ADOLF LOOS

We all have influences in our lives and it is instructive to know who or what drives us to be creative. I thought it would be interesting to start a series on architects, designers, thinkers and philosophers that have influenced my work and creativity. I think I'll start with Adolf Loos, a pioneer of modern architecture whose professional work (at the end of the 19th and  first decades of the 20th century) spans a time of great political, technological, and artistic change.

Perhaps more than anything else, Loos was known as an advocate against using excessive ornamentation. His minimalist building facades, flat roofs, and terraces were a big departure from the Art Nouveau style that was fashionable at the time. To give an example of how radical this approach was considered, construction on an office building (House on Michaelerplatz) he designed in Vienna was stopped by officials temporarily because the upper floors were considered to be too plain. In fact, he was forced to add flower boxes to the windows in order to keep on building. To be sure, he must have thought that this addition was an unnecessary decoration that made little economic sense. I do think it interesting, however, that Loos was not against all ornamentation and incorporated more traditional craftsmanship in his interior designs.

A personal favorite Loos project is the Steiner House which he constructed in Vienna in 1910. The private residence has a modern exterior (though some might argue pre-post-modern with architectural forms reminiscent of work by Michael Graves) but inside,  the rooms inside represent a more classic living arrangement. That kind of balance has always appealed to me and I strive to bring this approach to my own work. My aim is to provide a clear design that is economical for my clients while still producing a pleasing and well designed place. Like Loos' belief, my job is not to force someone to live a certain way but to help my clients figure out the best way to adapt their spaces to how they enjoy living.