Adolf Loos Dec. 10th 1870 - Aug. 23rd 1933

"Architects are there to understand life deeply, in order that they might consider needs to their most extreme ramifications, that they can help the socially weaker, that they can outfit the greatest number of households with perfect, utilitarian objects, but they are never architects in order that they may discover new forms."

Adolf Loos - 'On economy', 1934


Adolf Loos was an Austrian architect and theoretician, one of the most important representatives of Modern architecture. In his theoretical and practical works he developed a concept of Functionalist architecture free of decoration, which he regarded as superficial and subjective (his essay "Ornament and Crime"). Among Loos' most significant works were the Steiner House and the Goldman & Salatsch department store in Vienna. The M¸ller Villa in Prague is among his climactic house buildings, described as "a single large, airy space" (the so-called "Raumplan") Loos also designed a number of coffee houses and luxury shops (particularly in Vienna) as well as apartments (e.g. in PlzeÚ).