaft<op 'filoor dominates 111e terrac,€: to a considerable ext'ent. AI'IIQ1iheroor\sequelloe of this compact construction is that programme com pone Ills Ibelonging togeU1e:r are combined ill imiits ooincidlilng with 'lhes1nJohnal Mys; 1Jrl;eoo~umrn;s are Iplacedl wii1!111n wallis. the' Beooull:.e o~'~his,the idea,ar the, 'fr,ee plan becomes tlJu!1f,edi: i1: is mo~,e a composition of box-shapedl elements.lhi!l varian1 ~hl!Jsseems to combina ~hooe ,oiharacteristicsd!e<scrib«i b'y La Corbusier with r,eg,aJrdto the 1irst Composi1km (Vma I!a,
13

Roche.JeeJlllileret} and the JamUl (VUliaSavoye). TM eonsequences ,of thG'Se developments can be: seen ~na vafliant. l:anta.moul'llt to a caricature, dated ,2&27 INO\II9!mb~r 192a. 111'1 'Ihis design there fis no Ques:tt'O:rI o,f 001 o'lffl'rall arr.a!n.gements, 0'1' 1ree-s:tan.diIi!Q celumns: they appearcm~' in the cafl~ile· \le~E!dllateral faea.des of the win,gs. On the ground itoor the djifl'ere.nrt nmcfiens at,e acoommodiated in SepOiirO'iite ulnils: garage" seli'Va.nt:s' qUi3fters, and entrance hall gfrvil!QI access by way of a s:lair tOlihe upper floors. Above, this stair t.urns eut to be housed in <I. monumental volume, ~wo stmeys high. Us.ing bridges ,and voids one would ,gain access t,o the 'two, wings willen enfold a 'W~deterr'ace domirnated by the stair· tower IXll1itairning Mad!arme Savoye's sleeping q,iJaJrters on top. Ely W9I'j of alii outsid'e s:ta:ir 'Iihe 'rena,oe bel:ow oou'ld be' reached, from which through a void in tihe 'fl:oo:r.S!.I!na.oe - at the place' OOCl.!lptOO illl the preoediilllQ de.sigrl!S by the' roofed sec~ioll of tfltrace • ()!Iie wotJlddie<soend to the grotiflid Hoor. {lig.13-M) It is cteer thaI by rr'et<linin.g the root structure I.e Gmbl!Jsier was in fact a !ongl way hom his, ori:ginalloonoepr!'. ii! wtfdh the horizonlal-verlica! i'elal1ionship was aocomplished with far moresubUety. In nne suoooooillg eGOr'tamisiinQ variant" which would wlll'i· rmately generate th~ definitive dlesig n, it was therefore decided to Ii&av,e ,out the roof s'ln.lcture ,and re~urn to 'the Sp3.£io!Jsr1ess: of fuurs'lnJctural bays in both directions, I'IIOW 0'1' 4. 75 met~es,. Madame Sa\ti'Oye's bedroom was relega.ted 10 the first fl!oor. On the' lfoC}of,like, aJrcihaeological re;rnauns ,'!Joe severa] wallis of the rejected structure. combining to enclose a sun ~enace. aJndllPunctulr,ed by a "wjndorW';~r,am141

162

, O. Vti!l::li SiiVO!!'e.: IPFajeci 6 No'\!Iefil!iOOJ 1009, g~und 111>01' p!~ 'I'W,ia_t!l ~Fl.:C 1geaj'l 11. Vill~. ~overnCefll926" pkm ~~t lloor (FILC Ut Villa ~lie;; project Mtwc.rrmoor 1~,. plan 1D,Plloor' ~Fl:C l009G) 1:3. Villa. Sa.~; ptgjeocl .2!S ~O¥em!Ja 1928, W"eS~ elec.r..lltioo (!FLC 19694) 114. Vi!!8. Sa,~oye:: projool .. 26 fiiJ~llfIbei'lGOO, wew·Gf UTi€! limooel

~liIg a view of tl1ul!51J1l1roLlneHrngs, bseausa of wlnich roth ramp sun te!1ra..cestill classify as "lnteriof'. Tlila.tlih;e: loss of the high wall co:nltiruuedl.O lbe felt may 00 dedu!Ced from 11h:e way in which the UplVa.ro ~oute \lia~l"!e ramp is ptmtograpnicailly recorded in the (:Ieuvre Compiete .. Thlls pl(;~lu re wa:smiken ftarn a very lawval1ll:a.ge point, ,givin:g ~tle ~mpreSSt(')1'IItha~ the \'raJIen the r~ghtis higl1er~han itis lin realirly.
.1Lf'ild

t FOiI'a delSJled .. rg~eii'l! ~ A_ if!eCiIl" ·'The ~Ne PoiFr~S ~C! form··, .nchJdSCIllinlllii$ ~laJog~ 2.. Colin Ro~\IItlafId R-oOOi'ISlUI1J.ii "1'ranspat~~: ~~al a:nClPl'JetlOlfoe!fla!"', Too Y~Je· rdtitecrUfilf .)OU[Il'8J i\I is. ~9{ii4, A Set'Ii'iI1Iiln V(!r$iO:r],wlth.E!J 'coi\f1A men~~!'1words.iIDd II~~$ Iby BQf,nlil:arcl Hoe$li ~~ IPybl~ecI:;'I$ Tr~ p$'a~, e~1 19M 3.. SEoe'ch:<ilp~et··Twov,i!!aiS: iii G!o~e!" ~", ioolooea in~hiscalaIDgu;e 4, Le· C:orbusiBF. lIars ~ {iircl:ii.reolure, ~ris 1m. foil( adetai!ed imIIly~is o~ Ihis text see P. Reynflf B;rn'h=,. T~anddes;g.il'in 11:19 F.ifS!'Maf:ihiM ;'1i.ge. lL(;If1(fcm1 00) 5- F'orr'Uhe his:too~ (j~ tlile, design, ~ooe~s ,m tne Vi!la. Bailleausee Tim Belltoo. "l<1 m~!it.a. 01 Olimlll". 0 R~a nr a, 1'9aO' 6. For-the IiljSIOf)!' of 100' d'eslgI'lIPl'OC13!';!'; ollti~ Villa. $a .... sae, illfil Beii'ltM. oya ~)e$'villa" de Le CororJ~, Pll;rlis 1984 '

153

Beatril. C:ol.omina

"lDurin:g 'Ii:;l:ngperiiods of lilisto:ry.,llhe mod'e of human sense perce(iticm changes. wii11h1 humani~y's emlire mode of e.-xis" tenee, lhe manner lin which ll'Iuma!l11 Sie:li!sepe:r():eiP~i@nlis or'garnizoo., the med'ium in which i1i!$ aooQmpliisliled, lis determined li!ol>o!i!~Yb,¥ mature but.lo,y lilistort'Gal ciiroums:h'l,Fl;OO;.$ s a well." Walter IBenjamin, Too Work olArt in the Age of MeG:hanf,c~1

R:eproou:c'liM

FOlmmaJrld lilimit
"The e)(.l:)e$sive weighl altadhoot.o~lhe question of 'Whe['e one is, goes. back to flomooic 1lribes, whem !)eQlPle had to be ObSeW8§Jlt a:bolJtrloodingl"groyrnds, " Hdben Mus~l. The Man L¥iIJioLl1t Qualiliell
lIIhings" ~i~eolneWJ(;!s. werre l@s~l1lg th.eir q/ualities with aston· ishirngeaJse. Vienna, far inSl:ancEI, mi, t wen have been a

city, bulthis alone did 11101: maloe it a. One 'canm)t Sill.lY ~hatUae condition WillS intolerab1e, ornly thaI theepoc:h of c!osed questions, o:~(iix'oo p1aoes, o'~ the objects in~liI'emi" Sle!lves had endioo, and the' pei!r'ioo ,of rela~flonslt'l~ps tHaJ:i begY~'t III was like aJnlactuallization ,of Eiliistel!riI"sthe@ries, a wnolly diffe.renl way (lit prot~sting aga!i~s~ "the, l1latlurilil", A Ilhil'lg made sense ,only in rlella~i(m,to some;tni ng eJliSe.And lihlis sorne,1Jning ,e~sedid Inot even have to be: real "If there iis sucha thi· aa sense of realUly.,."says M!lJsil's oentral chara.cter I "'~h:eli'lthere Ii1ru"J~t8!lso ootlr'lle~hlngthalt Ibe one can 0011 a sense of possibiUty'" which "mi~rhitbe dlernmed o'Ull~tght as the capacity to think how eVierylll'luiilg c.o1J~d ·.~u!St as oo-siily' be, aJnd m(),lto aUach mo~~ imporlm.ce, to 'wihat its man to whart is not. '" . AU this IladaooUirredllbefor~ MutSUI: wrote his Man ~''llloot Qualities" aIltl'1ough it COflnespcln:dtS precl:sely to the Lime in which he bri!i'lgtS Ulridhto life. U w<liS, not imporl:aJ!!itwhere~me was, ever since IIh.e railway loonveyed UiS impassively lhrouglh the "empori.lJ!:l!1! oithe world"1I" place Wi se no ~onger permittedl any diH~r,entialti:o:nl. ,Jlust as in a,'d~iPaltment store where,Ulin:gs are not difl"ereil1ltia~~d by the p~aJ;)esthey'@ool"Jl· py;2 E\lef!ita~kingl about trave!1 had cea$edt@ make sense, since despirll€!lih.e henetic mOveimeni it was as if on:e d~d not move. Or to pUll ill anQ1iher way. (Hle oo'u'ld say, wi11hIHI:.lYS'mann,~hal it was omly possiblew ~raV€l11 ii~one dlie! not move. a If~he: notion of p~aoe wasa:liready indiierernI andl if Vienna was no ~omgera place" wihat couldl one do" if one lived~h;ere. in order to, difj',erentiiiillte? Wlilal oou~d one separa.te omesd ~rQnn- if not from !UljJ.jli'e, thlenti1a,t mesh of ,aables and rails

whi:Ch entalilQllMthinQI iinordle:r tQOO ab~e fo know? "A!fter aJ~II."saY$sul's chara_cter. "'each, Uning e'Xii,sts only by vir1lu!e:o,filts I'imits., lin other WQ~di$. by virlJue of a mO:Fe or lless hootir,e act agiaiil1lst its ,enviiroflmemt:' lheseUJTng of liimits "'Will si'gmifyvl!halcillinnat ,t)el:sa['dby preSlelnJt!n,g o1earty wnalt can be; said" (L W~U:gens~~ili!,t,ac:t~(tI5tOf1k» Philosophiou-s.4. ~1i5)" "The secret oHa,rlilli'l,'" says Simmel in his Mef8p.hysil'iS of: D:~at:h" "isthalt lit iis a ootlllFldary; i~ nile, lis thing i~s~lt and ,.aJtthe SilIITte ~ime.IM ces$<'litioliloUhe: thing, the' circumscribed lenitory unwl'1ich~h,e: 8eingl and the nOl1, 8eingof tlh:e:, are only one '~Iirlg,. . The seUing __itsis~haJt whichaJllows k!lil;owledigewiillh;· iii! the u~ban scene. .Alii olt so·called fi{N:1~si~ci8 Vienna revdlvOOi1lioou:t a,sean::h '['orbm" the qu:estfo:r limits" This ,itS wihy ilts trea:~l1l1Ienlt $SO dlilfficult,~or w;il~h:ol!,!tmeii;lfiling t'O, one ~ fi nds oneS>eI~' iiwolved" as i~ by oonllagion, in the same liI(ght· mat€:; it lis not onlyimpossi:ble:losee the limits O'l' wtna~OfiU;l, iiS cl'iSlOUlssi. ~Uit oneeeon begins: to l~eaJl'iz.e that onl:y form can ,es~1;II Ulese lim its. -

Mask. and liil1rtJiimacy

"I' dr,sam " ~or exaliil'ilp~e:,~Ihave loot yet. gliinedoonscknJ!:mesoS ,of how malny {j;iffl·erEm~races there are. il'ih;e~eillre qua.nmi~ 'of people, but 1ih:€ir,e alre e'\llen lIlflore faces." f-or each person

Ms several. " ~M RUke,Die Aufzeiohrwngen

,cie:sUsUe ,lBrJfkJi:S.erl!JgrJ

Once there were cities where: ol1;e ooulld reaD hom the .spaGe:S i()fimed by their ardh!illJechjr~ wtilaj wasth:oi!,!:gM un them, wl1!atwas done I' thevaJu€s: they maDe 1lhe;irown, tneir games of IP0Woe~ • " lh~y w-ef'e ditiesUll~.d were, plaoos, tirst , and t'orem@st This was ng longer po!lisi~ble in 1iheVienna .of UI'rid'1, who, thot,JglH 1lhat ci~ies couldl be r,eooga'l~md bythei~ pace, jllJstas poopls can by tlheur gait This isa!liso InQW' the caIlri~r of a mask Galnl be recognized; while limm:dbUa Ihe: ~s L,md'ecipherablle, in o~heil'words, o:n%1his m~_.Sik, speaks, Tne mask was a.very OOmllii!'ll(lfil theme in Ullrich'S Vliemma" lhis·dootS n@~meaJrI tnalt ilt was always a:UM same order, 'I~" acCGrd~nQto UI'ri:clh. 'liS! oi,villian has at l'east nine cha~·acl!e~s; a prof'E!ssion<li11 a.l1a~iooal o:ni9i,a aivf:c ene.a class: 'O!i!e,a one, geog~ap!hical one" a sex one, a.c.o:nsciolJs"an unconscious aJIld petih!8_f)s e\!\en too ,a Iprivate one", then he l!'lImuslalso Ihfl.v,eaJsl!i!'l!Wi!¥ asks. FrelUd :spoke of the mask of OOXU<li~ m morality, opposirng to lits alllalysi,sthe d!ep,~h$of the pgyche; an oppo:sit&on ttn;~dwasta I:>ecmne (l,f g~eat in~eres:t ti:l, tthe t1oV€nliie~lh~oentlJ!ry mOOl, preoocupioo wil~h !his "tneaJUn", Namel¥, lhalt the mask is resp<l'J'liSiole for certain ;nli-emal

their suPPOSedl bui'leling!S. On the Qo:nil~~~. oontigluiitie's, r,eiatti:ons,andlso forth alhxln~rib!lJl~e presentingl the~city ·i,IDS ~I) aocused of concealing ra~ller than ~eding What has tla.(p~ a unitary wholle:, asa scr,een wutMliJt ~issums. lhe diiflerel1lce is in this v.eryscmelil"this sCreen wJ~1hitwo, ~aoes.,The one peneot I'n tllilS ,essary'lfl thesegTea' Times" KiaJu!!1i reQ@glni~ed rl:l_dng 'outs:ide, HIe mask, is dlisl!inctrU'Om1ithe one faoing ~Mt ofil~y facts Willl'e Innw at)~e to Sij)eak. and~hal new5 was, linstae, whiidnl iseXiplr:Ga~iV\e.The relaitiofl Ibel~ween whaJthe il1l U:self,apart hom ttleeeveiFJlt. tact. The mask thell Wi.'JiSi.'Ji a maslk .says on ane sideard ~h,e!;;~rIl,lQture:hat $!Ulppcutsitem t fact and if ilt coliJf,d calm~yspeak of itseIif, then on!y- that the: o:lihier iisarbI7'1'ar-v,IIIiitfh;e m~d(jIB is: the SC;r,eeni,tself, the wh1dhw.~s behind it "thalwhich is @nly thought," as Kraus puU, "is lJIiI'IuUerable".4 . (jifter:enof;s,.r Inthis-se!'lse, 'k1th~nk otllanguag;e as ill system of .(tiftference is wha,t m~kes Ikl'llQWilng possiib~e. The: Vliefil' . ,I'nthe case Oit HOifma;!i'lmlthal's The Letter or to~ Chan00\$':, the word ls already irru::apa:ble of l~e1;,feali!ilglanythingl, ii~ liIeSe phifosoplie,sar,e phi:loooprners Ol~langiua,ge. rio:w c~n archit~C1!Ur,e set l~mul.S a city suehas IhiiS. for in is a mask: "lhe Ilanguag:e,n which liwaul!:i nSIve ooen able i hem the HMit CMInot have anry~hin91~D"dDwilln~h:e enclosingl not only to wri~e:" lout even to Ullink, is not latin, Engl'ilSh, andl Ibol\ll'ldingof ·Si "lace, There is nat any plaoo lil"l "lln;e Italian O:rSpanfesh, but a: Imguage of which IIao nol know a capital of decora.tiofil" ,to use 19~rmitlinn Bruch'sdlescrip:tiOlnl singl~ wuffi" a Ilanguage ~i1Il which mu~e, lhing:s s!peak:to me, of Vi:e!1na.lIlh!e: Ilimiit can on'ly Nts&de in the wal~ tha.l is its aM in whtQhl, perhaps ,moe lin tM 'g raw, ~willjusUfy myoom befl:lf6 aJril unknown judge." mask. "Fenoes are interesting", said an unkin;QWfi!philosQPhe~" 1FihiiS Vlieinn:ese aUentkm tl;) the mask flnaill¥ b;:u5e.s onl Ulle "beesuse one 'hia'!'> be eiU'i:er on one side' or Ute other. to innerspaoe. One mighl say that it is tihe mas~ ,that ~Iow.$ Comme dans la 11IiUe!" ~t:is precr'sely becaJu:se a wal~, a this .spaoo i~s oo:rlltent, thaI makecs li,t"'irn~iimate""S were ul nat aliso .i1lJ way to avoid the . mon~essel'lltiail ..qu:e,stiolil: namel:Y fenoe, iiS8i oou!'ldary, a Ifmitthat ilt caJ!in:ota!t the same time why sho1J'ld ~t:naf\l(j been li1Ieeessary at~ certaijlil mOIm€1iI1:to !be a p!aoe. It. is im,p{lssiljle tbr one ~ot~o be eithe'l' on one side or lln;e ,other, for ane to Ibe .in t:he It'.t:a1J: wear a masik.? But IimjlJingourseives: hereto ~h:erelation flhe p.robllem is no longer whetheulne, iis nelftlOr ti1e.r:Ifl'; tm~ masik~inl~imacy: the .rn;ask"causes us te question tlhe fiel~d olf whether IIam on one s~de of Uile,waU or on the other, And, to which it ~s:a frontier. b~ sure" we have not yet said tha!t one s.ide lis ~liIsrdeand the Adolf Loos: i~.ed that Vienna was a city wi1iha mask Qtiher 'o~,Hsi:Oe:. h~s migh~. even OOool'lfile a maUer om~li!dir1er· T when tie com, . ~Dthe vmiilig,es er'ec~ed by lPotem'kin, in ~he pagleSoW \/!e,r sac.um:"Who does not kli'J;owof P'O.te'i'il1i- erme,8 butlinanyca.se Qne has a1lreadryconceded tolne w~1 itSielf an unprecedien~ed ~Mporlanoe. The W<liI!1 a ~imit i'!'> kin's ViiUage.s, tlh:e one's tha,t Oa:~he~i!i!ti:':s OLl!i!Ii1~!ilglaVO!l!rite f lit was no !o~g:e.r possilble tothinik of Vte:!ilna in terms at builit i nlthe Ukraine?iIlhey wei~e vmag~ of oanvas and pas/" wiboard. vi'llagres irnl:e\ndedtc)l!r1.lJnsfuril'lril a viSilJia:1 desert ~fiIl:oa plUtllic sjp8ioes - ~mdllh~S has iits oonsequences for :awdMjW(> tuwe • far the same reascn one Gouldl no longer thifilk {l,f the Howe~il1g ~arlldscape fm the eyes ot Her ~mpe:ria;1Maj€lsty, But was it a whore oitywh1ch that currnling minilster was: press as th.e messe{n:ger of publiC opiniDn. "-Op~ni:on$ <1lreSI prilvate mall:er" :91Mn, too, ~tle press haG ills QIIi(!!r matter: sliJIpposed to have produoedi'? not op~ni;oi1s but facts, news as faets. The :sarne CQuld be SUf€lysuchth~ngs ere ori!b~possi:ble in IFiussia!" saidl alboUil ardhi'leclure, lit (xmlid only be "pr~\i'9ilte"', o:nlly un But Loos: negr.ectedl to. ~II us 1ih'iit Catherine pe~hap!l thought she saw cilties where there was (linlly CMVS,'!> aJn.d the sptte-F,e of tlhe inUmateroullti one I(mild a plaoe. OUILsidJe lt ,ooratm:a:r>ej!s Ibecause sine wastra,l!;femoQI by,. U~ew;i8e, was .al,re.adyan otoor maU:eil': oUll~ide an o~lletlangliJago was Vienn~ started to we;arSl. ma.slk :Slt the time ~hat the Irai~wary spol!<.en,lih:e language ot il'llforma:liO:nJ, the: Ilangl.!age ot~h:e became a tact ,cdli~'e,.It is 1il00tsurrplising, In a city w1'1er,e the mask, will lch unde:rstood rlolhung 0,1 p~Qe$. Nor was: ut pesrealiily was: 110ft 1lhepf.ac:e,iitself, but ~1:s diSip~aoemerwt irl a siblle for IJIS as ind~vid'lJ'a:ls 1:0 under!i!~and the language ofllh:e mas!k, pl~..oe tha!t was net a place ~Ui$e 'eve:rrything wasfll!u iel" tQ s:I:o,pW'S.$ to ma!sk o~eself .t@ ceasate be real, to cea!;;e to haw meani ng, It WaiS ~ik>e"posi n:g".,as Stilte WQul1d say of those w,hQ da~ed 10 ~i~ a. ':'moder~',.',~IJ<lJr,~ "~or a pih.oto· i~n When Laos saiid" "The !House doe<s not haJV€ ~O'ten arPlthingl 'gr~ph.,1!kie be!lngl an obJeot !n an e'xhnOJlnon, . lhe hue ·di'fferem::e in a. city of canvas and ca~dboord uS to the' exte.riO:~ !instead, all b richness must be maf1lit,e:s~in 1 not nol, o(bvJoUlsliy, Ibetwe€liI~he diflier~mtfacades re,p:resen1ung IIh:elif1ile~io~"', 1·· only hed he ~ooogni~'ed a Iimit to an::hi.

diso:rders-IKarIIKra_l.iIs. lin DieFaokel, objected to the mask at jiO'u.nna:liSJm ,wihiich" lJirlUkethe s~Qry.:lelling of ]{lrImertime'S. he

teeture !.N1Iti~ the~ uln'known. not only hals !he recogWlf~ed a di:fierence betweelr11 ,dweflin.s; ~I'l! the, inter~or and dealing w~th the exterior" butSfl Hle same time he had ~'orlrm.iilaJuidi Ule very f!e~dlfor ~h~s;imit" whiiclhl hi1!islimplicit ~1iIrtselflihe: need l f br a m:a_:S!k, irJloo:rf,o:r lhe does not ihav,e to t:ell afilythingllo~hJe exterior. _ This mask lis nul, f1ili1lturally, tM same as lin;@! one wh~Ghlli8: Ihoo idie'nllflriedl as; be!lf11g ~~k:e: ~n llhiefa:cadesof the Riililgstra..sse;the [<.lce Qf equ~vocall, ~ictitio I that Ibehind! the walls was Wh:en~ the 1iI0_ were lijV1ing.i whereas lin Ire,aUty they werein'h<a!bited lYy deraci'n€!tfid lI,psta:rts" To be up~oQtedi. Loos be~ieved ViI,as r1!o'1lhing to be, ashamed of, it was [pari of Une modem COrlu::litlJan. The! si lenceli1al he pr,escriOOd lis no more~hal1 tl1ie r,eoogn~~iofll of Ol;lIr schizophrenia!: the ~fi!$tde !has 1F1.othili'lgl to,lell to the O!l.lit~ side Ibecillilllse (m~ Im1iimiillte being has spm from our social beilng, We:l!ire d~v;idsdl bet~i'1 what we think atJd cwnca:t we· Loos had! reali~ed thalt mooem life was proceed'il1gon two irreooncilable reve!!!, the one of our eG>;:pelrielf1.ce, indir as v,idua~s" U'ie mile, ,elf QUlr ,exis.len.ce as sooietY;iilindl thi1!it which we could undersliall'1d nabstract minds, Il'\amely as! iii, com'ectMI:y. we w~re :aJlrea.dy lmab~elo !i,\!1l! as indMaU'~s. Far thall r'eason he re:n.auneed both nile, de~usion of masks and! the inven11ion o1'espetan'to~, Fo:r tees ilt W<lS: hopel~ss to try to' rendll!r the oUltside in the €X1pen€ntilal terms, off the inside. They arei two irredu:oibr,esyslems. ifih:eirlilerLm slPei1llks~h;e larnguag,e,(l,f cullturs"the language ()~the experii· !lInee (d things; 1M exterior speaks tM IlaflIguaQi9:or civmza,· tion" nla~:0,1 inrorma,ticm, The Ti'lIterio~ is the. ottl~r Qf the e)(J~rio.T, iin ~he same way as: ililformat~on is: th~ o'th~" ot ~xperielilce.~l Thus. onlih}e ottieir hand. pUib~icbuirdings cal"! oalm~ speak of what is gO~Ii'IQ on !behind their walls: "The ceurtheusa must mak.e lnrealteningl lilTlpr'Bssi'o:l1 onth:e fu~tive arfmifl:l!ill. The bank Ibuitding mus:t Siify: 'Here yO!.ilW mO\ney jiS se()lJire~ysafleguardedi by honesl peop!e"' "There uS ne c()l'I~ra.diGt~onoolween doinglaM fllifo:rmifllg. fhe: house's :si~lel1l(;e vis,a.·y,is tliie o:Ultsid~ repreiSe'i'lits the,

ool()'u~s, modem man US!&S his clothes li!~e a mask. His indMduillimly iiS so str,ongl 1Iha:t~h:e cannot express it ,any l!onger by his cloth~ng. He COf1loentrate<!1l his 'Ownl power ~)f invention on 'other things. ,,13 l.ees draws a line: masik-lilnlti F1rullcy.cr,eat~on {aJnd not O'[I!"Iiflt merrti~i()!I"Ir, ta,U:oolliIg. cos:tume) as -diiHere1i!ce,. Wi':!e:re iis he who, ha$ assu medthe cQfi!ditton ,()f the mooe~1 (can Ilima displaced peroon. ad:issident, a traveilier,.<lin eXiile,i1lif,or,e~gl1l" er. a m:e!lal1u::;holic, or a. m<1irllwiltMut quamfi&S)to ~indl an lidentity'? No lion:get prot~(;t:ed bytheti>lied Md the pe:nlill'iia.· Irl:ent, by lhe Ih~ifIg;s lhalt $pealk., he nO'wt~l1;ds:hl~mself SiUi~· Irouli"ldoo by objiOO'tsw;i!~h:out mea!i!fn:g..M tees indicatoo" Inl no way can he m;alo:euse 'of theoo thing!s, tatee, ~n:e'FII1~()1 speaka:r1 inverlitedl I'angl!lagle, ofta ()Ons.1IFuct afa:l!se pedi· The dualiity' inner se!fj'Qutsinewo:rI<:l 'Call ()!J1I~ybe ov,e~'C(}iiirlle by the sLlb:jecl" nol by h~s mask. lIt'Ie mode!l'rI1,lik..e~h:e artist: and tile priimitive, can onliy restore an order in~he !.l!~~~f.se and find a D!ace if! fit !by weach~r1!g w,i,~hJiJr'l1 himself Mel hi,s own

gree, lt1e!'!~ily·ca!'1l orlliy be reoJllperated frO',ffIinsiidecmeselt

do.

creation.

14'

impossllbi'lit.y of commu,r11ca/,tion: but it is: :aJlsothis very sUeniO:eIhalt p~()tects. Jiles inoom mllJifi!icab1e~fi!ltimacy•. A.tthi$ moment .sih;:m;c-.e also its mask H is a Simmeli'an mask, is That mask of which Summe! wnH!ils in his essay ".FashiM,·12 thiilit it sUow'S the il1t~fiiof to be iflMmat~. 'Ovewan oldl Fiero· liSih neuse," wri~es Simme!l, '''the~~ stands: the mysUoaJ lirn~miption: lhere ls male wHin!in me, '" n is pr,eci:S6:I~ ilil Simme:II's terms that tees speaks aboi!Jt ~'aslhioli!: '''We ,have booome more re[uned. more subtle. The herd must dis1irngyish themselves by the use (If variiaUls
,i

Jos.e'f HoHmann was 8150' COr1!$OiDihS of the split in the .. mOGtltrirli iooiv,idual oot~rlI ihris p~wa!~e aJild pub:lic oolfllg. but In;@! confronLed il 1ma di,fiereflll wary, For Ho,t"tm8fil!'ilr 1the hO!jse Wias~O Ib~ ~1iIoo:nt~oiilaJ~y designooto be ~Uill harmor'IY wi~h the oh'tiJUlcter ~ its iniha'bitants"inh,e~e is rnothingl <1liS personal <1$ charactEtr. BUll the cli'eFlil cannot aold obj~~sta tl1i€house on his own acceuat, In.or can he t:J~re,a;n.athe~ ar~j~t to' db :sofo:r him, is M 'i~:one6nly had one dh>alracte:r fi'oran entire life! lhu$ was the db~ect 01 Loos' C'lii~ici5m. Iloos be:lieved 1hat the house grows with omil.,and~ha!t evreryllhlf11i thatgotls 001 ins!lde ~l is Une business o~ ilts in1ha!bitSlllltS. The same wa;s to Ibe" 011 the othetr ha:iil;d"aJ ~~aSO!i! f,or pr.a~se on the part o~P~t:erIBehrens. F~r IBehrens. the,house WaiS a wo:rik of art. Hie addled~hSit Hlo:ffmarlllFll'5 Ih:cmses acquir,e meaning in sooiallife, 1{ and jhis rem<lirk ,dlIDiities ~y possi· b'Je mflsundll!rs:tandijngs about the oflaraot.e! w;itih 'lWlhlch 11h;e house wa!]~o be in naMlltOn)!., Hoffirnafln was sjp8iilikingl;'l!OOIJi1; iii socia/character, fine indiividlual carJrJ:ot leave his~r.aces 00, his own house because the house is: in aooo,i'danoe with that part of his dh<araoler 'Iih:a:t ees not belong to him e IPriva:oo!ly;~h;eforms of socia;l cOfi!\lientkm. . If one w,er'e 1:0 rellate the aUiitw:J!e$ tihat LOGS aJrlfl Hollmanlil Irevealled iintheir <±!IrQ'll itoc1L1r e to the ql!lt!sttol1 weare here de~i'bera.~ing,tha.t is, the ,(jifte$6n06 in the, m9i~[,op<:ilis betlMie:n the space: Qf~he linltima,te and the space, of the, swial. we .might a$socialte their respoo1Ji\lle poSitions wiUn two dfrfl'ere:rllt aHi~llJdestha.~ one can have un sooie~y. Be:irliQ in sOOIet.y. ones 01116has reoog F1ri~ed! the sdil~iiZqphrenlia
1

67

0011119 isinterpr,eted. m

Ibehl\'H~en one's 1P111vate and pub!lic ool~, is Uk/e beingl in a. me€dingl wl1lell'eane does not unders:tand'Ylihal nsbeinglsaidl. 1lt'Iils happens very often iinfore~grl ooL!!1hies,tha:l: j;slos~y" ev,e!iYWnere.The autism"f Laos WQU ld be a way to eXlplain lihi~~ iifllili!'Q'Verled character 'Clf hli!;;heuaes, the,way they clese ~'he:nnselve:;; to 1lh;e,exle;r,io:r. withe. siilel1l0e that lis M,t the si~ence of ena who, ihM nothingl tlJ' s~y" but of oFl;9IWho had recogliiliiZiedl the u!'ililpos;silbil~ty of alilY dialogue in a. I!aJn.guage that is l"Iiothis own, It is .S! silenoethall ~pei;l'ks. simiraJr to 1[h,e diiSq!U ie~ingg:es~!UF'~sofautis1~c chUdlr,en. lit is not a coniVen· tionaJ~sil:en,ee; it is, the rejec1uon of :a oo!1'Ven1J!on•. A:s Kar~ KJra:u~ wrorte in If! these great Times,. "ln these times 'You sluJ:J;I:ldnot ,expect ;aFly wordiS of my o·wnhom me • nQrte but those wo:rds which Ib<1lre~y ffii!linage,to p.reverH silence f1l'01'lI1I
",1 S

hends,"

"OVIer his tilea_d hU!'lIgthe me:naciflgl p~O'\ferb; 'rell me what your house is ~i"'e <ling 11'111 you whO, YOlJi·are, ' whidh he had ten ofL'e'll reaJdl in aJrt M'J!JiIiFNalls. AUSf intensive study o,~these ~o:u.maliSliie caM€~o~h9: com::lusian Ih!1lit he p:refel1FOO, aUe, all, to takelih;e rooo:n:struclijon of hilS po€!fsonalilly i !'!ito II is: own

Ulriich in The MaJI'IWi1houf .Qualities.

fh:e aUl~~oras producer

only a motnllirlaparl and greMi' up in the same landaeape, MD\raviiilJ, llh.e'1l ALls~Jria: ~ner 1he war to, oocome: paJrt of C~ecihQslovakia. BOllnl Wo@J,e en:Ci up iimVi.;e'F1 to, na, Then if one ~alo:ies~he pr,ess as a mirror (SIOmetl'llng tha!t CillIri rQn~ be dloiile Wi1~h can), HoUmarm's aM teos' paths took on a, k~ii!d'of rniV~rs:esYllil1lme:try. Loo!S, net Hofflm~nn, is the Vr,ermese riigure who, ha:;; occupied Ule gl[lei1llterfilumb@J of pages of raesnt C!ri'ticis'iTI on both &ides of the Atlanttc .. Th~sattention correspon;dsto tha~ whloh the arohi~ec:tural press paid to the figme ,of Ho,fimann in hi!!>owl1ltime, LOOiS was mor,e or ~ss ignored ,A!II Uhf'Scoincides, !i!atufaily, wilth HoffMann's more pow,ertl!.!l positton iii'! the varioussooieties f:O~ the p:rOOl.llc~km and Irepro(iI.Jcticm of a_rohitI1lctlllre afild rela!~edl aotivities, Mda'iso with his m,oJ,efm!Fr~iciilic:lilVityi!lisi!li builder. 1M decline of Hhj,im!8JM asa publlic ffgureg~ virtually coincidie:s wutlh the ooginliiing of Looo' recog~~lion. which likethalt of the r:m,phet- didl not aJri~e In vr:enlli'l~ but ifil Paris, in the drd~s close 1:0 L 'Esprit N.orJ'IOOrJ. In 1191,2Herwaf~h Walden publrishedlhV€J anicles by toos iii'!the magazine Oer Stumt Ito h9!V~ aceeseto the pages of Del Slurtn"says .ReYrle~ Ba:nJna.m" was to haveaooe$s. to a limiit,oo tm1 ~nter· naJti'Qn~lau:diefilce. It w<lsh,oug:nllln,is clhanl1el~thaJ~ lWoos' words W"lfi;ved lin Paris. wn.er'e his writingsW€'r,e r,ep:ulblishedl aJnd where ne was app:rOOia.~fld by~M [)a;(j'aists, OJsta!lloe in space ga.vethe 'n91L!~e of L.OOOi~M m~e of a pomtS!QOl1lisl, as !aller WQUldlrdusta!l1:oo !tn time; but: between one mome'nt and~he othelr ~lle:re is mOire ~harna coincidental IF,el!a:llion.r:o~where is. WOS Ireco:gniz:ed too~ but tifil the ~filleilleotlJial circles,. agaun a, mmitedl but ifi'ltema.~ional auu::iienoe, iJnl. I certain sense the lintle:riitor~ ,cd tlheearl'ier < 3;vanlt·gardle;22 _ iIlne l1Ia.ture O~i!licertain inc~ease UIi"I ~nl\7F,est:in H~l'tma!1li'1lis also clear • in~lh.e mariket o~ clJ~I'!J!JFa;llroouiperaliions his reputation, isgr,Q"oMl1Ig·Ibu~: I slhallgo no·(lLl~ther than this OOOE'!Ii"IIa" Ilion. lhe .symm~.trrbetween H!ofimal"l!ll and LOO$ tifillol~\r~sts me becau~e it pount$~Q the theme or Ihaw tM press ·,the
I

L.oos:aiild Hotfm"ui!1i!were: oolih eem in the same yeai~, 11870,

Inthearclhii~ecture 'of H'offmarlli!too the O:bj~ct clbses iiJp(i\l'll itse~f" but li!ot with air! lir!ltrovei!'~ed! g:esb.! reo In this oase, iltis mo~ethe willt(l,firx iin a.precise way the dbjecfi;l ,Ilimnls··as· a monad, as if for fear of allOwing il ~o 00 absorbedl by the iindiHtllrenOO of the environment: {notice how de~ililed the oogesot ~offmann"$ houses are, with wha!tdJeliib!;!rl;lltefiless he hals ocmoentra~ed a te:n,Sion in them). IBllI~ana€! this fron·, tl'e\f hall boon de~i n:e1lJMK'j• it lis a Ilfliauer ,of IIh.e distanoo limposed by socf,a;1cOlJlrrtesy • the obJect ~li"Iiiha:l:esii dia;logue i ~ha:t has 11'1.0 ollieii' cont:elnlt beyond iii, series of adio,p:l:ed oon\l\entions ,fih:e fact tha,t ~hjs: speak~li"Ig, does not sagniry ~ it c~nnot :stgn1W; H does not cOfil~'Qrm~o tihe cOfilventiQ!IIS· 'of a lang,l,.J!a.ge,bUit s~s~he 'anguage' of a !iilfllrliesof irJwmed convenitiD:rl!s'19 .., is Mt ul'lI1IpoUaf1ltbeca!.:ise there Is not the intelilllloiil to eom !ii!i!iJrlicalte" emlry to oover a void! w~thiJcum!l, For Hoffmann life i:Sa. Torm o~ Art Far l.ees, who imsi:st.ed 0[1 r'e\lealin9l~n;e v,oiid, llif,elis tile ,oMer of Art. • 'l am aIYJlious.' , Mid Be:h~,ens in an, artic~e on HofJIiiIiI01i1nw~iUefllklr the Engil~S!h·s:,pe~king WQ~~, "'thaltthe byil~ings he:re i'lh.lShalted sih,ou'ld be considered from the right poi nit QJ~iew: Ih~t~t1e v 'differe!!'11t' eleme:nll U!IIthem sihen - 1110,1 mis!Jead .i;lInyo:n.e into thinkiing thSillit is due ~Daffec1:atio:rli or toa desire d!eiluberalte· !I¥ to Qir,oote so.me~h~fIIg IJ i'i.UlSllIal." No" what ~sdilrfere!n~t here riiSnot unteJldedto shockYO:L!l. No tralilsQ resSoio:r1l$ I·mow· as ledg:e:, flo9!vant·g,arrdes. "On U'ne,contrary! '" 8el11rei'ls contin· , 'u:oo ,."there is 91. close comnec1Hofil b8tw&eii'ii Iii~s gr~at. an::hi· teat me and the e5V aJrLd 1h9!~montou!s charm of a v.reU· ON]eil'OO lire iii! ~ultilri.!'ISl.llrIfQi(md'ilngs." ~ro Art for H:offimarlli! as for Olbrich; is ,educ~tion;' 'Fo:r ~Ih;e artistically Tnc!in~d,lo offer spaces 'oo~Jes,porndi!llgl~otiheir individual~ty ,8ili!di fQr ~he rest, eduoatio!ll through the arlilst&o 1ll"Ilteri:O:r. lin o1ihe~ words, leVlelllling. sooial rintegr<lli:arll,self· ,. Ilegitumation,
I

Oo!rectiOl"lS ~ a ~ oi Die, letz,fen rage del: Mfmsr:hheil_ Kwi K!r,ilJaS' Sl!.!IJy !i1! 'tile

~'ltllrillget:S!trasse.

,archiltectmal mag,azirl'es - iniilia1ed a means of producing ,architecture with words, dirawinglS. and phO~Dgrnp5; as w,ell as t,o U'u;!oon~eque:n.aes ~hi!ll ~hi!Sco:u~dIhav;e ~na IProression VlIIl1 ils stliu:ch,UOllly Ilinked, to, perms_f'lent thing:s end rnater~· leh iill:Sof sliootanOEi. This tlhemedid not 'essape Laos, who, repea:l:OOlyattack.edthe manipLlI'a1iions of ~ht!, m~gatZifies, ofl'e~in9 as an Iulillirflate argumelll~ ~h;e immortality of the wo~k: "My ,greates •. prio'e ls that ~he,linte:ri.ors I h1ilve,crea,t:ed are entir,ely unphologenh:;" ( ... ) I had to l'enOUi1ce the honour o~ having my works publlishedl in several arohillei> tural magazines. I deniedl my vanilty thiiS satistactlon. Arnd thus my wo~k has not had eUect Nothing of Imine is kinown, But here iiS precisely where the fame and eorreotness o~ mty idie'as sho,w.II"wfi;o hiifve'lhad no~hin;g lPublli!Sned. whose'Wo:rk. is igrnQred. ·am the, ,only' Orle • aJrm:mi9 thousands;· whohliy exeirts an influ~n.~" >(, •• ) Onlylil1iefo:rce of 1ihe ,e:xam~e is ttarl'Soe~defilt.1I1, is that f'Ol"Ce whichen(lb1ed the old masters 1,0 have, an 'eHect, wtiooe 'Work wars qu ickliy known in the most out-of-the-way places, of the'earth" despite, or more exacUy, precisely ~sel'her,e was no lPo~t. netelephone, no peil1iodical,"Z3 Architecture lihen is to be ,opposed to tfle othefmeans of commuf!ncatiom,;, which are more abstract, more synchronized wi~h tha limes. A'rC:hi'h~ic~ure commil!l'I~oote$ [Itself iin Spih3' ,o'f 'lhiem. IBut 'why did LoolS not. mention tM p:rlili'llted wordi? II shall re'b)I~!iltQ1his ql.les.tiO'I1Ilarter..What i FlIlerests me now about lloos' argum~Filt on pubilislhing a;n,da~chiteoture' is iits parallelism with~ha:t o,1helr, much ibe'Uer known ene in whicih tees tallkedl about ornament, For Loos ornament is hll which makesart ill commodit.y. Incidenll;ally. Leos was referring in his '1i'lMitililg,s to Hartmann raUter than to Olbrich. who w,as no Iionger iiiil Vienna. By ,omament he meant ,somethingl invented, not some1hilng which had itsoriglfils iiil a genuine ,erotic impulse", or i 1'1 a hemof vaauf" emotions thaI we overcome today by oilh,er, more s()phi!;~icil'ded means. B!Ult wtJere~ ,ask!ed Loos" willi IHbffma!n n's WlJrn be in 'len years ~im'E!124 Pub:lisihing, lUke@mam~n~, by absorb~[J)g architecture into the IU r1i\llers.e' 0:1mlfifclilandise" Iby ~etiS!hli:znng it destroys its, jpoSSilbilirlyof transcendenoe. Architect.y,r~1magazines, with thieil' ~r3ip"ic a~ pholographic: a~jille~ .lran~fQ,'f~<lI~Chitec., liJ~,emto an a;rtu.;,le'of COir1lsump1l1On" . malking 11 cllf'ctila,te around the wOfild as i~ it had suddenly lost mass aJnd v,olume, and in 'thi.s way they also G~nsumeit. It j.s !lO,t a ques11ion 01 the ,ep',Mmernl character of 'the med'ium (othe:r. wise Loos would never Ihave wriUen), The problem is that photoglraphy usnot able to int,tl!.rpret architec1ure; ,oIhel'lNise the IsUer ocndd live in 1lhi~former, When tcos write'S, "Good

ardhiteoture oem 00 deoorilbedl but not drawn", he is acknowledgin.g, weill OOfo:re 8envE!l'IIis:I:e, 'thaIt 'Uhe only semiotic. s,ys.tem capabl;~ of interpre'1i!i!g ,a.!ilothersemiotic s,ys1'e:mis Ilanguilig,e_ leaving a..side 1.he diHicu!ties, of lan~;J.U'l:lge 'interpnetingl archi1ec11Urei wlml LoQ$ realized was;
that

photography makecs o,~'arohi~ec~ul'e an

DlthM

th1n9.

transforms it into a news item. Ain.d the' news litems, is,; in iltself aJnd apaFt from the fact to, which lit is I~efenirlg;, an even I,. a ,fact (Kraus), . As the 'wo:rli. .of art is diHerent ~rom tile usefllil obj~1, aJrc!hitecture isdiffernntfwm i~s news" But trying t.cl disglUlise 'the I,imits 'Iiha;t exist between 'the two lis to mike eeceralion.

Is 'this amhii~€!cture or cut -outs"?'

What can an architecture for magazines be' when the, maga~iru;l' se'Sphotog raptly &$ its mediulm? Does the' pbou tograpl1k: tHlins,fo:rma~lon of architecture do 1'10 m.():re 1han present. it in a new viSion" or is, 1here a d~f)lPer transfo:rma.tiorn., a sort of ,oonoeptLJ!al agrr,eemfl'l'It between ~he space that ~l1a architectur,e cornpr,ellends ,and the olile limplicit in the nature o'JIPhortography? Does the 'tact that ri'ls Irrell:ttlionwith 1!h:emasses is 1lransf,ormoo through its reprodlJcticm not also pr'~SJUppose'a mooifimtion unth.e anmacl'ie! o~ar()hij~edu'~e? Photography is loom at a!lmost 'the same time as~he Ira:ilway. The two e'VQI~e Ih:dldingl handlS • the 'Worild ()'~' tourism lis the, worl:d of the camera- because ~Myshare a ,oonoo,p~ion ,of the world. The fiilUway transfo.rms the world into a commodity. lit makes places linto dbjects: o,f consiumption and, in doing so, depri~es, them of their quality as piaoes,. Ooeans, mountains. ,and cit!es~loaI inlhe worldiu!S~ Ilik,e the obj:ects of universal eiXhflbitions. "Photographedl images,," says Susan Sontag, "do riot soom to be statements about the, world" • IUl'lli~e-Iha~ which us wriUen,or that whioh is a hand!·rna·de visual statement • "so much as pieces. ,af it m inlia~l.iIres of realiily tha~ ,~Mi'YOl1!e' make or aoqurr,e."ii een Photoglfaptlo/ does,for art'lhi~ecture wnart 11h;eaillwa.y did for r citie·s, transformingl ilt into merchandiise(lm:J1 oonlVeying it through 1ih:e magazifu~,S for lit to, be consumed by the masses, This:ad'ds a new context to, llh;e pl"oduc,tim'l ·of ardh ite<:1JUI~~e. Whichl cOf\~,esponds an indepel"ld'eflit cycle of to lu,sage. one superimposed Upon that 0" 'Iihebuilit space" and added \o\alue. Burt in additioJ'lt,o ,alii this. 1he railway 1m'm.oopfacesinlto nOflrplaces because it posed itself as a new Ilimit whereas previiousrry the bum Qi:rject had cone so: bu~ s!if1loe the rail-

69'

o []

way is a ,fluid liimit. iit actl,lall,y J'l!.iiliflifiS thed'ifferences between inside and Qulsid,e. It is oUen s.aid of railway sta'tionsi '~ha't'they ,a~ea substitute {'Oil' Une oldg;ate$ of 1!h:e city, but what they dQ in fact is 10 erase the notion of frontier, not only do they fail Ito, dema!rcate the edge, of the urban fabric, bu~ they ignore the city as such, The milway" which knows (l(n~yof 'd'ejpartureaindl arr1iv,al' poln1:S, 'tumiS aities: into poin's (as Arturo' Smiilli y Ma,ta unders~oodl when he called! the cities of "the past", those whioh eiKifs~ed, "!points" rather than ''';stains'' which was rrtor,e what 'they looked Ilike). connected to 1he,d~aglrilimFIIulticall network that is now 'the terri· tory, lhii$ n01ioll of space !has I'lo'~hilng 10 do. wirth that of space as an ,enclbsure witihin oertain limils, a notion which 'lh:e Gr~ks Ibequeathed to' us ,albn;g with 1ihe agora, It is a space 1lhat recoglnizes only ~in1$ and directions,,, not the' votd and ,that which surrounda lit, III Sipace that does not !mow ,of Umits but re,'atiOl1ls. Photography Iparliicipa:les in 'this spatiial conception, ,and "or this, reasonl it is: aJblJe'~orepre6en~ 'it (no,i: so w,i1ih the, oonCEption of spa.ce asa con~aill"ler). Plhotogfaphy shares, wil~h the rajtway an ignorance o~ the pllCe,27, (lind this giilles '11J'lie p:t1.olographeel dbjects an enoolsimi'ar to that of the railway wUh Ir,espect to the points, U'na.1 reaches: ilt deprilVes; it them of 1hflir qUaJDly as [Oin9$. Lees SOlf.d 1h'a:t"the in/habi· tants ,of my int'eriors w,er'e not capable oi r;eoognizir'tg in ph,otographs 'their own hO'ulses, ln 'the same' UlIo:I,t ortle whO' owns 8 MionetwolJl'd not rooogniz:e' his painting in Kashim.'" IKastan, Schadhell tells us Ilis notes on !Woos," writ! n;gs, is the na!i'liile a pallop:ticon in tihe Vierma waxwork of museUlm.IKas,wn 1l6100t,efor,e nowlheue. lit j,stha nllproch.lctioli1 o~an imaginary place, That is, why one who owns.i! Monet iis Inot able to Ir'eooQ!i!ize lit there: OOcallset,or him. the' Monet thElit he pos~e,ss,e.sexists as an obj,ect, as a ~hing" anel nctas <l1l11 iideaaboUit 'thi~, OOlJect To separ,alt,e the ,object Hom its place, which is always part ,of the ob]ooI: 'itself implies a process of abst~aoUon in the ceurse 'of which ~lte object !IO$esits ,aura. ce'aBesto be: recognizabfe. Ind'ilerl;m1 to 'the p:iaoeVilihe~e ill i,s taken" phoklgraph'y deslroys the' thlng Uhe, obj;ect loses lts .00Q.ua). In .A!lain Res·, na.is'Hlm Last Year in Mafienbad" X shows the woman a ptIo'tograph wh10n he took O'f her ,in the park one OlIJftemoon d;urin,g-lne IPrrevto!l.lSYliar', but 'for her fhiiS p:rO\fes: !iloflhilng. She says: "anyone oould have taken it, .9Il"I)I1iime., aJI1Y· wh:ere ... "'IHe replies: "'A gaJrden... Any garden ..• 1would have, Mello show you tM white ~a.cespread. tihe :sea. ,of whiite Ilace spreadi wtiere, your body. . . IEM aU bodies, look: ali'ke. and all wlliie lace, all ho,tels, all staltues, all gardJens,.. , (A paus:e). But this QiSIl'den, tor me, lookied like 1:\0 other

way

tographers. will r,etire in10the studio to IreprodlJ09 <In imagi· liIary universe at l&isiJre.29 Scel'log,~~phy is now nl!sedl onliy by camlvall photograt" .. phers, Otnerwise we' ha.ve no need of props. AinryUning -will do, even reality itsel~', partiClilafly when it is liiU~ more 1hana prop, 'wihen i'l nO longer matters wtleroe one ls, "On planes, ..

one, .. Every day I met you here. . ." .only that whidh can· not be reproduced • Inei'I!iler the figure fIIOr the garrden lout that which the g~n.1e:n is for serneeee. as expeiie:nce . ,eaf! s1in 00. ,claimed. For SlUe, the othe:r Viennese, who hated plhotog~aJ.phy ,aM other abstractions ~hat ledto it, photogra.phy signifiedl that sense, oO'f UJ'lJ"Ba<Jlijt which cr,eoaled the n,o.'IIII1h.ere of pne:ce. ~nhis r,ea.soning, Sitte took a rollte whioh was 1ih:e inverse ,of that of leos: in ageometrioaJ spaee (geomet(c.allin Sine's sense) one becomes unreai and fm ttJa;t I'! suiitable only to be ,81 photographic modeJ or a~' ex' $ome11hing oif all this must have ~n iintllitoo by lihelirst photogr,aphelf's" Wholrom the beginningl used scenograp'.hry as if it were the most najural thing. It iiScli&af'lha:t with the e:lI:poSiur,ei me then required, ~heir vic~im>s needed eemet thing to, lean 00" but this does not fi(Xplaii1 wiry' columns were restingl 'on carpeta, OFwhy, con[lrol1tedl wi~h proteats of ur:llreali~y • ;"~l!I'IiYol1e wm be COI'!V,inced thalt rnal'ible or stone colum ns n;wer rise hom 11he balSe o~ a carpet" • the ph.QI

in

70

says Is!r;ae~ Shefll~er, "we don't: ,re,a;lly trarvel, we· jUSit s!\ijp time and s;paoe- Ilo!'loe w~nt~r,om NelV Yoffil:.o 8.erlKeley to make a $p€ech, rl"l the moming I left New Yorkalfldl in the morning I ,go,lto l3e:rkeley, I made a speech I had made ballowe, aodlll saw pe\)p!e I i:melW. The quesHolls ~li1ad alreadiy he;;lrd. and ~garve the :sameans,wers: as: beror,e. Then I came home. I cll:a l1~olreal~y tra\lell"' 000, IPI1iOol:ogmp.i1y,wnr,clhlf,inds its€llf at home in c-aMiva:ls and ~11 the interpreted world, has a hard liMe - as ~(ms Ir,eoogni:i:edl _ rep~~seil"li~iflgspace as Raom, depf:ctin:ga s[p®ioe whk:h wt!~le retl1.!si!1Q to ac~noWledg:e:U1;~ diHer,enoe be'tween inSlide and! 'oyts!ide, lis d!e~i!iled precisely Ibl!( this diHer.E~noo. SiiUe's plSlza.and lootS' ~umplan are spaces defined b.ythe perceptikm of person wnomlhey en;dloSie, not. by one who trespasses: their Ilimiits., HoHmann 's1lJ,onilec1LIr'E;! iiS oonce:lvedhom o1ll1:SDde in. GiEldio:nl, wtmis always wry peroepHve 1'1"1 his oommelllts, ~ary$la:oo:!'1licalliyof the S~ocl!et Palaoe~hid "Iihe fled surfaoes off this b1ilnkelr's homease made up o~ whillof~marlb!eslab!S, bullney are beaJ~edl mke harned Ipictlllre$." The most ootiilib:lel!h!i 1'19aoourt ~h~s house ,of Fioflimanfll when one look..s ,alit it in magazines • andl one uS oibliged to look, because it ~s also '11h:eweliha:t his flIrdhitedureis pro· duced· its the moment of 'd!oubt as to' \Wietherr what one is s,.ooifilg lisa Ibumthniil,g 0:1'a. mooel. Itdloos not ha;Ye weight; it floa:ts: it ~ack:s cQ.rporeal e;>;)i:s~enoe: is a Ibox, waJlls suri~ roulndingl space, which is m?'Ian empty ho~e d~gl eute! building ma:l:eriai.,fjMre is f10tlliirliQ .. tlJ. USe a.OOrloopl ,of ~hal , moment- sculptu,t.lif about H.e~ The ron~u;sj,Qnwith the catrdboar,d modie!1 is nat Qnly to ello wiliht a ocmoepUofll of spare. With~his hO'L!ise.something oooulrsth8it issimil8ir~o wha,t hal=lpen:swuththose cut·outs wih'ichane used to make paper ard~litect!u ne: more i!il!1!portaJ'llt than Wh;@llhera wall iiS internal ,or e::<t,emai,than whe~he:r a surrace correspandls to the roof or to ~lhe kitchel1lHoor, ~hatJ the diif'lerem;:es, iin '~hematei'iials cOl!,!'ewtr1iQl~hose SiiL!rlaoos. more imp<l:l'taFlit than whe~tHiliFa,11,e!ement ies 8uPPorlil1lg or SlJppo:rtoo are the cOIiI~iguit~es Ibetween~hose cut-outs. 'One Gain ~mde:r~tand this \lery dleariy when, they .ar,es:~ill en the paper, before halving boon CilJt-out Everythingl iSlf'ellat'OO to wha.t is adjacent, as in a. line or wTlilung 'w,h~re .i3J o:rd w ,r,el!aJ~'$ t:o'~he 10012 tollooWilf'lg lit. Everything appears to, Ibe !1lE;!Wif1', jus;l l'ikieS!tweacherous n~rra,tive tha,t links 'Iihe most disparSile lin ings; J;IIndwhk:h in the Cl!lt·Oyt:s iiS ,~ep:resented Iby III seam ,af Ibladk do,t5 marking Une mne wMrethe paper is

nne

fold\ed.

mou!dirng ~hal

lin me Stoclet pal!a..oe"thie :I1'affa'tilrle ~s:tlhe m:e:taJllic ca:ble ~iffiles:s~y]onoW$~he border of 'every plane

it reoog ni~es, indirfl"erenit to whethew it is asoeli!d~liIg afI, edge or tUlniflIQ a eemer {nnere~'ore sewling together two rig:ht~ngledl p~anes:}; whether it is ()r,ownin~g a -facade as a sort ,af cornice engagili"l!;ll en ~Qu'te ~\{erysinQle w,indow it ,eIilOOl:.lr'lters;windoW'S which are linhllrif11also,r!1ilmedl bytlhi!S banding: whether 1ihisubiqU.itouiS caJble smmllll'iu:ls ~he well cd the ,staireaseandl i~ so doingl s~iitdhi&S 'Uipthe SlJpIl'rj:Mposed p~anes llike a PQdK.et ~e'lHi'iI to a jadket:: or .alitema!t~v:eIy. it descends until ut reco·~r.S a. ho:ri~on~al diatuliiJiil; ~here:by imlPlytil1lg the sll!gg;estiofll at a soole,. An Ihiii;l sug:gests anothe:r game: how carl onef,orm such af~glll:re w.iithioyt ev,er tak,illg~h:e penoi~ orl\fl!he P8JPer? lin the Sloo!et ,ir!lterio~ a whisper made it®eJl~ ~elt IPe,it1! !3ehr'ens remarked 1ih>a:t W1lStile hallltlha!t iM~nesS;ed him ut mo,st, that marle l1iimfooll "as tMug:h one mutSt not speak tee !o!idy within ~1:s alil. Here, liIo:l:withsitan.dinQI the ,d:iVoe'r,si·, w ty of their origil"l, a lho~safild iines,~orms"a!i)d colours we!l'e combinoo to t'orm;} unif,orm whole." HlEiireagain IhesSime Ibanding goes up a!ilddiowfli p&ers" d,ividililglthe baloony in~D compartme:nitsandi makingl it look as if iit w,er,e100la baloony but. slabs lhovering Ibetw~~n the lPie~s:(S€kJl~f). lhe S",Iill1IEl, fih.e:lor1ca:ppe1ilrs ln the hangiinQ l8!mp::ooutd flInythiingl haw been further from the way Wut~gelf1steindJd H. The same ap;pro~lch 3Ppt3'aIF,s the ,carpeting of 1iheflloo:r wHIh square in mes., vmk:h.;even more than iflldf.ca1iil1lg~1h.8 a;yane S!hou'ld w move, end u,pgivinrg the t!i!'lipresskln~lha!t liit is not oneself Who is moving but that. whioh lis undemea~h ol'i!e;~ feet N:othul'IQ ii~ 11~~t Ibe iitself. ,fum~~l!Jreis made to ~am on tne to sam.e quamty as ~pa,ces 1ihemseJlv.es,; ~h,er,eI!Snothing SClJIp· tu;~/.;i.loo:urtit, nothing thal Je\ffl'aisanyC():ni~rastoolween~ln.a spacealild its ()C()upi3int (the 5u'bjecl was to preoo~upy Le CorblJ1sie~). oHm<llnn tri:es not to ciiffe.r,entia!le. buttQ canoell H diffe:re.rloos. SiPaoe and fumiture, <'liFe pairt of ~he,:same whole. 1My are iits inhabutants. One isone'\s mask. The walls of tM Stoo~et Pallaoe are'll~k'e Giookm;s "harned pi~~ulres'" ,theyare ~Iat $ul1aoes, ilfld'e;pel1ldentin the s~n:5e ~ha~ their :frames; delim it them as ,el~!'ifi!ents.iButsinee: in these wallis the frameooul"laicies wnlhthe edge:sthalt dielimiit Unemas ,plaines, di'eren~ia,tililg 1lh:eiTI~ro:madiaCl1!n1Iplanes" they are ,Sit once independent and J!letl'ilil~edlto those wni:ch areocmHg.l,!rOUS wittnthem. The same m.o1J'ldurlig, ne ,same U II1r1uM:aI band In~t 'give;$ theml ~h;eire~itstelilc€,by framing, also Ilinks them w, surface'S adjacent 11h:e:neb:yfOJ1mingl a 1ihr'e!e· dimooskllflal dbject;a oox. AU~hiiS creates alJe:nsian at ~he' edges ,of Uae IbOIlC, nd in a SO dOll"lg, wea~eli'lS the who!e and pr,ocl'u:cesli!l'll11h;e: obseNer ~11i.e impm.ssiiofll tMt U~e' walltS 'oo"'l~ well u.nlold, losing the oOI!ld'i111o!i! stability wtJiich had been gUi3Jran~eedlb) ~tnem ()ff

71

ILoos: Strli!SSef IHousB'· IMng hal!

rela,1ions Ibetween pOintsaMI,d'irec1iioJ'1ls. Citing nile, :ilIn, hiS:OClrian AlUg,ust Schmarso,w's d06lewa· 1ions, Pe'le~ E!ehre!'!ls w,riltes tha,t, architecMe ls Ule art of d!e1aning space. and is 3J:hiewd with spar'OO geomehical] forms, 'Whi~escl,Jllpture, 'lihe art o~ volume aru:i spatial cccupa1lion, proviides it!;! pl'astk:'OOU!I'Iterpart33 Wtien Peter Boor· ens wrote ~hlis.]he was reflecting • i~ was a1w.arys a favourite theme wii'lihhim -llpon the impact cd tecJhFi:ological mearJ<.lo,I transporla.1ion on ViisualllPerceptionandl on the necessity of adapting archit.ec~uif'e tel,1lhlisnew wary' of seein!;lI_34 Under a photogra,ph o,f OUo, W'aglnefs KaJrlspla1z St.:litioll of 1894, Giedi:of"llf,eiterates; Wagllilefs proiPhecy: "The ne'w architecture wiil be dornjlila~ed by sllaJb~llikie tabular S/!JJrtaces and tne ~~OJll'linent u'se ,O'f maJerials, in a ptJriiils1:a1:e" (Mod·

bylhie: CI!.lOOwhich tlhe-y f0il1m0d;a ptemoni1Jion of I1Jnfol'dinl;ll which .. wen ~mj8!Ylwh.en in Japan they are pf:l.otograp.hmg by which they would rec~verthein' origirl!a'i condi~km as smells· has not: yet beenthe objeot of rep~od u:c~lo~, , ouch,· (lut-Quts, ~Thie,same impressllolil itS given by one of Haft,·, ingl ils not yelt a ment!ili~ set, man n's ohia:irs; namelly thert til has: been de'Siigned wiUnol.lft "IE\ilert work of art obeys such strong linte,maJ ~aw$ that it can take only on:e 'form ;(Adolif Loos), An ;architec1!Ulf ethat tak:il1lg the IP(mciloH ~hiepeper.) On the very same pli1lilileor s'hee'! of paper ,aJ,enOw to Ibef,ol1Jnd 'Once walll, root alnd exists already in dtfj wing, as 3J1'Ctiit.ects Ilike Bo:uUlm and Hug,h Ferriss Wo('mfd have li~ed, 'Was not possijble, in l,oos' flloo. plians. Each olle com~spond's to its OP~SiU' 'all tile paper. Across hom 1he interior is the 'il(>de;rior.: ' It lis a notion view: "\iVha.'t has been conceived in one art does mQlllreVeal of s:pa:ce:that is,inat:;;C;Oirdance 'wi1hl1lhe Ulniv,erse otteonn&QS i'I;,selfill anothee." Drawing and aJrdhi'i:&ellulr,e am irreduoibt,e ,.,the ramwary; ph:otog:ra,phy, ellectricity, reinforced concrete. systems: "If I were, allie' to erase from the' miliids of my It its a,space that ne'J~h;er oIo'Ses nor opens, bUit est:illLlJisih:es C(lnlemporari~s, that s1lronge'st ot aJrcihiitectlJfa!1 f.aats. the'

at

I.

erne Archi.fekiur,1895).

Infonma.tion is ithe other of ,experience

Adotf Laos.
"The sign of a truly felt ,8H;:hil'eolural 'Wo.rlk. is lacks ,effect. "

that in plan it

Hoffm31lr'l"s architecture CO!iPoIieys strongest imp~ession i'ls 1'10 1 only in plans 001 aliso in tne phol!ogra:'plu~d reeord of it6~1f. N'ot only is lit an alr'dhriilioohne can.ceived to !be' eXlperi· enoed pnrnaJr'ily iii'llvisuall terms, Ibut booalllse of 1h.e,emphasis on the, '[~at tWQ·dim.an'sionall ,aspec·t it; seems; con;cai\i\oo to be experienoed' 'throogh '~h,emonocular, m€cliianicall,eye' of the cam~'!'ra 'lens. By 1lhe words "truly 'fen'''" ILeos meant a !Xl'fCep1iorli of space unvolvif"lg not only the sense of sight (tiUJril'lafl sigtlll, two eyes), but a:lso the rest 'of the senses. lit is a way o~ perceMngl that c(lri~espo!l'ld:sloa time prior to the epooh of mechanical repfoducUOil in archiitectu.re_ lin tees' viiew, the on'ly criterion by wIlich Sipa.oecan be considered iil/'Ghileo' tUfa'" or alI1liie senses, toos pnvileg,ed 1ihB sense of touch and perhaps it IS no,aooJdemtthat tliliis ~s 1ih;e: ne domapn e
1 I' I'

PiHii Palace, andl ret the best ,(UaJu'gh1sman present ill as, 8. compe,ti1iion projeot. the jury would] lock. me il'li a IIJna1ilc as,y~L.Im.''' revell'se is; !I'Iot possi ole either: "But it is ler~ible The thnl'liQwhenr iilIll ar{)hi~echual dJarwJfilg. ~t)Selif ... ) a Qlr,apt1iic " work of art, is built in stene, ,steel, and glasSi, J:orthere ,ar,e trully 'gra,:ptnic ar~ists amongst arcihilects.,-' 1lO For Lees, the alrdhitoolUiral1 dr,awingl c,olJld Ibe no more than a technicallllll'lgllJage.: "iIlhe tl'iU!earchitect is ,S!, man '~ha'i in no way needs to know how to draw; thst lis, Ih:e does mo,t need 10 exp~ess li'Ir,sinner state thi'ou:glii penctl strekea Wha.t. he calls drawillg is no more than the attemp'1. to make himseltunderstoodi by the craf1.sman c8!Fl)lIimg oot the work.'.afii Architecture its a cortcr,ete means. of oommunicatilll;ll the experlience o,~ S!PQ,C9. Architectural drawiing is an ab:5trru::~" 1Ih!a.tis ~o say" 1:ectnf!~ca~.means af commufliiCillilton: •'The, architec~ ~irst aenses th e eHect he w~shes 'to p'!QchJlce then tie visllializes the spaces, he wishes to create. i 131 In no 'Way, then is it meces;saify for him 'to,draw ·were ltaotfor the social ,d.ivi.sioll of labour, But 'the fact that such a diviiSioll exists· andl with it ill kiM of bilingualism: 1ihe lanQu8.ge ,of linformation is sever,ed from the Ilaiilguii\lge of experienoo' does not sanction impos:sillie pseudo·,t!ranslartton!l ..We are living in an a!Osurd tower of Babel: what we canunderstsnd as; abstract minds", that is as co!lIectiw' bei negs, we can no long,er unders:tan,d ~Jliv~teliy.. Arehitec1;ur,e,then ir welal<e Loos 11hnking to i'ts l:ogicaJl i OO!ilctUision,can do nothlng but ref!eat upon the di,:;;junctive 'ohar,arcter o~ modem cli.!~tu~e,It must not auempt im,pos.sib!le syntheses" nor must ill'fl~k tlhil1gs, as 'they are, I'flrolma,~ion is the o,therO'f,experience, m,e is theotlieJof arl. {"Ev'ery1ih il1g that serves a purpose should be ,excluded from the realms of art' '), the spirit is ,the other of metter, culture lis the other ot civilization, the illdi,viduaJ is the' other of socie'ly, the in1el1ioi" is, the otliel' of 1he exterior. .. iIlhis is a sys:tem ot dif1erences. Almost all of Laos can'! be read in a IinguisHo key, The house by the aJ'dhlil:ecl: is an lmdeslrabr.escrl1!am that !3I~l!ers, tnetranqUhl,i1y of the mounltain lake (Architekl'Url,
I I

7,2

LOGs: 1<1luner Hoose" Masler's reern, as puljlisirl, eel in I( _ka; AdoI! boos. Vlefll'1!ll 1001.

pot."

And the scream, as ~!"I Mun.ch, is, the ~mpCl!l$tbiliity of '!i~' word. "The ardhit'eC1 oomesfirom the,cirly. He poaeessea no culture,,, hie i$ an upstart II00.11 ol.:!lh,ue tih>a:t biliil1arnce,of inner and ourler rn-an which al'o:n,e cam glJararl'~:ee, r&&Sonable thought and action. ,. _ toes rl!ali!l:edl that dbjects, in his cU~~lJn~ fo.st 'their hard immediate meanl 1iQ. 'The use by tihe artists of tiM Secession O'f obj:ects as symbolic expressions ofi inner states 0011'firmed this. BI,II'Iif objects had lost their metming for teos i~ was not a matter 'of trying to make ~hem speak IEsperanto, but of making an e,ffQrt to disfj'nguish' them. Karl Kraus gS,Ille form 10'this, thou9h~ nn his fam.O'Uls s1atemen1: "AI!I thalAdolf Leos and I ha\!ie: ,cone", M I.ift;,ra!lIy and I figtifa11iV\ely, lsto sliJow that there liSa diffel'e'nce be~ween a chamber pot andl an urn, and rn U:'Ii~rt difference 1ih~r,e:iiS iii. GIITI~.!I margir'l.lelj'~ 'foi!' Qu'i1JUr'e.3IUit the o!lih,ers! 'the posiliv.e ones', are ~o be disti nr· I gliished between those who would usa ,81 chamoor pot for am urn and those who woutd use an uU'i fa.r a chamber

art,,39

Culltme and diff,e~enoe, tler,e is the main ~hnJst ,of toos: think!iI'l9· Ornament can only be read' as me:l:a,phor. lit is all that lis take, all that tries ~O'confuse limits, all unrnecessary ~or~ls "alii WOF,d~ t~OIt ,exceedlheir. ccnditlon fur, rneening. tcos wrote; 'Arloome's from know-how, (11"1 German), Kunst from IK;l;lnnen. EM as for 1hose dijettrullle:s who, from their comfortab:le' studr.QS w,ant to' pr,escribe ,an:d traoe out for the artilst! '['or the man who proch.lices, jUS'lwnal he s'hou I~ do" let them ~etep to, ttneirfield ... that of 'gmphic

To klnow" in the civm:!!:ation of indiifferellrie, i$ to trarts· gre'Ss, Disjunction is a furm o'f knowledlge"Tihe narrrative ,of a

graph&c arl is: di!i·knowledge {negation of knowJ'edg:e); fit is deooration. lo«;' in1:el"liOfosare ooMervatiiveaoo at, Lihe same' time di>sjunctive. 1hey are oon.seNatilVe Ibeca~$e they COl11form 'to ill tra;:JiUonal id!&a of comt,ort In bii; houses O'f Looe: it iseersy t.Q' imag ina menry places where Q!"I;e would like' to, esooF'l>OOones~lf. dependin:g on ol11e'~ momjl, the ho~n of the day. what one desires the space to, prorviide, to eemmunicate, te p'fQt,ec:t With Ule house.s 'af H!o'tI'mani"l one can think immedii1l.Udy of Ihow ~Q' rnov.e ~hrough them. but [IS very difficul~ to' im.agine actually us 1119 these, ;spaoos.llt is, not ~hi!lt we feel e",xclud'ed from them; it is that ri1uali51ic way they have of includjng us, As if we wen:; ini museum ora church. U:nJless olle is, a "lbeli:ever" one can only thin/~of mOIVing aroynd inside. Itn toes' houses" d~sLulilctiol"ls O'~telfil OC(;t!11' [il111he 'very t plat:es wMr:e they seem rnest pearcerlul: "In mainy ,o'fLeos' houSEi<S,. says Ke:rmeth IFramptonl, "ddSjU I'IiC'tiv.e,sl.!bvers~ve . effects 8Jppe,ar .unexpec~ed amid an ,overall aura of beurIy 'geojs comfort ,and! tr,a,dition. This repeatedl strategiY ,of ~isjunction is pe!ihaps never more dramatic thatn in Loos' aml:>"gUo.us, [r'eoiprocal play with the adJacency ot real and apparent mirrors, wtte:.rein actual openings appear to, be mirrors" or apparent mirrors sre, in fact, openiilg's. Equally shodking areoontradictory S,11fl!Jctumlcomponents, sueh ·as in ~he' S11rasse:rHouse ~iving room, \I!iIhereanopel"l staffil!{8Y passes (l·ver the brick tradit&onal '!iOll.l1me 1ihefirept~e~ oo6up,!!l'Il!"!g 'of '~hepla'oo O'f the chimney. ,and where '~he rub~ brridk areh itself is 'falsely' 'oclnslwcledl,' ,40' Tilerl! r.f) a se'i'litelloe ofTtneodm IReik cit,edt by Bernjaminl,o the effect 'lhirft: "'Memory is essentialliy oonlServatiive: ~ememb~ance is di&struc:tiy,e." Benjamin iiS ud,erring te Bau·

The 1400 Ii:! C!!!f!e~

1a9:5,

·cd G~

R" ilIIWleooe,

delajre Wid also P~OU51iFrelJidand 6e~lgiSGn,iI'ih.f! · ,q,u:es~ion lis how tQ' take t1.Old o~1lh;e"true e:xpe~ienoe", "as 'OP;POSIedto
tM Ikinql~Mt maJni~'est itseJlf in nile standa~cl i:!ed. de:natured Ilif,e ,of the cMliool masses." This is the same ques~ion that ~!"!il'e~,ests1W00sin hchftek~ hif when Ine w~ites, "'lhe: Wl:lrk 01 art is re\llo~y~iQnamy, tl:e ~ Ih:O:U$e:oonserv.a!t~e, .• Tlhewo.* 01 aft aims at 5!haUering man's oomf'Qnal)l!eoom;pla:ooncy., ,. Ttne,sim ilari~ywi~11 Refl·('s ~l:mnu!ati:ai1 is morethanappa~ent;lL;oos too was distinglliJlislhuli'Ig betwil:le:1i1 m.emQI'Y and remembrance, "Does ~h,ehouse~he~efQrr'e," heoontinued, "have, no~hliln,gto do wUh a~. and sM~!Ga[,ohHteature not [be dlassifi:&d as aJ1iart? This ,liS 00. Only a very small[ pari: ,ofan::hitectlJll'G:belol'1lgsto art 1lhe~(lmb and Ule mOflu.lIment" llhe~om'baiildI1ih,e menuITI)@'flIt are pl~ of ~,~m,el'ililbranoe,of m.emoif!e lnvolunrflif'e" in Proust's ~~iI'liiiIfIIS. toos wrote:: "';If we find 3" m:O!L1l1ldn 1ihe i forest six feet Illong and~tnree fue,t wid1e, ~'ormecl linloa pyrami'd sihaJPe a shovell, we Ibecome: seillio'UtS andl some" by '11111n9~llhil1l IUS. :says, 'Som.oon,e He'S buriilldl here,' lhiis is arohitooture ... k> oQrfectil!ole ooiln95, we com m~kearclh~t~oture 'only in 1Ih.e~arlrllb and il1lthe mOI1l!Jment Only in theseh!'1H)torms can an 8x;perienoetme place "Which rooludes ritlJial elements" an ,experie:noo sech.!d~ ~rorn cri5~$ • [because they evok/ea wo:Mltf outs:idetime arnd~h:e~ef'Q~e. Ibeyondl rea.so:nl. When Loos arrivoo in P.arns ,writes 81anMm, Ihe was ail:readyfamOlJi$, t:m~his~ame was due to his writings" some 'of whidn had[ [ooempubmshed fn France, ~a!therthan tl:l' his bulldil1lgs, whfcl'ill·seem tl:l! halVebeen known only by hears1liy., toes would have [liked t'his C(llflme-rlit: l1~s arohi~ect!!JF,ewas: passingllby word o;~mO!1JUlilike that of "~he 31n,Qlerrtmas:~~~s: inU'ne times when there was 100 post" t:eleg~a!phl, or news" PlIiper." [But why lis lit that: Loos:, wliiooppo,sediarchitectlJire in all[ the ,other meaJ1iS at oomml.!!lnication thaJt make en aOOh'aJct[lll'l o~ Iplaoo, not aliso o(moelmn the pri nltedl word? WII'Iy sllhouid, th~stoohl~ol\:).gy Oe,a:ble to transi1rni~ 3)1'1 ,e:)(per~liIceatthingi$'~h:e1i'l U i5 preois~lW printing ~h~c~f~rs1: p're;paredus "IO;:liat wutMu~ I'&,2di!'!9 ". when !t IS pnnh~gl that pwv,ided ~h.e baisisfo~'~ha!t fak&Qrffhom p~ace,. th,U ,eMis by b.l~l"lingl the world rn~Qan ~rnmense' l\1!indings.trfp? l!he printed word ean onlyoom i'iI1I!Jlnlca,te by ~ecuperaJli~gl 'oommon sense" by ,d~inten ' itungt. by gli~ifil91 ~ni9uag:e bad!< to -OLlli~l.!~e.. IG~rmaJl1l lang,u;ageof beginning n(l!Jlns with capilta;l[ f,eUerswas seen by tcos as iYmp~clI'lI:Jatic of"~l1iei1libyss ~h!at qpens: up lin ~he Ge:~m3_1iirn1rr!d Ibe,t'Ween~hewt~tUeni1liMIthe Si~ken wlJrd" '; "When the GenTlml lakes a lpen in !hand, tl:e esn no,II\J.nger Wlrilte as he ~lhlf11l<s. he s[peaks. lh~ wfl!1er lilS ~naiIle, to M

moo can ,db neil~her.

:speilllk.; the speaker carmol

"~2

write"Ain.(i

ii'll Ule 'endl~he Ger·

S~ill todary' Loos: lis mor,eramcms ·r'Of lhi!S'U!I'li'llil'lgs than fer !hilsbll.lilding:s, which nobody dares to linterp:I'e!t witl'ilolJll:r,eliyinJg'Oll'l tlh~ fO~l'iIi!er, "fhis hafdl:ylha:ppensWii~11 any o:liher architect IBut do these, wfiitiil'llgs reamiye)(l.,plain hislbui!dinQs or hh'l'll as afiglu ne1 "The replacement ol 1itle learl'ierstoPt"1eI11iIllg hllidHiiol1l [by inf,mmati.fi:il, ().~ in~ormalUon by sensa.~iori. 1~~~lec,t;slih:eincreasi!liIg ~di!'Optily of !e::xpe:~~e:nce.At thesa!me time them is a ,oonh,isl between alii these tormsan:d the story ,wihich is the: ()~a1eslbTll of commlJllnlcO'liW:!rl. The dbjectieve of s:l:ory-telring is rl.ot~o oonvey an event 'parse' Which nslihJe: purr lil'1loflMaltion • but ra,uiler to embe:d the ew;mt in 11 re story1:e~lerIII order to ~~$ ut on as ex~:ri€!:n.ceHo ~hQSe Iilstening." (W., Benjamin} Loo!!;' writings sl1iam some~hing ofthi's ar'Icientform; like linose ot 8eJ"lljiSmin,lihe:y hav.ean almos:t blbl'lcal Sh'luctll~'~. They are wiiitinQ5l i~wh~dhone can sta~ Ireadinglalt any point and stilll sense the to'lali~y of the messag.e,. As inorlil~ eommunicaJtlO:i1,lihe p~,ob:lemand its solution are~o~dhed IU,pOI1l aHhe Ibegin!i'lin,g-'~f thie,ej'iOOLISSiiorrl,and ~h:enthe me'Ssagl~!s i OGnveyedagiain <;lind again as i 1"1 the ooniOe:nihr,c ~ing!S0.1a Sipiml. I'n spite o~ 1M seem il'l9 ~ea:LlM'ancy, o:n,e,can r,ead ~lhls ~.ype(d writingl ovelF and o·y.er withouttfring ,of it'becillJil.Ise orne Irlie\lerl:.md~rstands ,e)(3lJ~lythe same thing on SiUlbOO',· quent Ir,sadifllgs,. ~t:s w!I'iitil"lijthat ~eq;liJilresentl'Jt.IBy entering, i one er-xtract hom every reaJj~!'1Jgan e:xpe:rf,'e i1ce that !IS uniqU'e- Such \Wiiting revea~s the l~a:oe!;lof the teller ~he way the clalY v.es5lellibe'trays. the fing.e\fPcilints of the pOUtllr. It ies 1liliways rnooem, j,!Ji!,t Ilik/a Loos' [houses, because li·l:r~qliJi res tha,~. omeone enterin ord'ei!'to make sense o~ it.liha:t somes ,on~ ma:k.elit his own,
i

em

wors:ethan what we $up~e"'! Cti{~ufa -

'''l,heart 'WJ"i,ich 'g3;\I\e~1h.e8inci~nllman his basi,s and~h;e Ql1ris~ian 1fI0000n curvature o~ [hiis vau'lts wiil~ now be ·!Iran\stM {erred into boxes: €l1'!d bmC!e:I~ts.. 1ItI~se time:s are mu:cihl

sian 'of distinguishing

etacy {191J8),wh;e~ehec~ittci~'ed the confu" . Ule members Q'~' tM Werkbuno I'nl be,{ween art and oOli'llmodilti.€!!S (amtiol~'Sof c@nSJlili'lil!ption): "The members Ol~ this confederation .aJre men wM are 1lryingto, Ir,eptlaoeour pm®ent. d~ C!u'llw,e wl~1hi anG~M:r. Why tl1ieyare d o:lng 1ll1i,sI do flat kIflOW,. B'ult Il<now ~hey wililflot suooeoo" No lone yet Ih= thrust hus: podgy handl
l

lniis q,u:otaUcm ,of Goethe: appoors aItthe ,endl of L.oos' text

74

iil1ltothe s;pinning whee~ of '~ime withou~ Ihavingl ilt tom off by the spol!u!s.' , Wii1ihlr\eg:ard to this ISeriold Brecht wiI'ote: "if' tih~ concept of 'worr~ ,of art' carll no long,er be appried to the object ~hat emer,g~$ once the work is tmnsfoi'imed in~o,a. CQ:mmOOlity, we have, to eliminate 1his concept with cautious care but wlitih()IIJltf,ear, I'est we Iliql!JiIla~e'theful'1.c1iioliil of the very object ,ars 'well." While Wait,er Bern,iamin ~said: "'IBy the aoS'ol'Llt,e ,e,mphasiS: Oln!li~s e~hi bition value, '~he work of art becomes a oreation wi~h ,entirely new tlJnotbns, arn.o:l"IIgwhlich the one we arlsccmscioulii O~'11 the Sirlis:Hc func1i(m" Ilate'F may 00

Irooognizedas lineidentall.·"
Mechanical

wheit can possibliy be meant by 1ir,a.nsfbrmrnQ ardhilteC'ture into an obj'e(Jt? SlIfe'ly lit has 'to have somethlmg~o do with the, dhru1ge inl sen~ibility tha,t has ind'~ us' ~o ,die-sire tile proximity of~hethingiS, to take pos:sess&cm of them. ll1he objecfs of HoHmann ,answer sueh social conditionfn:g, They ~re part of'tl1e efforh:lf archi~ectl!lre to r,eaclh the masse!t To present a_rdhi'tec1JLlf,es ani otJje(;(, to a~stmila!te the object a within iiL~image, is; 10 ,make ilt acces'Sib~e'. "IBy virt!.!~ of their v,ery aooellsiibrlhy dbjects dimfnishf:ears. o~ am apooallw:mc flrlure" (G.C. Argall). "ln the past.,;a disoontent wHh reallity eXiPre$~ed iitselfas langfng feranother world. In modem socie~y, a. dis{;om1:eTllt ilitl reality exp~esses, ilmelfkm::efuUy w and most haufitingl!y by the f.Qnging to reproduce thiisone" (Susam $Qnlta,g). by the c.ompulsive, de$ire of appropriating it~ hagmenl:s. • In HoHmarm eveiry1hing is made into an objoot: "The manner-oJ·pearl and ebony of adgareti'e box invite compar~ iisoll with 'th:e marille ,cr~ddirlg and metall moulding of ~he Stoolet Palace ,ex:~rfor. A. j;ewelr.ery oox inlaid wHtlla stYlized p~.aJl'iit m01ii~'has the propo.rUoii!S O'f a m;ifliia~lIIre pa.viilkm ( ..• ) It is ~emp1ing to vrew Hoffmann's use of pe'rto:r,artedl shoot metal for vases arld plaii1t-S~<lind!s as a oold three--dimensicmal projecti:onl of the' pape~'s original grid, maki'n;g design ,an;d lob!Jec~ one.',,43 HOffmann makes d'eeo:ra~i'Q:nrnot much [because 1M makes use ,of ornament Ibut beeause he sees cOfl'~inuities therewti,e:re there a~,e diHer8rtcas. The object is contused withl i~$dra'IMing. 1he liIouse with its modi·, el, the model wUh iits photograpl1l ,~ndl nUlthe !a:Uer'one wolJ'ld recoglli!Ze nothinQI,We:re fit not I,or the legend whioh info.rms us of ~he malterial meesur,es, ,of w,hat it ls, Loos' posi~ion is one of a re,$is'8'OOe 8saiflist the levellingl bmu:gtn'l aiOOUit b"y oon'sump1!ion.. "The buirding standls in 'tlronl of poslerilty and, 'flromr that IPoint" we can ,exp!a:ilii to oUlrselveswhl'1 archHec~l,Ire. in spiiteof afl the, changes; ,of Our

I!ur,e,of an: un modifying 1he ~elati:on o,f 1ih:emasses with lit. But

Ir,eproduction

qU!ailitatively

modife!;l

the' 1'191,

times, wi II.alwa.ys be thel most ool'llservatilVe of the ar1s." ,a~ as Walter IBenjamirn Wfo,te: "8uild'irigs; Inave been man's compan~olils ,since p~irnev'aJll times. Many ,art ~@rms,~ave developed arid perished, flr,agedy lbegins wi~h 'the Greeks, is e,:ding U!i'Shed wiltih them,andl after ,oentUriies ,its 'rules'only ,af,erevirved. lhe epic poem;, wlltcih had its,origin in the you~h of na.~ioms, '~pires in IEiulriOpe at the end o;f Rerilais!Sanoo. e IPatile~,pain~ingis a cr,eatio.n oBi'le Middle Ages, ,andl noUning guarantees its Il.minterru,p,ted ,exis.tetl'1OO.IBut: ~he, hUffiafll need reI' sihelter is la;sting.ArcihiitootJu~e fIo.as :ev,~r'been [die. n Its: Ihlistory iis more emcrent tlum '~h1iitof anry oU~er art. ,andi il;m ,claim to, Ibeing ,I) living form has signfficanoo in ,every .atuempt to comprehend Ui:e relationships of the masses to art. BuUl'dingiS are appro,pria.led ina twofold manner: by llJ!~e and by ,percep~ion • or Ir,ather, by 'louon ,andisiglht Such app:ropriiation cannet be unde;rstood in termlS of tlhel allenF ~ive oonoentratljon of iii. mu,rist before a famous, buildr. ~ _. ~..414. U1QI ... '.

so

Note.
inl l'Ii~ book TI'Ie Rsilw$'· ~, New YOlk, 19791 OOIllpa!'S$ the wolkl ,ar !:OIJIIiism ,o1lhe 119U! OOIl'tUiY Wilh a ~ mool. store· of Ia~ and cities. 2, Ey,eJ)!1llling runGer the lsa:JM· roof andl flQ.::ed ptIl7e:are liiIe,,~ntiall,~ tens~ics o~a. d'ep!!rh"IIIDI store, 100· slcgani Ildi:!pbJd bl1 AlisUGei~I .. caul O'~ Ilia lirlvemiiOO tihe Iirsf diepai;tment IIII~ 01 tl'I8 BDn MaM~
1. lNo/ifgang S¢nl!.ieib~h

founded b¥ l'Iim in 1852.. EveryU1!ing miller '100 same 1',001means indlfifer· ence·to pllllOO" frllI1!9di~ cili~; $t~eels·lilaveI~ fOI' wMI i$ CIIOt1e in Ulem,Qn, lparcllpiJDfI In 100 Iblg riilies s.(!;B, fQt 8J(~\ ,~l!Ifant ~ J~ni'ile«lt. Fotm'~rio.il ae ''Optique ~'iin ,L'!:spl'il~' on. 21. '~gas, 3. Joos H1rysmann; A RebolN$. p~ 1'684. 4,. Kar1]IKraus, In dieser 'grGSSeIil Zell~ 19114::

6,

6. 1.

a.

g,

Peler Demeu, New Yolk 19,78.

"II one ~Bads II InllWspapor oolljllbr Iinformalion, ,one does not leem, IIle lrulll, OOHI'II'tm the truth a'bmJi 'ioo lpapm. 'Tioo '11!lI11l1s Ilhalt '1IIwm,~PM'Sr is, oot 8, statemenl G~ contents but dlte coorl.entslool'l1£e'I",.~ and'II"IOOIl' IIlBJlIlhilt. iI is IITI insl1igaim', , ." "10100 realm 01' poverity ai' i'lDIIgioolioni woore I~' ,dill of spfriiwJ 'Mllile wi1!1wt 1eeliFlQl ~pimual hungerwefEl' pens are w_P,peC i'I titoodl ~1liC! i9!;'!oo:f$ iii! i~,. Uiiat wliilClii is f10~lno~ht must be done but thll,iwich liS onl1y I~ha !fiu~te~'"" On whal i$ linl1iim~ ,11$ differ!lnt tf,CIfI'IIIPr'~~ &ee' lH~naA~eilcWe The Human Cwldltiol'l: "'liOO IritimWj 0.1100 heaJrt. unlike 1M, pniofai!rI 1iKJ_· holdl, has flot o!;J~, tangible IPlace ,In the world.I'IOf(ll!l1llbe, socle:rll' agaill61 WIIlch il Pl'Q.teSI$ and assert{l iilsell be 1OCa!1~ec! ~h !tie same OIIl'I:aill'liy a& !ha pl!i'blic~pa.oo", P. 39Camilkl SiRe" O"ly PWv:tfllgl ~ '0 Al10IsriC Pn'nci[;f9~ F'erdfllwdi ee Saussufe i1i his CoUlS,(je ,{ingum,q.ue ~BIe IIS€S tile melaplftOr 01 Q $'nest 01 paper: "!hooght ii$ !he tronl al'lti! lihe IbaCk: one C'allOO.t cui '~heiro!!l'! WilhOul oiJltti~ !he b!Wk; liM~ if! !f!_~U!i.9:e, eme ,can,nsi~ne:r' ~t I~nd ~ I~t D"l0ii' lhoogn-~ firQm ~d (. .. ~Lin,gui6l!iC$lI~11l w.odils In 'Ihs, lbMd'enand where 'Ine ete-menls of Ihs, $ooirid ,and ~0tI91ir1 oombine: d'I!li1' ~na/IIOfI ~rOO'uCQS .. form, irtOl:a $1!I1!. slance," pari II. chapter IV, Rli!e!OIpfISdlIiiridler, ..... wa~I. pyPii bo1ih, oll~Wa(l;net'-scltl,it(; :hl) and Leos. ,and wno emlgralgdi tQ AilMi1ba, Iln~9~ 4. HII Iffl\Clte~ ''Tho d'JSIIMilon, between, iDdoof$ ,ane! ouldlJOllr'll, will dl~ar, our house wi!llose ile, Irool:,l!IK!-OIK;k dOer IIspecl. ill: will cease, being II. group oj 'defiS, some, larger ones for ~ elt~!s.and few:smaller on!)$ in wnion 10 lrieid 1M lady." David Gebbard, Sc/IflIdiM" 1F'.1lKl9MII Sm1lh. 100. '11980. MohoIljl-f'4agy ·says [II tl[s 'I'IW Mtw VlS'IiID. N,Y, '19011 Woo iYate-OOI ZlJ A.r.chi'felW.ti, MuniCh ~'92S): "The new ,ardhit,ecILJIle on lils highest pane 'WiD 100 c:aJ1ed IlJ,j:lQnto ,reIIIKIYe line IXIIIfllicl belweell ljfJe ~ md arlificlaJ, ool._lth.e open!md closed, between lInecouni~aOO city", FriXklrie,IKitlsl&, "Mami!esf", ill De S~ VI, 19.25,,10,1'1 ;,11. V,Em 1[)Oe!joorQ!, -j,..fI:.., ~nDe,S'llf,lVII6. 1, 1824, pp. 9'1 '9;2: 'iBy lhe d~~ 01e~I~$ure (walls) we' ~"eWia!iied '!~ dl.i~ilY betwoonlnl:erior':!I~ ~1Si',IOl"; Batb 'i.IW!' cIe~ L!loCk. "De Piaa~ yan II~ ModeC'llIlJ SclIildl!ll\SfI in COl!.Aiid'li1'e~.' tuur".1rI.D9 SIJj~ L I, '11917', [p, '67: T, Vafl DoosblJlQ, "Tot een beeld'ende ArohiteklUur" in, De'Stij1; 1924, VI\ n, 6{i. pp.78-83: ''TIle new aJ1cfliteoture has I~erldered ,equal in value \fronr ,ane! '1!:Iac!k:' .'upqgnt, and, pe/h@p~ IIIS0 '!I~!i" and 'dl)WfiWQi'ds'-" wallet BienjaIlilD1l. ~ I(r,aus, Engil'! translation ill R9IIoo1Joos, lEd. Iby

11). AdotllJ.oois, ·1HieimailwllSl". 1911:4, 111. 'lIn r,ooliziD,Q lIIis, OOW!l¥et. Diolima disoover,edl,in heraell ,tile affiIic>1iOn frornll w.hiCh modem IDIIfI is !HIl'II krio.w.n to suiter a.oo ",mie!1 i~ CilJI~ Oivm~iltioo, tllis ,Q m.JS!1i'SiW!Q ii,taleoi,afi'airs,U op soap, wI~i~ _S, ltie Sll'OQa:I'ltSfJi!'lbOlic 01malliOO'lladcal andldlem:icaI forll'l'lJlan. ~, e:lI1[)erirlmSi'illaj r;eSiOarUi ,Mel mMkll!ld's rl1laJ:ijiiy ,to M lin sl_,bul,lsuI:!lirnlH;lC!OOIIl'I1l1nity. , ,," "ACCOI'diillgly' eill'illaiion meanl. fOr IOOr,elfe!yUllng that her rnlr»d,~ljkl 001: eope wilt!. AM liieooe lQo, it had iOi' a lOng Iwe ~I, 1lrs:11M fOi'eIil'lQSI, her IM.Jsband." Rcbilri: Musil. iiW M.tn' ~j1Joot Oudlii.!in. 12_ Georg Sillilmel~ "P1il1I=phiedet Mode" 1'9D4.IEng Isn transl:iition "lFasilion"" lnl_tiansUJ,uariedyNew YOlk, Oclnberl004" p, 100-155, 13. Adolf L.oos, "Omamellli andl Verbrecliien'" .nn!), 14. It was GeorglSImme! woo poDiifItetil wl~at lli!e be:g~!1llngl of his ,Die GfosslaO'I (IDljda~ GeiSleS'lebiffi ,(1!!lin) (The metJ'opd!is and ifl~n~ll.!a1 Ilfe)" Uilat the CIeepe$I.'~ii{liCt,O'I modet,n men (:and OI'leQQUIdI add oaI~, iIIICI fOrl1le _me re~!f! !tie iii)Ui'Oe' of eli lIi$·'ClIlll,llral PlOdi!.ICli."Jn) IS 001 any Io~r linltle a.ncieiillbiill.ie, wiiIih, fflalii!H~" (Ihis QQUldl bEl 'QIII~ ,BJ 1rOO1api'wilr Wne-nl'Ine ill'lli~ lbe1woon ciity arid marure nll,ve ,ooce again stoppedl

~as~

to exls!), Ibut fill tn.e one tl'larl 1iI'Ie illtdlYidual mlS~ ifShl!O afilWim 'the I~d!lt'l~ and p;!lCtillaril'l' 0'1 his l!))iSI,a;n~ a(l .. i~t Ille ,Immense power of 5.oeiely. ,in llilS "Iresi.siam:eio ooll!l:Q IBwlloo\ swallGWOOIllP In Ihe ;socit!J'-lecoock!gica'lmOOh!U1lsm", 15,. P'e!ef 1i3el1rens,'1lie WOi,lt; aI JlmleiIHiofflDllnll". 'fl'I6"Jo,u'f!lli rhfl AfIlio@.i"o icsntnai1lu--ie Of Ar'CIii1eo1$, Oc~, 1924, p. 426, 16, MloII' l.iooa, ''OJijJ liMeriel!J'a iii diir FIohlMfe" .1_ 17_ IP9~r 84!nM~, "'TIiie'WDiik oi J~sel'~~1iI1iaI1n·'. Ci~, p. 42~~8. IKall1Krnus, "rn dieset groSS!lfl Zeit'" 1914. ' 119. For invented cOII!'o'eIlllbns I uOOeI'SUmdi Mere .hat lbelf are oot soolalty acoepled $i!l~, a~ 1iI'ieliii9Mi$'!iC Sig", Of tile SigJ1sof tr,a.!li1iona! srchi'1001006are. In this SIHISII, 100 e)(plana~1on 1iI'IatlBehrans kIaIs G'bIi!)Qd to gNe ,aDout Ihe dilferem in, Hioffma.11fI SI,]:leaks; 'lor it~IJ (see iiho fGllo.wlngl paragtap!'l i!fi ll1is te(l(t), ~n \fMenna th"er'e was oot a Iileed for it, but in BJ Il(Iciely ~l,Ieh <ISline .Mgl~~Ofl one which l'Iad I'I!OllOti~wl'lalll.OOs hadl caJlIxl ODIlilIIlOIII ~Mi8 a:n l!i>ipbin;lltiOl'llllad '10 be, '9NSi'iI,20, Peller BOOrcnlS, "liMe woiik '01 Jo:ool HoUmann". cit p. <121_ ,211, \l'iloriBJ GirllHli. "'~ef HID'llm!U'ln maes'broo ,dil!l'loefltlooW", l'~lroflliJm ,C'.!<Mi!l'CJre e Stofili, anne 1111, '12, oct, '11956, 22" Onlhe '!'IIH!Y'. hDwe ....e{, sclllllellillngi hlil~; 00erl i'o::rl 0.1 wml: mII.d!l 'boos ' a/Uraclive for the a.vMrtil~'de<s: his, C1ealru~i¥e CN_~lef, iM'rel'e!llless l:aunllihSlI ne' iTI'I<'ide,Qi Ihe, Be-aug( Ai~S,Me end Ctails.efiCI i!fi genelfi!1, o. 9Vell)f1il'limg lha,t oould 00 F!!iOOiJI1l12!ed e&ltabl~edl andl fiQ ~nuif}!! a$ a11lhority. IL.ocs is, of interesiioOOy more'lor his; pdlemkal ailltudc ~fian Ibr Illis qu!!Jity between Ihe, helimetism andllranrsp!!1eooy whidl islhe lichness olltis I'I'IoeS$!1ge -iiQd ai$Owat ,ill'!,!t!e<s ;r~1iOns, p If AkIb Rossi, KeM!l:lh Fr,amptM, Jose Que-lgia'S ,and ~G;imo Caooiari have some' 11iI1"" III COIlmlCIIl woon 1h!IV wrlle a'bollliloos 'I~ [$ sQmelhiliQ or ..... :hSlt madill tees say to Wil'tgilns~m: "'i'OilIUIiImIl". 23. AOOII' Loos. "ArchiiektuI" .tste, 24. AOOI! tees, "KLIIll.Il1!ln!artullg": "Ten. yeJmI ,ago, al 'the same time as the CSJte MIIIS\eIllIin. ,J~e:1 Hbfflll1l13lm ere!lted lire intenQf frlslll.!lWiDns of the ~IICI"Ket'z.en'.ab~'$ al'Q:f<e, he WW'k ~ praiSe(! as iIll'! e,:oIJpr,e~n or i O!lIr tIme, Today oobQd'1i '~l,ild 00 ,M Inis (lpir.iDl'I, The;disn~C(; oi ten ¥Cars hws stmwn d'llIit 'II'R wotiJ;: was a mlsl:a'kgand 'thus in ten ~ iTI'IOrII iI 'Wi! seen c!earty Ihallhe, pre5lell'~ diI)' wllliks a!' tne S8I'I1e tendency do nOI :h3\i'eJ enyllling in CQiliiliiiOii,'fiiilh the s!yle 01 Oll!l'<la~s;' Richilrd Nellil'i! seems m ha.w feil:eIuI, '~i'latl lihe ItUe o,pJ)Qsil,e oi !.OOI> W<1$ HoHfiiStln'l when he wrote: "Ho1ifmann was 'the pro[=r' Whom I.oos d'emaisii"loo in my 'etyeS. 'C!f lime iJ1iedio delOOlisli inlhe eyes od' his generartioo". laos liIimse!!. i!1ltie lC!feWlOrClo lhe,msl edilion ,of Ins I.eere gesplOCttell (see Spoken into !rte V~ p, 130) mti:e<5 it cleoarOOw IDuCI1!Ihe w!i.$ ~11.KI~g 'to Jgr.ef Holtmann, e~ if Ihe ,oouid ,no'! mell'tiOfll'lim by !lame'. i~ die! 001 escepe hr$ (;QrI'toeii'l'lp;:mmes.. Il.oo$ says in '11'IisfQr,erwOi'd, "M)', Bir,e!.isr, vfflO had taken, g~&aipalM ,co'liOOlflig !till 'rl$.OO'!(i, sool. '11'Iem 't<! 'Ii:oa OObii$M~ n:nd :soon rec!lii;'oo If'OOlloo lP'Ublldllm's mdm, Who 1!s In chalfl9 or '~1U1 ll. a depru1menl. ill, ooID' imf,orll1lil!l:QIlim Imn the IPubf'~!lf ,c.oufdl onJlI' tillY '001, Ihe plilc.1iCiatiO!il ill'NOukillgFeEI 10 a'l~et'a~iom; I!.fldl,e!etelion.s G~tne 8It'8C~S, a.g;all'kSt ..iI~n H~anf'l • vfflQ, hOlo'l'.lwer, ~ p'iE!yer !iiie!'itiOliIed boy ii'iani'ue. 25. III this senseU ks [llie41esting, to Inol!l1'he eru1y ObsellWlfo.n, of John Ruskllll, (TMe plJfCMSe olBJ plmtograph of 8. bliliiding) "is, vel)' neady UMl,same, Il'Ii!lg as Cl8.qy,!!1'Q1 tne palace iil'sell;, every chip or s,tone' Ilnd s.tain is alt !here amt!1:of CI)Uii'$e tne~eis, liiO fi)islake about ptOpOfliQt1s,"", WM-s; ...01, 3. note, IP, :2:10. 26_ 6uGMI SoIIIa. ,';11'1 lP'iatQ,'$ cave". in On Pt:ro!:r''!JlN'hY. r.iew Ywkll973, p..4. 21, •'Phok!gra;$ly had I'IB'I,ped man 10 -disC'OVsI lhe, worlld undill new IIlIas 01 sight (·VfsuaJ angrtls): ,Ii. lias SiUppmsssdl spac,!I. With.oUii III WII, will ha.w l1ev.er _ llile Miilfaw 01 OIie IDOQIl •• ' Giselle Freul1!d, Phi;;)~hie et

0'

lI

31Jl.
31.

29.

28.

32.

33M_

35.

&I.
31.

38.
39,

<1iO.
"1 _ 42_ 43" 44.

19174: "'ii'l!bat cI1ange£, musl nO\\!' occur rn OiJI way ,of lookrng al ihi!TIIQiS, in 001' notlons'l Even 1M' el'eJ11'lOOI3l)'COlOOj2pts of space, andllfmtl h;av.e; ~li!ii' to' l;\a.t,;i!late. ~pace is Iki!red Iby the [rdw~ andl '!'i\Eil,are' I'ef! ·mti"l~I\nl!i a'lotIIe,.__N!)W"~~ can !ta.~eI to Ofl'eafti ijl'l kiM aoo a ~I' M~,i a'OO ill. rokas; no klilIgilr' to g!rI II) I~~n. JUSI Irna~liiIe wi'l(ll~ v.rIll IilajOpeII wlielll!ie liI1es. 10 Be!lllllmSnc! OermillY are oompreiedallld !X!I1IrIeC-~ Up wilh iilieir raiflW~' I 'f,ee!:as if the mCMJ!ntaimi and lore~t 01 ,ag OCMIrItries wcr,{j ~olnsIIIlIPari~. even I!IO"'" I cern sme;lli!iie' Ge!i'mliFi lii1(!er!1!1ees, ,. IHleil1ridh Heine" Lumt;'a. Cit b¥ W. SChiv@lbl!lS n '11:t!J Railway Journey. cit. Camillo Sitte. City Pi\mning AlNXNdillg' to AriisrSc Pm!cIpIes. Walter IBefljMli!i'l, "Smi!.!!IIIli5toJ)! of PliKllography". IsrUI SJiet)iO;e;r,.'~, Tlt!¥eiJel'··, New YQfk Jimes, Apfill003. II has Il)een Ed'uiiJ'(l S~rr wlio I!"!as:gi'l'er! more thoL!QJiI w' tne a!ee!ooic Clwrilotgf of IHcfl'inl!.anii'l's an'Cihl!eC'tun'e_ See his e~, "The Stoclet HoIlJOO by Jo~!l1' Hoffmann" [In fssay:s Ill, '.he' iHh!M' ,0/ ArchiI9CMe flresei'lr,ea t:o Rur:1rJfph' M!'lKower, London[ 1'007. '"Th~, is, a~h a~llTIinQ, ill Japalll'ese ardll1:eClw~ as, the 'TATEOi<iOSF!1 PW'I dr,a.Mns,- rrn 8!!ls ~li ~i1aoe$ 01'a ·Spac:;iiilitr,e:i!~I)'Zed M if!~y were, floor ptai'IG. Thll 'lhei;iIy i~I~1 !he; I)II.!iISOi'iI,~1n:1i'l91 ~h~im1 will i'I'I~nlla'lly raise Ule drawings fIJI' Ibe walls 1.0IIreir positiOil fill iI1e ,eolll'lpl!l'ted rooms and lin Wiis way imE!Qine1lhe,WI'!'I the 9p11Ce wilillook.Inc.Japanes>elooUQl1t. Spacel is OOjiiip;;l~ oi $tfictl~ two-d[mensioRall '!aoels. Deplll i~;,created bil' a comblMlion Ql' '~elilsiona! 'laceIS. iime-:~e (lIIoW$) measur,a ~l'Ia S;pactlIOOIW&ei'l!hese '{>sce!s" ( .. _)"nhe IliaSiC iiea50!'1 'rOi' tM 'use at 1001WOlIn ttl, Q);p~ botn lime aridl space seemr; to, II)e ttll~' the ,Japa:nese have undelfS;tooodl.s,pace as an Ilfeli1n~mt 'lormOOI by 1M interne· liOn 01facels aIIKI!iliiile.'· Aral~ lso,zaN, Space· rtffi,e, 1fI.Japa:fI MAo Goopet' HewlU MI!!~I!Iiiii, New 'for~ This conoeptu~ljji)n 'of lime, 800 space is slran{lely coilrti!liiDpi)r;!l)' and n oclincidBs wi1Ji j:IUi$Si'lt ,day UlIsorlEl!!l d"iM ,eq~aAe space ,and 111DIl'. Th!IJS, tor eJ<llJi1I1p1;e. Van DoosbllIr9 'wtill.9S 1111 "'Tot '!en bHldetilds, !!J'~ileklwr"· (eit.}: "lihe lnew alCnilel;II!JI'e, d'oes; 001: m.lO;e Ilino oocoonl ,ooly ~ei bul al;o, '~mSt.S!Gi a.Fc:<hI.teo1.\i~i~t.lhe unl~y 'tlf !lipllCe aOO 'tir:me '9IY:e'S 10 'tI'1CPh:li~1lI01rI!IY 01' ardlll{l;Cllm:a a. new, 'cGllilpletely pla;s,1it aspect '(spatioJ Imd 'iem;p!lral aspects in Joor diJnen· SIOiiISl-" Sea ~,oote 01 t!"![$.Iex!, ,sIMfOl(l I\ndei'$on, ·'!'e!er aehfe!'lS, and lhe new mhiteetL!l'JOI'·tlf Germao[nl)'; 1'OOIiH9U",'OoI!Jinnbia Ut!i¥efSity PtilD. p.uDI~ed iI1 pari in~rions n, ,21 end 23IPcrer Behrens; "BrillIJIss '<101\ Zei~ und flQ\Jl'ruI'u:!:i'iutdnSI ·aul [mOiderne, FornneniwicklulJl". Dlwlschtlr WQlllrbtilld. Jatlibuch, 1!;M, pp. 7-10. And see alSlO',"Ljl)ef (!en ~SammElflIillmgI des lbau!«lnsilelilsc:bell Scbaf· feiilS! mit det' 'l'ed!ii'iiW'. Bet!il'!, KQ.I'!Q',en f,Or Aes'1helik I.f!'Id AII9emeine KUi'I$~wI$$ell'$'ciI!lfll9t3, Belichf. SMlgal'l, 1191'1, p,2'Sl-26:5, Md' .e!~ in "The aestheilcs of fOOUlSMaIooll'dfngs", $ckIlI~"i'ic.~ ~, m~', 2S AugusI19r13, pp ..100-1.21. . Adofl~. "PriCIfjUjktu~··, 1'910AdeM ILoos. "'Omsmei'i~ !!n.dl Eme~~"· ..~920:1. AdofIlLoos. ',[)as Ptlln:zi,p d~ Bel!lleioli.Fl1~t. 18913. ~mo 0acciarI.. "lQOG.wiQii'I" in ~"O'~ ~ a' Wi'l1'9e.iliOtem, Ro!M3 1915., p, 1'5. AOOlfloo~. "G!'8s Wld Ton", UI9B. KennethllFrannpwll. f~'Q!Ila leelw'e lit CdIunIDia. Unlverslty"Fall 1982. MarS:hall M~itlan, tRldefSl!;!~ Media., 19&5, p'. 4. .AdIoII'liXIiS, ;·,FOrAWQfd" to' InSI LeeJlI ~i'OChen. Viietii131921_ EngliSh, !JpirJkoo Ii'Im rllB Void; 1002~ MiU'CiBl E. Vel~1 ~'Re'U'!in!t:j~ Josef HoHmann", Arlin Am~ ~pril 1993,_ Sbe make$ ti'l~ ,~mifi1erltwith,e IPOSi1ive'[imenlIQli, Walter Ben]amn\ ~ ~' oJ Min !hs A.gs~j'r;s Mec.ltMicsI R~ fiiIm.

Societe,

n.

Max Risselada

Documentation of 1,6 houses

Ihefollo,wing d.ooUlM€Ii!ta:llio:n of hOllses by l.ccs and Le GOiibusi€!,r presenls,lihe projects best SLliri:OO to, iilllus:trate the dJevelop:mel1lt an ~he, r'e5'U11 ~lhelFIaump1an and Plan Ubre @f ,oonoepbs" ~n nne 'ca<seo~ Loos, the documentaIUon cOllers the ~sldei"ices he' designed illl his test ,c~e~Uve periiod f1918"'1933,), Tlh:ese d~$igli's ,express ilt'llword &lei image the essence of Ihis c!i1isism of '~hia two·dimensionamy of the worrlk of tih:e Sezes:siolll arrcJh'itec1:s ,and of the later avarllt Igarde oJ the '192:0s. These residences are 11\0longer conooived in pl~1i'I and ,elev,ation: they have become part oran lindivislib!e unit • space,,' . Atrirst Laos, refusedl to publis:h th:e plans and phetegraphs of his woi'lk ooJ'l,vincoo that the med~a wau1ld distor1 fine recepHorl at his, work He heidi that 'Iih:e:thrlie~imen· si:onaJl e:xper1e.n:ooo@uld not be, 'co.rflfeyed, but on'ly its concre,1Iiza.tllon rn form end m!lit'eriall, . GOi1seql.lleiil~ly, ill was riot 1.11111119B 1, two ye<lf!' before 1
I

Loos' death, '~ha;this pup:iI arnd ilaiel' c,ollaborartor, H, K!Ulllka, pub~ished ,!Ii verbal and pict,oriall description Oof Loos' work.

Fot this publ'ica.tion, sysl,ematic drawiings were made from the plans and sections, and pictures WeUI taken <It the I€ltxpress request ofllwoos himse/ff, by the Viennese photoglrapher Ge:nlach, OI.!lFd'oolJmenta1ion is, basedl on~hi.s materi·

Laos hi rmrelif never eXlPo!.!l1Idedi a Raum;plantheory; he did, [h,QWever,describe his method ln ,!.lI1I'I oocaskmal ar!ilcle or inltewiiew. In 1929, 'far instance" in ,r!ln Obj~Ularry for JQ.$ef V,e:i'llich. the man who roadie: 1he furniture t,or hits clients, h:e wrote: "Whel1l I a.ttemp~ed '1:0 have a house ,exlilibilled in StuUgart (un the WeissenhofsiedJung), I was turned down nat I would lhoav.ehad something to ,exhibit: the solu~ion O'f how tOo arrange ~he Iliving rooms in three dimensions. no,t in 1he flalt plane, .. IF:or fin!,!!l iis 1he great Ir,evolu1ion in architec· 1me: the, 1hree·dumensi:onal rendering ,of a ground-plan! Before [Immanue~ KanI, manikind was unalJle to tlhnnk in terms ot space" and ardhlill'ec:ts were forcedlto make 1he' toil~et as: high as the d'rawing roann, Only [b,y haMng was it possib~e te o!Main lOwer rooms" ", ~fII a OOi1vEi1~saltionwith !hi'S colleaglJll:!! lh©~a tie onea said; "My work does not ~eallY Ihave a grou nd floor. first floor Or basernent, lil on!hl h~.s connected ~,ooms"anne~. terraces. lE.ach room rHqLlires a particular height 'the dining room a di"er,elll~ one from the larder, Tlhat aocounts for the differ,e:nt floor levels. The reems must 1lhenibe' oonmeoted in such a way as to, make the transiition imperroop'ible,. and to effeot it in a rlatuml and efficient fashcan.!· K!U'lka, tinailly, introduced! the C(Jl'lOOpt ,of IRaumplan I'll the aff,ore mentioned public8"1iol'l!, IHje SUmliilUlnmSaS fOoUow·s:

al

"Adolf toes IbrolighteJiI'Iessel'1ltiaJIynewe:r,lloffier concept of the space into the wo:rltl:: regardiilng space flreelY, planning space's on diHerlen~leVEllls ,and not CO:nlruned to a si n:gle s1mey. ~mmp(lSirig mlated r,oorns onto a harmo!ilu~s; Gfloiv,isil· b1e whole, into sOffiii!thingl that makes, ecol1amica:1 use,ofthe space. Aocording to ~heir pLlrpose andsignifloClinoe, the rooms am not oriily of different: si~es, but a!Dso different 'of heights" This enables teosto creste'ai lar'ger liiVinglarea. with the sameco:nstrumional means, since he accommodates in this, manner more I'OOms in the same cube, em the same t,ol!.lI1d:a:~ionSi unde-:r t'he same mof, between the seme enc~sing wails. He makes 11heutmost IUIseO'f ~he mate-rial and the buil:dingl \I'Olurna." The passage's quoted aoove mm;,tr,erte the d'ifferefllce betweein Unetwo ,i3Jr,ch~lecloniic&deas whf,dhl Loo'S had earlier descriood il1l his ,essi1iiY"'Uie principiJe ,of clladd'ing" (U!9S): "The, reqli.lir,oo stui~dii!iles::sand neeessltlea of COflstrocticm often ,calif Of materialls whlch8i~e at odds w.i~h the aC~lJaJ purpose ota building, The aJwhitecl may, f'Or instance, be! as!kedl to make a wann, rosy room, Wel:I, carpets are warm and cosy. He lherefor"'e decidie:st,o have one carpet on the floor and to hang foul' up to f,orm the waills- YQIJ C>mflot buill:! a. house w,i~h carpets, 'though- Carpets an both IIoo~ and walls: call f,or a ool1s.tmcHunaJs.ystem to keep 'them in plaoe, The amchiit,ect's second ~aS!kis to con'trirve it" "This, is 'the Iright l'ogioa~ pe:thfo~ ,ar1chitectum to take. Thus is, the manner order ~1'1 wi1ich man Ileami 10 buir.d .. ."

The R:aumptran develop.

tUr1:COmpWmiiSinQI sJha;pe,its p'u'bl!o side, monum~l"I'tal, lits pri:i vate sid'e more or less diffe:renHated by 109:9ias" 1:einr,e:ces ar'Id bal!cooies, 'T1h di5,tilr'l.ctioir'll betw~en il'1l00,ri:or 'e:xll'li1iOf. betw'een is Wild the private ,oomaiii! and the plUb:llic realm, refl:ec1:s: tnes' lideas about the combil'la1ion of IPrac1icaliily and symbolism lin a house, On Ilfte one h'snd there' is, architecture asa menurnent.cn the omer 11hereis the' "blUirdingl" of reemeto Ibe liv,ed in..10 the town, the house is a. Siglifl; to thoseWflo Ilive in it, a utensili. The tension between thBiSe 'two, w,orids is e:xpr,esiSoo iifll various ways in 'each ,of the 1house.s, Tine compact falm ·of '~h:ehouses is also, an inleglrru pan of its oonS,1JrucUon. Loos i!.Ised load·be:arirng 'walls andl wooal;1'iIi beams: o:n'ly with these ha.ditin.n:a~ mum; ooulk:! his Raum· plain be realized. The oomp!e:>I: spatial stnJcture lis conce~ved within .1'iI simpl\a: oonSi~rlJction plan: a load-roearingl outer' shell, o,Uen with 'one Ioad·bearing wan inside, taoilitat· ing the in1lrOOu.ction ()f spm.I'evels,even perpen.diCIJlaJr to' iit heid by means of tie-beams,. In a number of domes,tic projects ,(the FMer and MoUe~ Houses, tor ,example)" starting on ~he' living Ilevell the inside wall is reduced to a load-bearing. slhaft containing the 'flllLJa,
¥laS

now apparently c,ompletely ;'free'; to .

and

exterior.

Leos saw arohll1ectl.!:rep.1iima,ilty SJ3!the designing ,of rooms" r8ither~h'<ln meaningfull bUli'lding 'forms; he gallfe' priority to "'cladding" above cOi'lislrucnori.~o the int~rio.r ,!1ibov,e the

the inside wwl acqu res ind~peiildent stSltUS: asa diHter,en' tia;ted scr,een, r,egl.ilatirng 1h.elrellatkmship Ibe~ween ~he COn·, tigUOUiS room, 1Ii1ebourgeois. residence wi~h irts specialized,separate rooms isthIJs, ha!ns~!ormed intoaJ house with rooms whi:ch open into 'OnE!ano~her butwil~h:oi!.lt losing their' own tden1i·

In a later stage (~he Dice Hl:lu!Se and the Mtmar House),

ty_

eCX:aJminartklrl. Unllikie the' EI!'1(glishOlllrn'llry'hotJlses: wh~ch Loos admired c 00 rnuoh, he (Jicl not ~ealJze his programme ~or threa·dfmern· siional differenHati:on wilhin the voliume of an a.r~icllliated bui.lding but ina com,pact farm, oriiented a!ttirst towardslih:e {neo)·classicall vma, its symmelllY enhanced !by th~ additliion ,of classical elements. This static farm aecommedated the dyna.mic disposition ,o'f 'the flaump'lai'li with lim 'Q'isp!aoed' symmetries :and cl1aJ'lges. ,of levell, placing mav<imIJiIiiiI emphasis on the difference IbeIween the linterior (priva.te) and the exterior (publ,ic). later the claSS!ical elements disap~., lealVing an

The Srigniflicanoe o.f the lexteliior andi of cOrls1nJcUQrIin the developmei'lit of R1iump!a!r:li, however, de!Sewes a b:nief

This ~sone of twe CQmJersi!r;mswhijch I~'lu~edl Raumph.lir'1 fur the fi~st tume. The raiS!ing of! pert of the 'floor in the existing struc'lme proouces a low space at ,ground lev~1 t,or a lobby and cloalkl'OO.m, from which stairs proceed te ,;;I r{l!(.1eption hall at the ~evel of the Qrigil'l!;lIIMng floor. Abov,e the cloakroom a low study gives: on 10 the I'andingl of an open staircase wilton links the' hal'l and sleeping level. The dining room and sa'ionare partitionedloff from the hall in their Own part, of the house; the- sar.on ha,s;a raised concert platform (also,abo,l,!I€i: ha cr,oaJkmom, naxt to 1he s,ll!Jdy) over1 lookilrtg the hall!. lhis means that at musical soirees. the gl.llests couh:;l hear the music wherever they happened ~o 00, on that ~Ioor o~ the heusel The interior surfaces echo the paUern ot previous designs; diffe'Fo(~i1tooms Ilav,e different materials_The halJI r has 'ceilingl beams andl paneilled walls .crf whirte painted woodwork. The dining room walls are cOI!J,eredwith sheets 01 gree.n and yellow veinedl onyx. cut from a single block o,f marble, and topped b.ya fri:e-ze 0,1iiglures. Flinally, fhe'sar.on has, smooth whi1e' walls" divided into,lields by plas:ter meandews_ 11'1 openingr in the wall where the [Iev,ellbatwe'0til tlhe the music, p<ldillJm andsakm clhanges, two separate ~tems are' placed: a stona eelumn aJI"Id,~ glass cabinet Th~ co!Jl!!mn s:ymbolica:lly repl1aces the load·bearing inside wam: the cabllriel is11he ma.ter,ial ~p:ressioll"! of the actual opening. The outer wan!> wer'e oornpletely . I ee, 'the s'tr,eet 1aJcade beirlg Siectfoili:1 arid asymmetrical. . e entrance has an IlJnusl.llally modest posiitkm lin 'Ihe: comer, dominated by iii large' extens ion on 1he top floo~ o,verhanglin.g the windows of 1he stlldyand the music-aiali's, ireSI.li1iflg nn tempered light jn these two, paris 01 the house.
1

3..
4,

2.

1. Streei facade

SaJoo andlmQl~iClpodium HllII wi~h 'i,liellt irile! 1i\ieJraiGad SILJdIji' [lining n'OCHI'I'I

811

,2

The StfiGSS House 1(1922)

'W1hisil$ an UI1lWea~i2m1 dClmes~ic project ~rom Loes' peniod o;f "reoriell1t~tion'" ~owar(j!s OJ01IssicaliVernacular f'Ofthe exte· nor. The sbee~. asped is symrnetr1caJ and :arliOtJllateG heri· zoll'ililally' [b,y eidens;l(m:s and terraces. On the garden side" ~wo cobssal Ionic cdlumns 'Hank a thretNSlomy hig'h 1100 interior develops ,<l.{;C();rdil'llg flaumplan principles., to wi1hasymmellicall movement andi raised' levels grouped trr,aJll Qpen eeoess at stree'llevel; the 'g.arage bennngi prQvJdes, access to a selY,ice,fla.t.Md to U'ne, kHchen. Nine steps lead' moom the ~obby to, a raised cl~room, ~:romwhich mo~e s:I:e,P'S lun along 'the ,eitl:emi:l~ to the' wall

reeess,

•
I I I

round a ~ivlliIg'Iha:lI. iIlhe entrance' riS~Hua1J;!d lin 1he left~haJndwall of the, een-

The other li,vingl areas, which harve raised floors, ,ad,joil1 'llhis hal~, but iri this case do not ,open out onto it. AbllQ 'the Iacade Isa stliJo:Y sitYilit'edi.,aJoove ~he el'lltnmoe,aodllb!bby; a~ liM side, situatedabov,e the ki~chel1, .is the dining room, wil&chl qpel1s up' ii'ilto a Ibreakfast recess on the' facade and a11iM same lwei as thes~u~dy. The disposii1ion of the' flU no-

spacroUls ha1l.

1kms slUgg:eststllalt tl'll>sfaOade' was, sJt.J,pposedto face s.o1JI~h.This means 1hait the' monumen1aJ gardeofaoade faces narlin- There are, s,1:aJ1r:s 11hetwo, recesses in the in

'g:arden·facing 'waU; a. wilde' staircase 'w,i1ihlandi n;gs leadfs ~~om the han 10 ~M OOdrooms; the, servi:ae s~airs, Ibeingl on

the other side.

,.

2-

Stf.eel ~e (i'nodel: Teclnini$d'le UIiDarsJ. ~I MOnclrien, ILehm1ufli11 P"of. IKurrem) GamDnl t.aca:~,

:8:2

2'

r:C ,-

n "',I, I
._....... _.... "",I

rD It,Ji

_.
I",n 11' ~!I . IF"

J -I
I,

II

Ij.-

The ,e:x~el'liorof the Moissil House disiPlarys a1ma.dy many cd the dh:aJl'8.,eteI11sticsof !Loos" ~ater wo~k. Wiith iits eosrse plas· ll9~"'cladding", the' facade prese~ts a! dour, wi~hdmw faDe to the S1Jr001; ~h:e private exterior wall has tefir,ac~. On this s,cl!:I' a gardell"! 011 -tlhetop iloor BS'oo~neoted with the living! room: the roof is, also accessible from the, ,grCH,lilld floor by way oi' a long outaide s,laircase wh'ieh stans next to the enhanoe. Due to the specifiic s'itlUlation 0" the living room '011 the, lop.'floor this is oertainly not a case 'of Raum,plan with eonnected rooms on diHelrenl levels, reached by various tliglhts of stairs. !Here, service and sl'e'Eiping rooms must be passed on the 'lNa,IIto the; ~ivvrtg ~evet These reorna- eeen wiith its, own height- are diSpo<Sedl at haJfsto:rey in1fllrYiilis on either stt::ie' oJ 1tu:l,cen1rail inslide wall, access bei n.g by way of an lingeniously dSSiigned "s:l:aiirwelll", Raf<sedi sec1iions o,~; loor 1 a_ndroweredceilinglS all~ow ngl'l1: and air to circuh,l!te thrOLlgh the passag:e.s in~he middle' lone. The,desiign was never exoourt'ed. Loos had a model made 'Jor the fksf presentation .of his work in Pari:!;. at the 19~3 Salon d' AlJtomn:e. was this pro,ject un particular, with ilts SOOOIl' ,design, devoid of all d!eoora:tion, I:n!t with an aJrtrOUI· listed mass - static at the frent and dynamic ,1tt ~l1eIback • that maJ1Keclloos as a.preclJrsor of modem architecture. At the same exlt'l'ibiUon Le CorbYsier showed a sGaJle model of a prel'iminary desiglnfor nne La IAocl'le..Jeanneret

" ;:wlli-?~

houses.

1. .~.

VII!! MQis~iseen f~oijffiIhe :SOOIi't-west; 'I'!iW3 same tm\Xlel.

o(.gineJ ImO<t~llor 1iheSaIOl'I 'CfA.uhxnne, PIlfi!S 192'2
~ii1

rr(ilifl tn.e i'iIOftM' ..esl

I' ~ I

...,
I
:

I.

Ii

i.., w....··II ~
I

l' ' I .I,~r, I

V
...
~v~ ~7-'

"

'-'"~'flI ~

This hou!se may 00 regarded! as, the, bas!e type 01'11 Whiich the' majority of subsequent Il=Iaumplan houses are modelled. Enclbsedi in a compact cubic shape. haU the, livillgl ~evell is OCCl!lP&OO a. Ineoo,ptiofli tnaJloonnecting with a I~als>eol by dJl'ilin~1"nook", The f€Sit O'f 1lh.ewe:mainillQI quadrant oon~ail1ls 8J sm1l!lI,sepa;ra!~e~;tl!.ld;yonlhe same ie¥ell as 1lhe dining area. Um:l~me.a:th ale ~h:e [lobby' andl cloakroom, from which SiI1 ,open staircase rises along ttnefacade wan, ,arriving at the side 0" the hall. 11'11his ';opel'il"~loor pla_1'1I the load=beariil'19 Inside wa:l~ iis t reduc:ed at tM Ileil,l\ell the IMn~1 rooms to a oo.ium!'l whioh ()i'~ a~so contains the c:entral-lh,ea'J;ing flue" Two! pairs 01 tiebeams link this column with the wan. The, column datermines the opening and ~he diagO'md re.la,tiol1lship between ttle dil'liqg mea and Ute IMI'I~llr'oom, as well asscreerning to :some e!:dent, 'the passage to the ,sleeping level. 'Illie, IMl1g·le~1 surl'a.ces, arestm '"tmdiiti:onal ": whi;te· painted beamsalilol wains()o,ting wl1lh recessed! panels, in bo,th hall aMI dil'linga,eaJ. Thera is no. dilfferentiation of material l'iifF,e ,as ill moons of reint,arcingl 'tile different vol· umas ln the o;perned-iu'p IHvilng~Ioor. Notiilblly ~n thijs tiIQllIse the position 'crf the window apertures is 'd'etermined by the interior; variolllsily shaped SInd sized, they <lirre dottedi aoourt the' facade. The oompact form is, ,eli,ef\!\edl,only by a smallioggi<li on ~he liVing ~vel and a .'erra.ce ,albng one ql,lQckanrt 011 the ~ocrf level: '~he broad comice ersates the context.

2.
3. 4,

Sireet.aspeci Garde!ila:specl
Enh), !Q llie' liall·~ $t~ir¢!!~1 to tile Root Vlie!!'!' of ~J;je<hall WOOl ,diOO1g area Vuew ()fciningI8le!l, f<I'Offl U~el hiIll

~or!a

S.

If Aaumplalll i!;;,i1lit ll in evidEiniOO here, ltls chiefliy<IIPpa:r,emUIll a ~he ing~lI'I:iousarrafilgelTlit!'nt o~ ~h;etwo resLdem,ces • nne, ,adu:all'ilol.\!se! and a,servi:ceflat • in retla,tion to each ,other arJd tothe Srqpingl~enain, 0.1'1ttH~,IliVlilllg~evell the vd,liI,Hl!1lesklous 0:1'l1 tM rel<l/tio,nsl1i~p~Morffl and ffi1literi1lill·lbetweern ~h;e • salen arild the raised dfiilfn,g room o;peliled onto iit. is hO"Wever' not possi'ble to desoend into ~hesalem wQ!il!lllthe, 'iningroom:the d cennecnen litS!iT!illade the sta.nrwelll at Ihesia~" Tnlth~!il via heuse IhedliiE!n;mte between ba: fro:nt1lindl [,e<lirfacades is exh;emll'll, omd the q,ua~i~iesof thesitlJlaiiiol1l are ,enhanoedl. 1iih:e fmrlit facade is organized veiFti:cally"tliuili rear horimnltal"

I,:{.

ehcrt, 1M facade: '''tens 'the t.own a st.ory". mite r,ea.r facade is ~iflkeddirectly wi~l1i~hie: interior;. ,eadh noor ,cd~h:e maJri dwell'tng has its own terrace, C&l!sing' 'Iihi€: 1ii!ii18§ taiPertow~rd!s, the top,. A di!1lig;Olllal tUln~in the,aJrtiQU" to I!a:luonmakes these temilloes f.ace an lnner ,oourtya~dl at the sial:lo, A. studJo, was addedl to the, terrace ifI.t ·aJ IlaJe\!'da,te" aJg,ain withoul the! architect's cOfilS!ent

The bipartite d~vi5iolll of nne Ini:gl1ifroCmtfacade • irn tM actual b!iJijd~ngl ~he top floor was dispensed wiith,againSit ~hi€:a:rdh'llec1:'s, wJshes:,s ts: two dwellh'l!gs: 1ihediiffierent mate:rlials 'Q~rliy in the (filertmce in h~ve~s between the frOll'llt and 1ihll'll ack Ttne, symmetilical ar:range" b m:erlil doos not dur,ectly ~,eveal U'I8 ifll~:en'lal (I'Qianiizath:m; ~n

1" ,2..

3.
4.

Facade $S Qiiglna1l~ ~lan.dDd Facad!l as QlI(ocutedi View from lhe"salbn, "10 lite, (li~g room DiniiiQ room WJlliview QI 'ti\e ~

5.

Rear facade

87

This, house (~'iffers from most ,subsequent p~ojects in halVillgl a sep3i~,a1t€! ece;101iion halli, which is entered by asc€!indiog ~ trom the' en1iralloe ar;,d via the c!oakn;lom,alildi provides access to the :sleepin9 Uoor, The s'epa:ral,e music room and dining room ,occupy the e!iltke lel1ig~h of the rear waUl, an a'rralllg,e:men1 ,corres:pondilllglwitih ~he constructional ellements and already obsef\!\edi in ea(llier domest1c projects" e.g. 'the Strasser IHouse" 180th the s.patial aft~ouiliatioln and the 't~eatmeiiltO'f the malieriials used reinro'Ol"C()s~he'diff,erence between the two halves of the IMng levet The dynamk; livrl'lg hall features a 1m1iititIUde of items: Ibal:Ulsteri balushadle.s" ceil'iflg beams an:d fl&ghtsQf ,stairs, all painted in bright colours. The' peaceh,lll diniingl andl mus!lc rooms are ~ubdued. with wood-ve:neen:!,d walliS ,andl a white ceiling. This oouse,':s exterior ls ,onar,ill;C'leriz,ed try 'the dirflereince, be~.wee:1i1 from and tne rear facades. the two si:de-waJls the are lindeterminat,e. The sym me11ricaJ '[ront 'facade with 'i,ts central e'xtenSlio,n aibove, the el1ltr'anoe is the 'face 'the house present to the outsid:e world. in Ute I(,earfacade wi~h its two, 3XM ,of ~)'m· me1iIY and :stagg!;red terraces, the oomplex. spatiall eonS1folJICfJionf the int.e:nio:r is wevealOO ,. o

~~II
o

;! ~
I

2.. :3.
4. 5,

1.

S'l«le"I~de

Rear la.ead>e and gaJ~an

Filrst rlocr recc,ptlolil hall. Iodkl~ badk to ,cIo8_l<_room aeeess \fleW ,of mUt9ic:[0001 frQfflUle airing [oom If.teW 'Gf 'Ciinmg r!X!IPl h"om lhe' mliltic foom Il'anca and ~iDllOn h311

6.

Cloakroom recess midway !betweelll en·

iS9

,,

l,

,JI-

Onlyro:u r pholographs: o~scale mooels existot this project which wa;~ desig~edl ~~oQllaborratkm wuth Kulka, U is a variiant of ~he'Rur,erH~u!se and Uiua ~Ull1damenta~nature of ! a,t iit Wa:i not a p~Wva,teorrurWssion, c in rer House, half the: lliv;inglevell is oocliIp!ed by the salon. in the other half nne stairs fit [into .a quadrant,. A short flight of s~ep!!lleads horn the $beetle\i€!~ Cloa'kroom to th~ salon,f!fO!il!il!1 which asp~~S!11 seeatto the bedrooms a pa,sses a ~andin.:gwhich glrvesaccess to a low slu:ay s~tual'· ,eaatwve ~tne.olookwom. The ,ex,~]Femeily accurate proportions in~his quad~~nt. generale a, compad compos!itijo!iJ o~ sil:aJrcas€s and! '~OQm~"mhiedining Iroom lin 1Jh:e other ql1a" draln!t~b(lve nne. kiil:cl1ielrll,is not olfl~he stitiiircase il'ou~e. ue' D ~l) iJ1esaIQ,IfI's ~ casement doors, the diningl room lis orijelirl~d to ~liie~ew~a;oo. liInder whk:h ~h:egaraogeis-bum. In this oesiigl'l! ttiJe IGaa~boea!rilrlgiinsid!e walll deve10ps [rno an ind1epem::len~elemen~for ~'h.e ~irst ~ime, fegulaltinglthe oornp~eilC rel1lltr.cmstnipsof title openlyoolillilecttedl rooms. the desigln ls sta,tic a!tthe di nl1"l9 rQoma~dl dYl!'1!fl1mio the at

As

stiiliir.s"
L

original

o~ of IIliI)J rou~a-:oli$liilIg pl"lOlC),g!caplts

modtll

of 1Ili(l

(I

lhii$ compJe~ house may Ibeseelil as a,varialilt of the "Dioo Heusa", Here,too, a.llarge reception hall oooI!Jpies the erliItiife wid~h of ~lh.e COrliSUUlGtll:lrll, bactkingl on~o ,ill. rai6ea diningl room andlstudy, for ~M llady of lih~ lOOiiJSB,a:tw,vethe ,c;100k· room. rn behllfooFl. a screen of groonl"v€'I!iled marbre 'd~L!'bles as part of the oc:m~inum_lI$coveringl of ~h:e wami!> UIIIhe ,ne:llaJs t weill as having its own lraison ,dl',e~re': not (mly because the m:a1bleoovers both sides of the wan, Ibut aliso Ibecause o,~ the aJrtik;iu'ldori! whfoh eX-IPre:s:ses:~h:e:: aJiio~s in~e::r1'elatf!o:nrv ships of the rooms Q!il either sid!e. '[in'!;! extensive prQQlr:a;mme called for >aJ11 ,extra 'OOl1stl'iU'.cti:o:n!8llbay, lin ~l" on Une srune leve1 as Ul:e I'iving rooms, tM diningl room bacl\s onto ~[hi!'l: kjtc!nel1, and ~M wife's Si~udy O:nitQthe hl!.lsbaillldl's. Due to lts open siitJUallion,on a slope ootween two s11reets, ~hJi,$house has 8J'! lir!ltro\feil'ted character. "HIe main private oulside, space isthus Cllllthe woof ,Qnto' wh!ohthe b~,ea:kfast

room leads.

1.
2.

VIew 01 gardef! faca<!'oe Blairs 00'1iI1~Hji!Mngl [rOOi'I'I, b;!:!'hll!ld d"l9 mnarbl!l

3.'I{1ieW' d Ila_dl.os"room 4, ViCW ol-alle recess in tile Ii!Cli~' r(lQii1\1 5. IReception MJ!wiIFi view 01 dining room 6. \lieW 01 reclIPllon hal; ~r1{Illblick lowanis lhe' entranca 7. View 'Ilfdlnlng Joom

~reelll

930

.-11
I

D
-~

--.c.~:i-. ...............

. :::i--~-.- Lr-' .
I

F"'""'"
I

The Bojko, Hiouse ,(1'929)

This ul'lmall!zedl desf:g11lwas developed in ,oollabcueution with K!u'lkiili.Altlhoug:h its vo'lu mes are' 'cmt~ren~ly or i~:ed, it can be; seen to, de'ril!,l~from the "Dlee House". . t devi!lltions, there ,a~,e~,esyl1'from. among others, the' narrow site, the orientation 'Iow.a~;dsthe sun ,and thefact tlhat tine house was sHtlJsted ,alit 1lhe ,ana O'f ,BI row. 1il1eshort side (lUne main mass,.ooirltainiIllQI theentrancs, faces: the road. The I'iving room and raised diningl "neck" are in the same, section of tile Muse'l' Oil the sl!.mny side" teading respooti¥ely t,c ill v,9umd!a and a cOl"Iservaitory. Due to tha dis;plaoeme<nlt of the 'd'iirling room~her,e lis Iroom fur a ki1:ctilen 0111 '100 UVllrng I:evel, it i!S .ad]acent to the diningl

awe-a"

,an.dinvests iitwiltil a.livirlgfunction. The, staircase' risil'lQlfirQrn it, !li~ua~ed in the midd Ie o,f the m~~s of the bu ildilng M,rilVes in tM empty C€liItr,e between the raised dining area and a
I

This all!ots much

~'Il(l(re

speoe

to. the Ictibo/ at stroot level.

bl!.lUt·i n SE!a!t. The stailr,s pmceedl up to the [bedroom~; paus· ingl at a [Iandingl Whid'll provkies ~ooess to. a dloGed study a!::K)IVe the lolJby. In this ,design. (l(m;)e agiaiin, tM artfoullatio:n ot the centrall wall,expr;ess>es tlhe filil.tiiFe of the IFlefationship!l!ibetween the rooms on ei~her si:de..Tlhe Ili~viil1lg room is entered through a n;a~JOw. igh o;penifllQ be~ween two pielr~, next to wnrclil aJre h large olPsning:s" va:J'lo'llsly tililed withcl!,lpboards, and ball usters,

o
'94

The last

Hlouse 1(198:2)
ill, private

The r1!O~:e$ li'lthe d~a!Wingof toos' last design sugrgesttha,t o it wasta 00 ;tlJstBndam!(JI YiOodelll house. But anholllgh
cltsnt - ~he dO'llug'hter (),~Uta Dr, M(jlle~ ' Raumplan liio:i.J:se;it , was clearly no'. merely a mSiUer . nzed oonstlrlUO" HOIl- a bal~oon~rai'irne,"HIe house ls '~'%lternda:t strnelle\ie~ in the quadrant aC(;ommooa.~ing [low IN)omiS: ~l1ie k:iit.ch.elflaJIld a study,. A s:taiWC3_Si€:n the lobby aso9:Mis, desciiibiiilgi a ql!lar· i le~"ll!m, to a landir1!g 'Qn the same 'Ie'!,lle~s the I!;vinQI a estiml behind 1ih,e'oentral wall. Flr0!i'!l11 here, $ta:ir:s Ilead along n~~s waml tl;).the diningl roomaoo ente the bedr,aoms; a. lauidingl haM'way up pro!!J.ides access tolihe study. Again,tlhearticu[Iatkm of Iihe ce:nllraJll wcll reHec:ts wh~1 is or1!the o'~iher s~de" L.aos' houses are basic1lilly derUved hOffia.f,mm of ~i1.e IE!'l!g~iish hOL!Jse"in which a number of diirrt'eool1l!t rooms (din~i'lg

wtlo Ihoo commissioliledl Coos' bi

~ntendoo for

room,

Muller).. . The R:alJmplan Iru~s resurrl hO'M;!'!,IIerin a new !,ltpaIHa~oonr capt, in whic!11 "rcems" aminal p:rimarilysep1l:rlllted[ by wallis, but by diHere!'lt !evels, lhi$ oon.cept. can, be reduo~dl to a basic type in wl1i~chthe rnlaitianstnip of lhemaililareas{el1ltmnoelh~l~m.vi!.1lg hall • dining room" study) is established in a (uxed sct'iern$. IDeiPendiing en theassignmentsitlJa.tio!'1l 31i!d bud:get vallious~rsions oIthis scheme wercl c·E!vused. The beurg;ools ~,esid!ence with ilts specialiiZiedl, OOpafll~:0 moms lis ~ranSirormedlliiere into a, hou®e whose N)OmS ,openl mlo one ether, The ~oad~be:a:Jing liln!s~e walls: hia.s:die:veloped jl!l~o a ,d:iH,er,eIllHSltooscreen which Inegu1a.tes the muh!aJ~rela,tiolll" ship or ~he rooms, .

room" ,ejirawing room) are grouped rownd a "living hail", a lalf<mt a~5@@bselVed in some IFiaymp~~m hQu$!;!s· ('S~rra;sser,

'95

1l1e"Dioo House';

The Rufer House

In retrospect, one ean discern certaJilii principles on whIch the IF!aumplan houses by Adolf Loos are based.
These p:rirldpl~s ate most cle1l'r in the theoretical project for the "Dice

Hoyse';. Thi.sproject provides a bash::

type 'of which o1iher R:aumplan houses
seem to bevaria.Uofis.
L
,

llhe Bojko House

fihe Last Housel

97

-4,
5,

12,

'1'00 DlDliIlino ff,amei ~'S~p..fl ,D.'! 1919 Tne originall model 01 U1i0''Dice l-JA)u~" Model ,o,f Mei!S(!n 'CIIKlban MBiSOii 'Domino: palent dlawing or j\~t· ~!e 'i.!ililS (19Ui) ~onomeUik:, p~~iOO of 11\$, OOlJiS@S un iIiIe WefsrenhofsieQIung 'I11IfI FOUl Co!m~llkm_s, (1'929~,

Carbi.isi,'Ei'r summarizes the dev·e~opment 'of 'Ihe, series 01 resldences in tour oornrpo,sillio:n<sfooU!silng om ~he'relarttonshi,P'between prQ!;llr,arrnme"construejlon !>,y!>1em1l.fld architeotlU~al fOl1m.Thel.a floche.Jeafiflere,j Houses stood mode'" Wornue fiirst composition: picllUlr,esque ,arid full O'i movement, express ,and idea, ,andl demand Wurth:er elaboration, It is fIIotabl~ in the IProje~t$fm pri\f3.~e IMuses ,designed in '~h:e calling 'tor ,el!assk:all pl'lir'lCiples of o~gMim1iion f-or its accom· pri~hm.ent . twenties 1ih<at heiSa mooels, were, tested and ela:t:lOlraloo;, ~ The- Villa. Stein·de Monzie is fepr,esented lin the S!eco:nd sootllfactol's as ~he'd1ienfs ow!'! h:teals, the'av9ii'lahl1e bi!Jd~ge1'. composirlion as "very dilnicll.llt" but nonelheless "satisfying 1hesita, the means of constructiofllana exeeufion pmvided to the spit111'"becaJw,se,of 111:s Ulr,e fo:rm, The third compoSIp impulses tor '~he further developmenrt ol the initial eontion • the ,executed version O'Iihe Vi'lla Baizeau • i.s the meat eepts, pr.iilig matico fhecons:lruction system d.etermi nell the form, Two phaSG's can be distillQui;shed in the evolution of this a~lowing 1he programme to develop freely', Tine IfilIst,ld'iag~aliillll Sle~r:eSolf domes1ic PrfOj:001:s. Up to 11927 'Iih:er;e W'ete e~peri· • The Villa Sa.voYe • lis described as "very generous: oPie is rnents lin which 1tte three~dimens<ioflal pos:sibiliHes of the <'.Iss€llftinQ an ar'ChitecllJ~a:1desire on the outside. whille' 'Do,mino skeleton and the habitation posSiibiili1ies of Qi~rohan satisfying ,al'lfiUnCli!ona'lneeds on tihe inside", were ,explored.lIlhese eXlPerimen~s 'look thel form ,of the
I'

Wherea.s 'it 'look a long tlma for a ha'fiic 'type to develop '[)rorn Laos' IRaumplan. im the case ,0" Le CorbuSiiel' a Ibasic type ,emerged ,alt ~h:ebegirlflingl ,cdhis:,official] ca~eer. lin the form of the Maison Domino and 'the Mlais,o,l'I itroharn. This C{l(mraC diets le, QniblJsi'e:r'S: writings of that period. in willet! the fallowed Laos in postlila~ing that a good product !>h.ou'ld be deiVelbped in a cyolic pr;ooess, perpeh.uall¥ enriched with the {!'Iui,'1is experiemce., However in a sense, both Domilio of ,a~d Ci~roltafll may Ibe· r,egl1i:rded as prodlllcts of a oon;del'1lsedi ,ool'lecHve, eXpEI11el1lce, of tnaJt ki nd" the lDornimo skellMon emerging rrcm ~h;e s:ophisli:cated canC!rste technolu.gy whiCh had been de\!lefoped in FiranCQ by FreysinEi't, P,erret etc. ,a!ndl the 0i1lrohan House rrem the: anonyme!!.!!! Pari,sian stllJoio dwelling,. Le CoJbUiS&e~, h,Oweve:r, com:.1eived, and pn;J\pagiB.too Ilh.e ~wotYlpElS in his pub'lications.!!l!s !hiis imventions,; he,evenhiedl to, regiislter ~h,em-, he iact,too, mat these designs, were' not T oommissioned enlltca!n:Ces their mod!eI~lik:Eioharacter; UIEl'Y

Meyer, Gool<. ;illf'lic.i Steiln~de MOlilzi~ Villas r,espectivety., and

led! to, the 'fo!mll~ationof the 5 Pl:Jints of So new archit,ecture (119,2·6): the "pUlO'~is", 1he IN)O'f'gaNJen, the hee pllan, the ribbon ~ndow~mGllhe ~ree'fa.cad'e,. The two po~H927V1illas ~BiilIizeaUJ and Savoye) were b~sed on these p~emisses. OOst ei<ipmssed lin ~he uoSe an of

independent grid of columns as So s:tmcturtZilng element during 'I!he vario'U!s p.hases of development Dornnmo S!~elet'()m 'was used ill diH,ar,ellt ways i n '~h;e;se 'tw-o, vill!a.s, however; in 1ih;efirs1 \i'lirsf.onof the· 'li'lie! BaJlz'eaJUl a spart~a~ in "cr.:ms:tella,tion'·" dorninifrted by the section. In the e'Xiooulte<.i \l\ersiOfll o~'the Villa S8i\lo:ye, hO:fliZ!ontal orga:nlizarttoi"lis again , i much in @iVtdel1lce,

The

rn Ulefirst part

(I"

the Oeul!,lre CompJete (1I'919-1929 le

1 ),

2.

1'1.1.

\.1

Bo

"m:J '·E· EEl E-~ ·c.m:J.:- {'.

_I _'fl.

....."

Clltroh.an

I~.aisonDom.iino· 191 S/1 '9)& Maison i( (119191'2;7)

1

The eenceet for the Maioorll 001'1'1 was based On existing il'lo concrete technology, aJnd en:'I,Iisagedl.a reiPea~ab'le· unit with· out a s.t'allid8lrdi~OO IlNingl program me, but keepingl '10 'IM rlrarmeworik: a J:m~'taJbric!3!ted slli:eleton in 'Which variou1s types C(luld 00 reO'.lI'izoo, 111'1 1915, verSoion! Domino is o:n'ly feasible, as a parly1!he walll structure, The weJll-kin;owiil11919 perspectiy,esho,ws, one' such \I.8Irit(l!nlt.It i<s this drawingl which lin retrospect seems, to, contain the potential of The' 5 Points, for a flew ardhi1:ec~Llr,e. The Maison Oitlronan poses tihe problem 'of the massproduooci, r,epeatabl!e ,diwell'ilng umt in a dirfferenl way. This conoopt S'tandardizes a particular ml1mwih.ose spa'Iiialorganization not o,n'ly deriv&s '[rom the ,adist's studio but also refers to the olosed cOJ"lcept oJ 'the car. Cookfl1g" washinQI andl sleep~ng (the 'erngi n.~') are mrrli mixed in s,i2ie and acoonnmoda,ted i I'll o:n~ naif of the' [building volume; 1lhedoy,· bl'e-he!ghllilVing rcem (the 'cabin;) is i nl1he other hallf This is net tM only Mf'effifice; li'ke Oil car ,liM Citrol1ian Houae is basf.cally a detached entity and can be envisa.g,ed in varicus sill!a1icms.lln 'ateF versions ofl'he desiglnlihis is emp-hasi!zed 5:llill more by the linllroduclion of a oolumn~ structl!r,e.This independe:nce 01 situaUon emerges clearlly in the only buil', version, in the Weissenhofsiediliu n.g in Stuttgarrt. where ol'illy the ground floor ha,a t,o be d!Ei'.sigll'led.

J' .•

4
6

Maiison Citrohan

un9

Maison Oiil!r,ohan 19:20,

Maison Citrohan 1'922

Maison Oi:tr,onaJn
1926 SluUgar1

M!alsonl Citl'Ohan
1921 StuUgari.

,I

-I

tOO

Immeubl:tls-Vl'IlllIs,

Vm~Me,ye~'

1'9,22

1925 Paris

vmS. IB~ii!eal!.!
11928

Carltlage

. ~ ~.~. ...
~,

10111

:2

The fo:rm o~ the!Se col'u'iiected hOlJses ASof an arliculat'ed. buildingl mass at Ute ,end of a cull-de.S8J:l in a Ilarge heusi ng bllook and contains a duplex. lits intenior organisation is ada,p'led [\(:1 Ine IN~~lIire:meIll1:Sof the, iinhabitants. I'n 1ih,eIJInit for 1lhe barnk!e~ La Rodh:e, a. btii.chelor and i91rt colliecto:r. 'Ilhe v,olurnes de!l,i\elb,phITJ1i~ontaIIIY, whereas the J'eanneretfami· Iy wanted a.compact dwellingl wi1h a verticall ,grg:anizatiool and living·room proxfmity to the roof·garden. The arliculatiol"l otthe mass does ~ not cccur a:tlhe Iine dividing the, tw'O d~llin9s but wilthi!"! the La Fl:oohe, pad. iH!er,e,a. lila'll occupies the entire height· ramps and ,stairs form a pl'Omelil~de "ncihil,ecturale ,: and dralTu1ltizes, the enoount.er of the two vol'umes. The development of the 50POinls is presaged by • the roof-gardel1. necessitated by Ute untav,o~i1JibleS!i'llua• the' evela!ted mass .of ~he, l~ RlOOha s'iluidio.sy,mboricalliy sru,pPQr1ed attha aiifl~r;e Ib,y a found 'OOliU mn. N@t an in:dependent cOhjm~aJfs~ruc;ture by aJny means, ~he sikeleton is i nteg,rattedl in the waUsaUidl ollly assumea lIoellil im:llepen· dance. between 1he strlip win1d~ows.

ticm:

I+