Adolf Loos

Author of the famous Müller Villa in Prague, from whose date of birth have passed 140 years this year, was a classic of modern architecture, a leading representative of the architectural purism.

Adolf Loos became famous for defence of pure forms, noble materials and ornamental Art Nouveau decoration. Thanks to it, Loos is considered for the founder of the modern architecture of the 20th century next to FL Wright, Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe.

Adolf Loos (1870 -1933) was born in Brno in the family of monumental mason. His birth house stood in the present Kounicova Street, where Continental Hotel stands now. After studies at the Technical School in Liberec (he has a plaque in front of the pavilion H of the Technical University) and the University of Technology in Dresden he stayed in Vienna, where he soon became the head of the modernist movement. From 1918 Loos was the citizen of Czechoslovakia.

In Vienna, Loos formulated his theoretical position before the World War I. His essay Ornament and Crime (1908) is considered to be the most important architectural essay of the 20th century. Goldman & Salatsch Building (1910-1911) in Vienna (known colloquially as the "Looshaus") belongs to the most important buildings by Loos together with Maison Tzara (1926) - house and studio for Tristan Tzara, one of the founders of Dadaism, in Paris by Loos.

In Bohemia and Moravia, Adolf Loos designed a number of objects. In two periods (1907-1908 and 1928-1933) he worked in Pilsen, where he designed interiors of flats. In Brno, he designed a sugar factory (1915) and Viktor Bauer Villa in Hrušovany near Brno (1917). In Prague, he created Winternitz Villa and the villa for Dr. Ing. Franz Müller (1929-1930). Müller Villa is considered to be the most advanced Loos work (since 1995 it is administered by the Museum of City of Prague).

In Brno, you can now visit an exhibition of the famous architect Adolf Loos till 24 October 2010. The Brno exhibition of Adolf Loos – entitled Work in the Czech Republic features new unknown information and exhibits relating to the "Brno traces" of architect. It fills the gap in understanding of roots and works of Adolf Loos associated with his hometown.

In Pilsen, within European Heritage Days on 18th September 2010, the public will have a rare opportunity to see unique and otherwise inaccessible interiors, which the architect Adolf Loos designed here. Four interiors (10 Bendova Street, 19 Klatovská Street, 12 Klatovská Street and 58 Husova Street) that illustrate work of the architect in the field of interior design, will be accessible for the first time. Loos often stayed in Pilsen. He implemented 15 residential interiors here, less than half of which have been preserved.