Origins & Early Life

Adolf Franz Karl Viktor Maria Loos (German: [ˈaːdɔlf ˈloːs]; 10 December 1870 – 23 August 1933) was an Austrian and Czechoslovak architect, influential European theorist, polemicist of modern architecture. He was inspired by modernism and a widely-known critic of the Art Nouveau movement. His controversial views and literary contributions sparked the establishment of the Vienna Secession movement and postmodernism. Loos was born in Brno to a family of sculptors and stonemasons.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His father, a stonemason who was almost deaf, died when he was 9 and played a role in Loos' interest in arts and crafts. Loos later inherited his father's hearing impairment and other health-related issues. His lack of hearing contributed to his solitary personality. Loos had three tumultuous marriages that all ended in divorce, and was convicted as a pedophile in 1928. Loos attended multiple colleges also due to his poor academics and changing interests, which provided him a diverse skillset for architecture.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

After leaving his last university, Loos visited America and was strongly impacted by the Chicago School of Architecture, inspired by "form follows function" philosophy of architect Louis Sullivan. Loos...

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