The Steiner House, Adolf Loos - 3/27/18
Emilia Kightley-Sutter
Steiner’s House is located in a suburb outside Vienna, Austria. The architect Adolf Loos’ career really kicked off after he designed and constructed the Steiner House since this layout was widely accepted compared to his earlier work. It was a prime example of rational architecture, he starts with main volumes and follows the regulations of classical architecture and building codes. Loos had to keep strict planning adjustments in mind while forming a concept for this house. There were rigid building codes, such as only being allowed once facade facing the street and a window being built into a sloping roof. This building signified modern architecture to other architects in the 1920’s and 30’s, the structure also proved Loos as a distinct modern architect within and outside the city of Vienna. The Steiner House was designed for painter Lily Steiner and her husband Hugo, the main plan was to maximize spatial elements without disturbing building regulations. One floor above ground level was allowed, to defeat this inconvenience Loos created a tin arched roof on the street side with allowed for 2 more floors facing the backyard garden which formed a futuristic appeal. These two floors had big windows allowing light in and that were impossible to see from the street. This curved roof was a different approach to the regular design of European housed which normally had gabled roofs (or angular roofs), although it was different, it was not an irresponsible decision since many people accepted this change. Loos refused to be associated with the florid style of the Vienna Secession, also known as the Austrian version of Art Nouveau. Loos focused on function rather than forms of art for this architecture, his addition of a front garden was the epitome of radical rationalism. The facades of the Steiner House are plain and undecorated, the facades and garden are the public aspects of the house and evoke a feeling through their size and shape. The interior on the other hand is more private and is dedicated to the owners, evoking their own personal taste. The living area was fairly above street level and was kept apart from private areas (bedrooms and studio which was a part of the lower, first floor). The interior spaces are laid out under one roof plane, the entire houses layout is based on the economy and rigorous use of the function. The house has alot of symmetry and separate volumes within the uniform roof. Loos wanted spaces with larger volumes according to program, which required different ceiling heights, the ceiling hosted windows which let in natural light through the painters workshop separate entity on the first floor level. An outward central wall linked 2 main spaces together, the walls were covered in cement and bricks, with sheet metal roofs. To compensate the weather in Central Europe the exterior was hugged with stucco and timber. Stucco kept spaces private and didn’t reveal the private events going on within the structure. The from facade features 4 main glass features which allow in light without giving people passing by hints of what was within.
Steiner’s House is located in a suburb outside Vienna, Austria. The architect Adolf Loos’ career really kicked off after he designed and constructed the Steiner House since this layout was widely accepted compared to his earlier work. It was a prime example of rational architecture, he starts with main volumes and follows the regulations of classical architecture and building codes. Loos had to keep strict planning adjustments in mind while forming a concept for this house. There were rigid building codes, such as only being allowed once facade facing the street and a window being built into a sloping roof. This building signified modern architecture to other architects in the 1920’s and 30’s, the structure also proved Loos as a distinct modern architect within and outside the city of Vienna. The Steiner House was designed for painter Lily Steiner and her husband Hugo, the main plan was to maximize spatial elements without disturbing building regulations. One floor above ground level was allowed, to defeat this inconvenience Loos created a tin arched roof on the street side with allowed for 2 more floors facing the backyard garden which formed a futuristic appeal. These two floors had big windows allowing light in and that were impossible to see from the street. This curved roof was a different approach to the regular design of European housed which normally had gabled roofs (or angular roofs), although it was different, it was not an irresponsible decision since many people accepted this change. Loos refused to be associated with the florid style of the Vienna Secession, also known as the Austrian version of Art Nouveau. Loos focused on function rather than forms of art for this architecture, his addition of a front garden was the epitome of radical rationalism. The facades of the Steiner House are plain and undecorated, the facades and garden are the public aspects of the house and evoke a feeling through their size and shape. The interior on the other hand is more private and is dedicated to the owners, evoking their own personal taste. The living area was fairly above street level and was kept apart from private areas (bedrooms and studio which was a part of the lower, first floor). The interior spaces are laid out under one roof plane, the entire houses layout is based on the economy and rigorous use of the function. The house has alot of symmetry and separate volumes within the uniform roof. Loos wanted spaces with larger volumes according to program, which required different ceiling heights, the ceiling hosted windows which let in natural light through the painters workshop separate entity on the first floor level. An outward central wall linked 2 main spaces together, the walls were covered in cement and bricks, with sheet metal roofs. To compensate the weather in Central Europe the exterior was hugged with stucco and timber. Stucco kept spaces private and didn’t reveal the private events going on within the structure. The from facade features 4 main glass features which allow in light without giving people passing by hints of what was within.
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