Inspiration Series: The Looshaus by Adolf Loos, 1909-11

Vienna at the turn of the 20th century was one of the capitals of an empire of more than 50 million people. Otto Wagner, Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, had published his ideas in a book called Modern Architecture (1896), and Adolf Loos was taking them further writing his awkward treatises: Ornament and Crime (1908) and Architecture (1910). He was also designing the Looshaus on Michaelerplatz, 1909-11. I arrived in Vienna late in the afternoon, the winter sun had set early. The bus stopped at Heldenplatz. There wasn't time, so I ran through the Swiss Court to get to Michaelerplatz.

The Hofburg is richly ornate and impressive, the Looshaus is simple and clean. This lack of ornamentation was ridiculed at the time and construction was even halted. Eventually bronze flower boxes were installed to the windows on the upper levels as a compromise and construction continued. This building shows the beginnings of modern architecture. The steel and concrete structure frees the interiors from load bearing walls, and allows flexible use of space. Even the four marble columns at the street entry are not load bearing. There is also a clear differentiation between the three levels of business use, clad in green marble, and the upper four levels of apartments, finished in smooth white plaster.

I ran back through the Hofburg and re-joined the tour at Maria Theresien Platz. Lucky! After dinner we all ended up on Stephansplatz and I managed another detour to the other famous Loos design, the K?rtner Bar, 1908. The bar is tiny. There was barely standing room to take in the interiors and the optical tricks Loos played with mirrors. I'll definitely have to spend a bit more time there if I ever get back to visit Vienna...

Photos by the Author, taken on 30 January 2017.