Introduction
Adolf Loos was a famous architect of the early XX century, originally from Austria. Throughout his life, Adolf Loos “preached” the idea of purifying art. He was an opponent of Art Nouveau and believed that ornament in architecture is akin to a crime (Craven 2019). Loos shifted the center of gravity of the program of “modern architecture” towards a material, almost a quarter of a century ahead of Frank Lloyd Wright, paying attention to the continuous connection of function and form through a material. His creative career began during the heyday of Art Nouveau and ended during the predominance of functionalism. Loos was a pioneer and herald of new ideas who did not give up the position of an ironic loner but followed his goals concerning creative thoughts and concepts. Adolf Loos achieved sustainability in the modernist era by manifesting individual style and a modern view of architecture, coupled with talent, ingenuity, rich imagination, and perseverance.
Analysis
Sustainable Buildings
One must recognize that Adolf Loos, in particular, focused on sustainable buildings as an expression of fresh, new views on modern, advanced, and innovative design in architecture. His resolute disagreement and firm desire to break with the Viennese traditions became a cornerstone of the development of views of that time on architecture (Overstreet 2021). With talent and perseverance, as well as being an example of optimal human giftedness, he “breathed life” into buildings. For instance, he was one of the first to use mirrors to expand the interior space (Craven 2019). Hence, Adolf Loos’ achievement of sustainability in the modern era was mainly due to the combination of the opposite sensations of architecture: luxury and simplicity, conciseness and complexity (Elmoghazy and Afify 2020, 826). Nevertheless, denying ornamental decorativeness in architecture, starting from the period of the Vienna Secession, Loos did not try to deny decorativeness in general, as one might think.
However, unlike his contemporaries, modern architect Adolf Loos completely abandoned decorative reliefs and panels, which looked innovative at that time. Many elements like chairs or lamps were simplified, which looked quite ascetic, but, at the same time, every detail was thought out quite rationally. However, there are still many echoes in the buildings with the modernity hated by Loos. This could be expressed in a subtle reflective color scheme, sconce lamps resembling buds, chairs with attractive shapes, and many others.
Moreover, Adolf Loos was helped to achieve stability by his scandalous fame and respect among colleagues. He did not want to have anything to do with any of the numerous art organizations. At the same time, Loos was aware of all events in the cultural sphere, one way or another, responded to them in his work and journalism, and was not only an irritant and a source of resentment but also an undoubted authority for artists in Austria, Germany, and then throughout Europe. However, it is no secret that Adolf Loos influenced several generations of architects in several countries while remaining in history an isolated figure, a stubborn loner, in some ways much ahead of his time and in some ways hopelessly behind it.
Villa Muller
Villa Muller is a restrained splendor of architectural masterpieces and the “calling card” of Adolf Loos, in which the talent and potential of the creator are most vividly revealed. Villa Muller became an original project at the time and allowed its author to achieve success and prosperity in his “craft.” In this building, the facade is n line with the spirit of the time — functionalism was popular then. Still, as in many cases, the architect did not change his principles and used different windows when designing the volume from the street. The garden facade is calmer and resembles the buildings of Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier of that period. The interiors were close to functionalism, but Loos introduced color and marble facings, which gives expressiveness and decorativeness. In the living room, he fitted antique furniture into a modernist interior. Therefore, Villa Muller, in a sense, was the culmination of his ideas going beyond smoothness and simplicity (Overstreet 2021). Each room serves a unique need, and the building has a multipurpose purpose. Villa Muller is one of the revolutionary architectural breakthroughs that allowed Adolf Loos to stay afloat among the “competitors” who strictly appeal to modernity.
Conclusion
Thus, summarizing the details mentioned above, it is necessary to conclude that Adolf Loos was an influential and significant figure in the creative environment. Innovative ideas, a fresh look at architecture, and a different and unconventional style in the design of sustainable buildings are among the few aspects that helped him achieve sustainability in the modernist era despite various difficulties and obstacles. Moreover, he had a great talent and a rich imagination, and many contemporaries of Adolf Loos could not help but notice these moments. However, it should also be recalled that Adolf Loos had the scandalous fame and reputation of a man who did not want to “go with the flow” and strive to stay away, relying solely on his views and principles. However, finally, it is necessary to recall the Villa Muller – a famous structure designed by the author, which brought him the greatest fame and became a breakthrough in the world of architecture. This building, simple in appearance but exciting and unusual from the inside, contributed to the speedy consolidation and development of the architect’s stability in the modernist era.
References
Craven, Jackie. 2019. “Biography of Adolf Loos, Belle Epoque Architect and Rebel.” ThoughtCo. Web.
Elmoghazy, Zeinab Ahmed Abd ElGhaffar, and Hazem M. Nour Afify. 2020. “Patterns: The Crime That Has Become the Haven in Architectural Practice.” Ain Shams Engineering Journal 11 (3): 823-838. Web.
Overstreet, Kaley. 2021. “Adolf Loos and the Beginnings of European Modernism.” ArchDaily. Web.