Adolf Franz Carl Victor Maria Loos, also known as Adolf Loos, was an Austrian and Czechoslovak architect, a noted European theorist and polemicist of modern architecture.
Deeply influenced by modernism, he became a prominent critic of the Art Nouveau movement, advocating a more practical and minimalist approach to design.
contour
- Full name: Adolf Franz Karl Victor Maria Los
- Stage name: Adolf Loos
- Date of birth: December 10, 1870
- Date of death: August 23, 1933 (Age: 62 years old)
- Place of birth: Brno, Czech Republic
- Nationality: Austria
- Occupation: Architecture
- Height: unknown
- Parents: Adolf Loos and Mary Loos
- Siblings: Hermine and Elma
- Spouses: Carolina Catharina Obertimpfler (m. 1902-1905), Elsie Altmann (m. 1919-1926), and Claire Beck (m. 1929-1932)
- Children: None
- Relationship: Divorced
- Net worth: unknown
early life and education
Adolf Franz Carl Victor Maria Loos was born on December 10, 1870 in Brno, Czech Republic, to Adolf Loos and Marie Loos.
He has two siblings, Hermine and Irma. Loos studied architecture at the Technical University of Dresden and attended several technical schools, but he never completed his degree due to inconsistent academic performance.
He is of German descent and was raised in a Christian home, but there is limited information about his personal religious beliefs.
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Profession
Adolf Loos began his architectural career after studying and spending time at different institutions in the United States, where he was influenced by the Chicago School and its fundamental philosophy of “form follows function.”
After returning to Vienna in 1896, Loos soon distinguished himself for his rejection of the refined decorative styles of Art Nouveau and the Beaux-Arts.
Instead, he advocated a minimalist approach that prioritized functionality and simplicity over decoration, a stance that defined his career and reshaped architectural trends of the early 20th century.
Loos’ best-known early works include the Café Museum (1899) and the Goldman Sachs and Sarage Building (1910), the latter of which earned the nickname “The Eyebrowless House” for its austere appearance.
His designs often reflected his unique architectural philosophy of “Raumplan”, which organized spaces according to their intended functions rather than following traditional floor plans.
This innovative approach is exemplified at Villa Müller in Prague, where Loos’ careful handling of space resulted in greater functionality and a smoother architectural experience.
In addition to his architectural designs, Loos also made important literary contributions, most notably his essay “Ornament and Crime,” in which he denounced excessive ornamentation in architecture and argued for more rational, less A practical approach to design.
His revolutionary ideas profoundly influenced the development of modernist architecture and influenced famous figures such as Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe.
Loos’s works and writings cemented his status as a key figure in the transformation of 20th-century modernism, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of architecture.
social media
Adolf Losdis does not have a social account.
personal life
Adolf Loos was married three times in his life. His first wife was Carolina Catharina Obertimpfler, whom he married in July 1902.
Their marriage ended in divorce in 1905 amid a public scandal. In 1919 Loos married 20-year-old dancer and operetta star Elsie Altmann, but they divorced seven years later in 1926.
His third marriage was to writer and photographer Claire Beck in 1929, but they divorced in 1932. Loos had no children from any of his marriages.
net worth
Adolf Loos’s net worth is not well documented, and specific figures are essentially unavailable.
Throughout his career, he faced financial instability, largely due to his difficulty obtaining commissions and gaining public recognition for his modernist designs.