Raumplan versus Plan Libre : Adolf Loos and Le Corbusier, 1919 - 1930

by Beatriz Colomina (Editor)

Originally published in the Netherlands, this profusely illustrated volume discusses the differences in the planning of houses by two architectural giants of the 20th century: Adolf Loos and Le Corbusier.

150 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 1993

About the author

Beatriz Colomina is founding director of the program in Media and Modernity at Princeton University and Professor in the School of Architecture.

She has written extensively on the interrelationships between architecture, art, media, sexuality and health.

Reviews

[Pablo Lopes · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to find information on Adolph Loos, its architecture and thinking, besides the well know 'ornament and crime'. This book gives a full analysis of his works and writings. It starts by giving the rules that helped formed the raumplan system, then showing how this system was constituted in the houses he designed. Loos' houses have a very distinct front and back facades. The front facade showing a almost classical simplicity that serves as a mask hiding the complexity inside.
In parallel, it shows the progression of Le Corbusier houses and the development of the Citrohan and Domino houses, which are latter codified into the 5 points of a new architecture.