Adolf Loos – Learning to Live

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the death of architect Adolf Loos (1870–1933), the Austrian Cultural Forum in Prague and the Museum of the Capital City of Prague prepared an exhibition titled

Adolf Loos – Learning to Live

Duration of the exhibition: until September 19, 2013, Monday to Friday, 10 AM – 5 PM, except for Austrian and Czech holidays; free entry
Gallery and lecture hall (1st floor) of the Austrian Cultural Forum in Prague 110 00 Prague 1, Jungmannovo náměstí 18

The exhibition aims to commemorate the personality and work of this significant architect, whose legacy remains relevant and inspiring.

Adolf Loos is considered one of the most prominent figures of architectural modernism.
He was born and raised in his hometown of Brno during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. From childhood, he learned craftsmanship in his father's sculpture and stonework shop. He supplemented his education at a technical school in the field of construction in Liberec, and then studied architecture in Dresden. However, he gained the most from his own observations during his three-year stay in the USA. These were the most important years that shaped his education. He began his career in Vienna, where he articulated his critical views on the outdated standards of Viennese historicism in newspaper articles. He fought against ornamentation, and his article "Ornament and Crime" is considered the most significant architectural essay of the 20th century. He proclaimed that ornament is a sign of primitive culture and that “the development of culture and the removal of ornament are equally important”.

In the article “Architecture”, the core idea of Loos's doctrine on living is articulated: “A house must please everyone. Unlike a work of art, which does not have to please anyone. A work of art is born without a need for it to exist. A house meets a certain need. A work of art wants to pull people out of their comfort. A house must serve that comfort. A person loves everything that serves their comfort. They hate everything that wants to pull them out of their acquired and secured positions and that bothers them. Thus, they love the house and hate art”. Loos considers ethical and moral requirements placed on architecture to be more important than aesthetic aspects.

Among Loos's most important buildings are the Goldmann & Salatsch department store in Michaelerplatz, Vienna (1910-11), the house of poet Tristan Tzara in Paris (1926), an unrealized project for a house for Josephine Baker, and the villa for František Müller in Prague. These buildings are connected by a new concept of spatial arrangement known as “Raumplan,” based on the spatial and vertical differentiation of incorporated spaces.
“Raumplan” and the absence of ornamentation are fundamental ideas that accompanied Loos's work throughout his life and became synonymous with a new culture of living that subsequently led to a new modern architecture.

The presented exhibition focuses on the architectural legacy of Adolf Loos, which lies in the remarkable play with space, material, furnishings, or light. Through examples of interiors in Plzeň, Prague, and Brno, Loos's “residential spatial programs” that respect the daily rituals of wealthy middle-class clients are showcased. Each of the programs, for example, the connection of rooms either in the form of enfilades or complex “Raumplan”, was created anew by Loos according to the individual needs of the clients. For each activity, the architect created optimal spaces (dining room, living room, bedroom, etc.). For example, the representative room was always ostentatious, the largest in the apartment, while the library or boudoir had to maintain an impression of intimacy.

The next part of the exhibition deals with Loos's life and briefly recalls the key points of his career. It pays extensive attention to the Czech environment, where Loos found many of his students, friends, and promoters.