CONSTRUCTING A MODERN VIENNA: THE ARCHITECTURE AND CULTURAL CRITICISM OF

89 Pages·2010·1.04 MB·English

CONSTRUCTING A MODERN VIENNA: THE ARCHITECTUREAND CULTURAL
CRITICISM OF ADOLF LOOS
by
KATIE NICOLE MOSS
A THESIS
Presented to the DepartmentofArt History
and the Graduate School ofthe University ofOregon
in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements
for the degree of
MasterofArts
June 2010
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"Constructing a Modem Vienna: The Architecture and Cultural Criticism ofAdolfLoos,"
athesis preparedby Katie Nicole Moss in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the
Master ofArts degree inthe Department ofArt History. This thesis has been approved
and accepted by:
Dr. Leland M. Roth, Chair ofthe Examining Committee
Date
Committee in Charge: Dr. LelandM. Roth, Chair
Dr. William SherwinSimmons
Dr. Marilyn S. Linton
Accepted by:
Dean ofthe Graduate School
111
An Abstractofthe Thesis of
Katie N. Moss for the degree of MasterofArts
in the DepartmentofArt History to be taken June 2010
Title: CONSTRUCTING A MODERN VIENNA: THE ARCHITECTUREAND
CULTURAL CRITICISM OF ADOLF LOOS
_
Approved:
Dr. LelandM. Roth
AdolfLoos is most widely known for his essay Ornament andCrime (Ornament
und Verbrechen), in whichhe sarcastically compares architectural ornamentto the tattoos
of"savages." Loos soughtto modernize Vienna throughthe introductionofAmerican
and British culture and was known as one ofAustria's most notorious cultural critics.
Celebrated for breaking with the historicist culture ofthe late nineteenth century, Loos is
oftenheralded as the father ofthe Modem Movement, butmany ofhis writings and
designs contradict such a classification. This thesis will explore the origins and motives
behind Loos's conception ofmodernism to suggesta betterunderstanding ofhis role as
cultural critic and architect in Viennaas well as his relationship to the architects and
architecture ofthe subsequent generation.
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CURRICULUMVITAE
NAME OF AUTHOR: Katie Nicole Moss
PLACE OF BIRTH: Roseburg, Oregon
DATE OF BIRTH: April 8, 1982
GRADUATE AND UJ\TDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED:
University ofOregon, Eugene
DEGREES AWARDED:
Master ofArts, Art History, 2010, University ofOregon
Bachelor ofArts, Music, 2005, University ofOregon
AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST:
Modern Architecture
American Art and Architecture
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Camilla Leach Intern, University ofOregon, 2010
Graduate Teaching Fellow, University ofOregon, 2007-2010
Kress Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, University ofOregon, 2008-2009
v
GRANTS, AWARDS AND HONORS:
Marion Dean Ross Award in Architectural History
Paper, "The Tribune Tower"
Department ofArt History, University ofOregon, 2009
Christine SundtAward for StudentLeadership & Service inArt History
DepartmentofArt History, University ofOregon, 2009
Marian C. Donnelly StudentTravel Grant
Department ofArt History, University ofOregon, 2009
Marion Dean Ross Award in Architectural History
Paper, "Painting Architecture: De Stijl and the Architecture ofLe Corbusier"
DepartmentofArt History, University ofOregon, 2008
Marion Dean Ross Award inArchitectural History
Paper, "Lightand Air: Early Urban Reform in New York"
Department ofArt History, University ofOregon, 2007
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thankProfessors LelandRoth, Sherwin Simmons, and Marilyn
Linton for theirenergy, patience, and feedback in preparingthis manuscript. Ialso wishto
expressmy appreciation for the DepartmentofArt History for awarding me the Marian C.
Donnelly Student Travel Grant, whichmade my researchpossible. Inaddition, Iwould
liketo thankthe helpful staffatthe AlbertinaMuseum, particularly the curatorofthe Loos
Archives, Dr. Markus Kristan, as well as Maria Szadkowskaatthe VillaMullerin Prague,
who was an invaluableresource during my time atthe VillaMuller Study and Document
Center. Finally I wouldliketo thank my peers inthe ArtHistory Department, particularly
Jessica Wilks, LauraKilian, Dana Spencer and Danielle Knapp for all oftheir help, advice,
andeditingthroughoutthe completionofthis project.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRODUCTION 1
II. AN AUSTRIAN INTERACTS WITH AMERICA 7
III. THE OTHERIN VIENNA 22
IV. THE MODERN HOlVIE 39
V. PUBLIC COLUMNS 58
VI. CONCLUSION...................................................................................................... 73
BIBLIOGRAPHY 76
1
CHAPTERI
INTRODUCTION
A simple granite cube incisedwith the name "ADOLF LOOS" in the
Zentralfriedhof(central cemetery) ofViennais the self-designed headstone of
Austria's most controversial twentieth-century architect. The massive, cubical form
echoes some ofthe fundamental components ofLoos's architectural designs: austere
and unornamented facades, sumptuous materials, and simplified forms. Fromhouse to
headstone, Loos advocated architecture suitedto its owntime, capable ofmeeting the
constantly evolving needs ofthe modern man. AdolfLoos is often calledthe father of
Modern architecture because many ofhis architectural designs contain clean, straight
lines and white, unornamented facades thatare characteristic ofthe architecture
completed by the generation ofarchitects after him. Although many ofLoos's designs
do seemto share some aesthetic similarities with Modern architecture, his buildings
and writings often challenged the ideologies ofthe Modern Movement.
His pen not only transcribed architectural designs from mind to paper, but also
functioned as his primary weapon in his assault onthe Viennese bourgeois culture. Despite
their elevatedrole as documents ofarchitectural history, Loos's essays and lectureswere
intended for non-specialistaudiences and were meantto educate the public. Whether
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writing about shorthairstyles or architectural ornament, Loos's essays provide powerful
insightinto his conceptionofthe modern Austrian. Loos's essays touched on all aspects
concerning modem life in Vienna. Although a prominentarchitectural figure throughout
Europe, Loos is best known for his essay "Ornamentand Crime" ("Ornament und
Verbrechen"), in which he sarcastically compares architectural ornamentto the tattoos of
"savages." This essay received a greatdeal ofattention during Loos's own life and has
only growninpopularity. Originally presented as apublic lecture and later publishedas an
article in a local newspaper, in 1920 "Ornamentand Crime" was included inthe second
edition ofL'EspritNouveau, ajournal organizedby the Swiss architect, Le Corbusier, and
the French painter, Amedee Ozenfant.
Many scholars have interpreted Loos's participationinL'EspritNouveau as asign
ofhis alignment with the architectural ambitions ofthe Modem Movement and the austere,
cubic facades ofhis residential designs, such as the Villa Miiller, are frequently considered
ample evidence to confirm these Modernist associations. Scholarship onLoos oftenstops
here, declaring Loos the "father ofthe ModemMovement" and situating him within the
canonofModem architectural history. However, this accountconveniently omits many of
Loos's architectural designs and writings, which complicate such a simple reading ofhis
work. In fact, many ofLoos's writings and designs challenge the ideas putforth by
Modernist architects, such as Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies vander Rohe. This thesis
argues that Loos's work cannotbe easily categorized as "Modem" and that such a
classificationhas createdproblematic and misleading interpretations ofhis work. Through
a careful examination ofhis architecture and writing, this thesis investigates Loos's
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conception ofmodernity to provide new insight into his work and suggest a different
understanding ofhis connectionto the architecture ofthe Modern Movement.
Because Loos was both aprolificwriter and architect it is importantto lookat
both aspects ofhis careerto construct a comprehensive understanding ofhis views of
architecture and modernism. Due to the overwhelming amount ofliterature and
architecture produced by Loos, it is impossibleto include all ofhis works withinthe
scope ofthis paper. Instead this thesis will highlight only a few ofhis most intriguing
works. The culture and architecture ofthe United States was an undeniable influence
onLoos's architectural ideology and therefore will be a major point ofexploration in
the second chapter. In 1893 Loos visited the United States and spenttime in Chicago,
New York, St. Louis, and Philadelphia. While in Chicago, Loos was introducedto the
new American skyscrapers, the architecture ofLouis Sullivan, and the 1893 World's
ColumbianExhibition. The second chapterwill also delve into Loos's personal
background and situate Loos within the cultural, professional, and political contextof
Vienna atthe turn ofthe twentieth century. Loos worked in Austriaatthe heightofart
movements such as the Viennese Secession, Jugendstil, and the Wiener Werkstatte,
which Loos generally opposed due to theirexcessive use ofornamentation and their
conflation ofart and craft.!
In some versions ofOrnamentandCrime Loos attackedfour prominentdesigners by name:
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JosefHoffman, Otto Eckmann, Henry vande Velde, and Joseph Maria Olbrich. Loos removed
Hoffmanfrom subsequent publications. See ChristopherLong, "The Origins and Contextof
AdolfLoos's 'Ornament and Crime,'" Journal ofthe Society ofArchitecturalHistorians 68
(2009): 206.