Adolf Loos

1870-1930
 Austrian architect and theorist
 Studied architecture and was self employed as architect
 Lived in US and shifted to Vienna
 Published many esssays
 ornament does not increase the pleasures of life.
 Loos never argued for the complete absence of
ornamentation, but believed that it had to be appropriate
to the type of material
 Loos concluded that "No ornament can any longer be made
today by anyone who lives on our cultural level ... Freedom
from ornament is a sign of spiritual strength"
 major characteristics of his work - basis in the square and
the cube
Characters of his works

 use of rich materials chosen for their

appropriateness,
 exceptional craftsmanship,
 frequent use of marble in the structure of a building,
 contrasting colours, wooden parquet flooring
 chain suspended lighting
 stepped floor levels,
 geometrical design based upon the grid and the cube
with cylindrical and rectangular columns,
 expressively austere facades with sumptuous
interiors.
raumplan
 Rufer House

 Built for Joseph and Marie Rufer, (1922)

 first built house to include Loos’ concept of
Raumplan, which is a floor plan made of split
levels to extend variety and order into the space.
 Rufer House is organized within a tight 10 metre
x 10 metre space, in the shape of a cube with the
external walls forming the structural shell.
 Inside, a column articulates the spaces under the
Raumplan and also conceals the plumbing.
 Rufer House

 The house has four floors, plus a basement where the

janitors lodging and services are located.
 living area - first floor ; upper floors - nighttime
zone.
 The pivot of the composition is the single central
pillar that serves both a structural function and to
conduct the electrical, water and heating systems.
 The structural scheme is in extremely simple, made
up of the load-bearing external walls and a single
pillar.
 This has the advantage of reducing the internal
dividing walls to a minimum, and they are largely
replaced by thin wooden partitions or by pieces of
furniture.
Views of Rufer House
Plans and sections
 Villa Muller

 Villa Muller (1930).

 exterior - a white cube structure interrupted by yellow-
framed windows.
 The interior - contrast to the simplicity of the façade.
 luxurious materials to decorate the interior.
 Slabs of green Greek marble encase some of the walls;
parts of the house are panelled with mahogany and
laquered wood, Delfttiles, silk prints, floral wallpaper and
travertine.
 Each floor is a classic example of Loos’ Raumplan with
split-levels, short staircases and multiple landings.
 The use of quadrilateral negative spaces along with grid
and square motifs echo Loos’ earlier works.
 contrasting colours, especially terracotta and green
contribute to the house’s aesthetic appeal.
Views of Villa Muller