251.017 Elective seminar Current issues in architectural theory Institute of Architectural Sciences– Department of Architecture Theory 251.017 Elective seminar Current issues in architectural theory 2014S, SE, 3.0h, 4.0EC First meeting: Tuesday, March 11th, 2014, 9 am Seminar room @ a-theory Ana-Maria Simionovici

WAS WAR LOOS? Interpretations of fin-de-siècle architecture

Adolf Loos, Haus Moller, Vienna, 1929

Adolf Loos, „Ornament and Crime“, lecture in Berlin, March 3rd, 1910

Kenneth Frampton, „Modern architecture“, 1980 Adolf Loos, „Architektur“, 1910 Nur ein ganz kleiner teil der architektur gehört der kunst an: das grabmal und das denkmal. Alles andere, was einem zweck dient, ist aus dem reiche der kunst auszuschließen.

Anne-Katrin Rossberg, „Loos‘ Frauenzimmer“, 2008 Adolf Loos, „Das Schlafzimmer meiner Frau“, Kunst. Die Monatszeitschrift für Kunst und alles andere,1903 More recently, architectural theory and gender studies in architecture have been interested in an interpretation of Loos, which considers and evaluates the gender roles propagated by his architecture and writings.

Adolf Loos, 1870-1933 paradoxe

Lina Loos, ⚭1902-1905 (Loos is 32, Lina 19) Adolf Loos, His women, 1902-1932 Lina Loos, ⚭1902-1905 (Loos is 32, Lina 19) Bessy Bruce, 1905-1914 (Loos is 35, Bessy 19-20) Elsie Loos, 1919-1926 (Loos is 49, Elsie 19) Claire Loos, 1929-1932 (Loos is 59, Claire 24-25)

Bessie Bruce, ⚭ 1905-1914 (Loos is 35, Bessie 19-20) Adolf Loos, His women, 1902-1932 Lina Loos, 1902-1905 (Loos is 32, Lina 19) Bessie Bruce, ⚭ 1905-1914 (Loos is 35, Bessie 19-20) Elsie Loos, 1919-1926 (Loos is 49, Elsie 19) Claire Loos, 1929-1932 (Loos is 59, Claire 24-25)

Elsie Loos, ⚭ 1919-1926 (Loos is 49, Elsie 19) Adolf Loos, His women, 1902-1932 Lina Loos, 1902-1905 (Loos is 32, Lina 19) Bessie Bruce, 1905-1914 (Loos is 35, Bessie 19-20) Elsie Loos, ⚭ 1919-1926 (Loos is 49, Elsie 19) Claire Loos, 1929-1932 (Loos is 59, Claire 24-25)

Claire Loos, ⚭ 1929-1932 (Loos is 59, Claire 24-25) Adolf Loos, His women, 1902-1932 Lina Loos, 1902-1905 (Loos is 32, Lina 19) Bessie Bruce, 1905-1914 (Loos is 35, Bessie 19-20) Elsie Loos, 1919-1926 (Loos is 49, Elsie 19) Claire Loos, ⚭ 1929-1932 (Loos is 59, Claire 24-25)

Karl Kraus Adolf Loos, His friends Peter Altenberg Arnold Schönberg Oskar Kokoschka Karl Kraus glaubwürdig Karl Kraus, for instance, is often mentioned and his ideas are not seldomly discussed in research on Loos. When however one of Loos’ wives writes about him and his architecture, the source is not consistently considered reliable in a traditional academic manner.

-the linear narrative of conventional architectural history or Janet Stewart, "Fashioning Vienna. Adolf Loos’s Cultural Criticism", 2000 „(many) aspects of thought which have been repressed, flattened or hidden because they do not easily fit into -the linear narrative of conventional architectural history or -the model of explanation of ‘fin-de-siècle Vienna’ at the level of macro-history.” Modern idea – pervading loos’ architecture and thought Sexual harrasment cases Controversial private life

Otto Weininger, "Sex and character", 1903 Stewart herself for example, although the project to provide a comprehensive look – other literature mysoginism vs. feminism I know a large number of men who are psychologically almost completely female .... I even know many women with masculine traits but not one woman who is not fundamentally female, even when this femininity is hidden by various means not just from others but also from the person herself. One is either man or woman, however many features of both sexes one might possess, and this "Being” (Sein) ... Is determined by one's relationship with ethics and logic. While there are individuals who are anatomically men but psychologically women, there is no individual who is physically a woman but psychologically a man, regardless of external masculine traits.

"Dokumente der Frauen",1903 BUT Also in 1903 however, the Viennese Women’s movement reestablishes itself, advocating women’s rights. Loos gets the commission for the club’s interior design. The associated publication, “Dokumente der Frauen” starts appearing on March 8th, 1899 (interestingly, this has nothing to do with the official “International Women’s Day”, which, according to different sources, was only established later, 1911 or 1921). Not only in Austria/Europe USA... Then in 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. It seems odd however, given the now evident cultural revolution instigated by women’s movements, which were becoming increasingly active at the time, not only in Vienna but worldwide. It further seems odd because of Loos’ seemingly strong language when discussing femininity in his texts, but also given the more or less speculative accounts of his controversial relationships with child-women and young girls.

Adolf Loos, Wiener Frauenclub interior, around1903

Adolf Loos, Wiener Frauenclub interior, around1903 As it happens, Loos gets the interior design commissions for the

Adolf Loos, Wiener Frauenclub Clubfauteuil, after 1900

Adolf Loos, “Die Fauteuils des Frauenclubs”, around 1906 Zwei Wochen nach der Eröffnung ging ich nachsehen, wie die Sache eigentlich funktioniere. Eine ungeheure Detonation drang aus dem nächsten Zimmer. Ein schwerer Fall, ein Aufschrei, ..., Rufe mach Hilfe, ... Ich betrat den Salon. Dreißig mitfühlende Clubdamen bemühten sich um die verunglückte Frau von Soundso und betrachteten mich mit feindseligen Blicken. „Du bist der Mörder!“ Es war eben immer dasselbe. Wenn man sich auf ein solches Mordinstrument niederließ – natürlich doch nur ganz, ganz vorne ...

Oskar Kokoschka, "Adolf Loos", 1909 Privacy/Publicity, Secret /Revealed, Authenticity/Mask, Femininity/Masculinity, Modernity/Tradition “to live properly in one’s home (…) one has to separate the interior from the world outside” Oskar Kokoschka, "Adolf Loos", 1909 Gegen akademischer kunstbetrieb – tradition, alte zwänge dafür neue stilistische ausdrücksmöglichkeiten – skandale wahrheitssuche, hart und ungeschminkte menschen Adolf Loos, "Haus Müller", Prague, 1930

Adolf Loos, „Das Schlafzimmer meiner Frau“, 1903 Role der bilder

Undated Amateur Photograph

Lina Loos‘ bedroom, Sieveringerstraße 107, 1906+

Course schedule 11.3. introduction / ornament and crime 18.3. discussion rossberg 25.3. discussion schwartz / research question 01.04. discussion colomina 08.04. abstracts presentations 29.04. discussion heynen 06.05. oral presentations 13.05. oral presentations 20.05. oral presentations 27.05. oral presentations 03.06. oral presentations 17.06. optional appointment

251.017 Elective seminar Current issues in architectural theory Institute of Architectural Sciences– Department of Architecture Theory 251.017 Elective seminar Current issues in architectural theory 2013W, SE, 3.0h, 4.0EC First meeting: Tuesday, March 11th, 2013, 9 am Seminar room @ a-theory Ana-Maria Simionovici