When we were in Eichstätt, Germany, in January, the only site Karla saw was our hotel room, and the only residents she met were a doctor and a pharmacist. Last week’s visit was dramatically different; Gott Sei Dank for good health and an invitation to return to one of our new favorite valleys in the German-speaking world.
Günther Behnisch, the architect of Munich’s Olympic stadium, also designed the light and airy KU-Eichstätt university library.
Cuisine in Wien
Our sister, Kelly, once described our Austrian sojourn as “A Moveable Feast.” Indeed! From the hearty breads and tangy cheeses purchased from neighborhood markets, to the steaming hot bowls of soup, spätzel (noodles), and palatschinken (crepes filled with sweet goodness) enjoyed in restaurants, we’ve explored Wien through cuisine. We are grateful our dear friendships in Wien have given us full hearts for a lifetime and also, on several lucky occasions, full stomachs.
On the "Loos"
Over the past several weeks, we’ve been admiring the work of one of Vienna’s most famous art nouveau architects, Adolf Loos, whom some call the “Father of Modern Architecture.” Loos vociferously challenged the conservative, ornate architectural norms during and leading up to the turn of the 20th century.
In a time and place where you do things to please the Emperor, Loos was a rabble-rouser. His style was stark, unornamented, and practical. Loos even opposed the Art Nouveau effort to add artistic beauty to everyday objects, arguing that functionality and art should be separate. Although Loos’s designs were plain, he used only beautiful (and expensive) materials such as marble and exotic woods. It is intriguing that Loos' work often seems elaborately decorated, but admirers and critics alike call his decoration "organic,” not “superfluous.” (See for instance http://www.artandpopularculture.com/Adolf_Loos, http://tripatlas.com/Adolf_Loos.)
Loos is also known for introducing the notion of “spatial plan” architecture, which maintains the purpose of a building or room should determine its size and shape. Thus, Loos’s pragmatic buildings economize space.
One of the most striking and still admired (or despised) examples of Loos’s architectural defiance is a bank building erected directly in front of the opulent Hofburg palace in 1910. The first three stories of the flat façade are covered in Cipollino marble with hardly any other decoration; the higher, residential stories are stark white. This building caused such a stir that the public wanted the building torn down and Emperor Franz Joseph I refused to enter his imperial residence from the “Loos side” ever again. (Flower boxes were added later as a decorative compromise.) Although photography is not allowed in the lobby (rats!), we are pleased to report on the rich, dark wood, which covers almost every surface. The floors are marble; accents are beautiful brass and chrome. (For more photos, see http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=221002.)
In 1899 Loos designed the Café Museum, still known to some Viennese as “Café Nihilism.” The café stands right across the street from, you guessed it, the fantastically fancy Karlskirche and all the lavish buildings surrounding it. Loos planned the café’s simple layout, austere bare-bulb lighting, muted colors, and Spartan (but beautiful) furnishings. For its 110th birthday, the café was refurbished as close to Loos’s original concept as possible. (For more photos and information see http://www.cafe-museum.at.)
Loos’s tiny “American Bar,” Vienna’s first real bar (no food is served – only alcohol), was built in 1908. The bar is only 6x4.5 meters. Loos used onyx, wood, marble, and mirrors to give the bar its rich feel. About 25 people can fit in the bar. You can sit at the bar or in one of four small, leather-upholstered booths. In addition to simple but beautiful sconces, the booths are lit by the tables themselves – the tabletops are opaque glass through which comes a yellowish glow from the enclosed lights. Thankfully the bar is under historical protection. (For more photos and information, see loosbar.at.)
In 1929 Loos was commissioned to design and furnish the Styrian mountain home of Paul Khuner. In reflecting on his masterpiece, Loos said, “Don’t build in a picturesque manner. Leave such effects to the walls, the mountains, and the sun.” Adhering to his “spatial plan” the house is organized around a central, open two-story living and dining area. As you can see, the focal point is the alpine meadow and mountain range, which is enjoyed through the enormous picture window. Bedrooms are on the second floor, all of which are different sizes and shapes, according to the needs of each family member or anticipated guest. The Loos-designed doorknobs, coat hooks, and some furnishings are all still in great shape. The outside of the home has a traditional Austrian feel, but still without much fuss.
Sadly Herr Khuner died shortly after the house was completed and Frau Khuner sold the home in 1938. Since then the “Loos Haus” has served as a gemütlich restaurant and hotel. The family Steiner purchased the house in 1959. Grandpa Steiner picked us up at the train station, his daughter, Hannah, is the fabulous chef, the son take care of all maintenance, other Steiners large and small, including two adorable dogs, busy themselves to make their guests comfortable. (For more information about the “Loos Haus” visit looshaus.at.)
