Adolf Loos, Khuner country house, Vienna, Austria, 1930 (view in google maps)

In the late nineteenth century European bourgeoisie prompted by relative prosperity and a new mobility became fashionable Recreation or vacation periods in the field, escaping the bustle of big cities. Adolf Loos was aware of this phenomenon through his travels. In 1928, the architect designed together with his collaborator Heinrich Kulka cottage for food manufacturer Paul Kuhner in an area near Peyerbach, next to Semmering.

Interior

In a land that rises 900 meters above sea level on a solid masonry rising two floors made of wood and built a loft under the roof with two slopes with straps covered with gently sloping eaves and coated with zinc plates. This completes the staircase and loft also has a shower.

On the attic and fourth floor mode, there is a small terrace, flat and independent, with a wide view of the surroundings. The beamed ceiling in this building has a supporting role really.

Loos uses large sash windows to create the illusion that there was no barrier between inside and outside, to what happened in the projects in the city.

Core Spatial

The house is organized around a central double height living room English style: 12 meters deep by 6.50 wide and 4.50 high in which is located a rustic fireplace and dining in a side wing. The room is crowned by an upper gallery on three sides. This gallery is located at a height of 2.30 meters from the floor of the room leaving only 2.10 meters tall in it. On the fourth side, free gallery, a north window takes up almost the entire wall, a glass wall that becomes a “window box” offering spectacular views of the alpine meadows.

A double height window on another side lets in natural light and landscape. The bottom of this window could be opened up fully and as the sash windows giving the impression that there was no barrier between the inside and the outside. The terrace which is accessed, is three steps below the level of the room so it does not interfere with the view.

Rooms

Some of the rooms as the guest bedroom, study and kitchen Owners are arranged in a U shape around the room and steps below it, or with a standard height of 2.60 meters.

The environments are tailored to each of the family members, with a large number of rooms for guests. On the first floor the many rooms are connected by a hallway.

Links:

http://en.wikiarquitectura.com/index.php/Khuner_Country_House

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Khuner_Villa.html

Articles:

Jimena Canales and Andrew Herscher.2005. ”Criminal Skins: Tattoos and Modern Architecture in the Work of Adolf Loos.”Architectural History, Volume 48, January 2005.

Reviewed by:

Anna Bęza and Dominika Puchalska, November 2016

Rémi Farwati, Elena Giannitsopoulos, Nadir Bouchene, Adela Plasilova, March 2017