Project Two: A Spatial Analysis of Adolf Loos Raumplan

“My architecture is not conceived in plans, but in spaces (cubes). I do not design floor plans, facades, sections. I design spaces. For me, there is no ground floor, first floor etc.... For me, there are only contiguous, continual spaces, rooms, anterooms, terraces etc. Storeys merge and spaces relate to each other. Every space requires a different height: the dining room is surely higher than the pantry, thus the ceilings are set at different levels. To join these spaces in such a way that the rise and fall are not only unobservable but also practical, in this I see what is for others the great secret, although it is for me a great maer of course. Coming back to your question, it is just this spatial interaction and spatial austerity that thus far I have best been able to realise in Dr Müller’s house” Adolf Loos, (Shorthand record of a conversation in Pilsen, 1930)

Figure 1: A 3d and plan analysis of the overall collection of spaces created within Loos' Villa Muller with the larger public spaces colour coded Red.

Figure 2: A 2d representation of all the spaces found within Loos' villa muller with the spaces ordered from Plan 2 at the top down to plan 6 at the bottom and largest spaces left to smallest right.

Figure 3: The collection of spacial analysis models.

Figure 4: My architectural proposition for a residential housing complex that explores a re-interpreted version of Adolf Loos' Raumplan using all the spaces found within the Villa Muller as a new building proposal. Through my conceptual proposal I explored the new ways/forms that the spaces of the Villa Muller can be intertwined and joined and how the allocation of larger public spaces towards the front can be mixed with the more private housing spaces towards the back in this imaginary landscape.

Figure 5: A 3D exploded model of the spaces found in plans 5 and 6 of the Villa Muller.

Figure 6: A 3D exploded model of the spaces found within plans 2, 3 and 4 of the Villa Muller. The aim of the exploded models was to really emphasise to the viewer the intricacy of spaces within the building and how they relate together yet operate as separate entities and spaces. Public (Silver), Private (white)

Figure 7: A 3D levelled model of the spaces found within the Villa Muller and how the public (silver) and private (white) spaces relate and exist together on a level basis showing that most of the spaces lie on the different planes and follow unique lines.  

Project Two: Circulation Analysis and its formation around the Villa's Structural Raumplan

My minor study analysed how Adolf Loos' use of the Raumplan influenced his design of walkways, stairs and the overall circulation structure of the building. Loos' allocation of spaces as shown in my main analysis was a huge influence on how all his circulation structures were planned as can be seen within my diagrams.

Figure 1: An inverted coloured diagram of the circulation PLAN within the house. This diagram displays all the different pathways that can be taken throughout the house as well as the general flow to the public spaces along the North elevation of the Villa that consequently has the most ideal views.

Figure 2: A diagram of the circulation STRUCTURE within the house showing its primary staircase, circulation walkways and Raumplan influenced secondary staircases and walkways.

Project Two: Window Placement Analysis and their Raumplan influences

My overall aim for this analysis was to:

a) investigate how Adolf Loos' use of different levels and the Raumplan has influenced his placement of the buildings exterior windows

b) What types of sunlight enter the building at different periods in the day.

c) A physical light analysis of how light enters and exits the building using a model to analyse what inhabitants would experience in real life.

Figure 1: An analysis of how light enters the buildings windows using the physical model of the Villa Muller

Figure 2: An analysis of how light exits the buildings windows using the physical model of the villa muller.

Figure 3: CAD interpretation of the different placements of windows within the NESW elevations of the Villa Muller, showing how Loos' Raumplan has influenced their placements and what light intensities these windows experience during different periods of the day.

Figure 4: Physical interpretation of the different window placements within the NESW elevations of the Villa Muller, where placing light in front of and behind the elevations can show how the light intensity enters and exits the building. 

Figure 5: The Physical model of the Villa Muller used for the light analyses photographs displayed in figures 1 and 2.

Project Two Body of Work- Analytical Program and Studies of the Villa Muller

PROJECT TWO: BODY OF WORK and PRESENTATION THEME

My overall aim within my presentation was to draw a strong connection between all three of my topics of analysis and to explain to the viewer; be they someone experienced in architecture or a complete novice, what makes the Villa Muller such a unique building when compared with the majority of buildings in the modern era. I explained within my presentation how through viewing the circulation levels, window placements and space allocations/levels one could visually see Adolf Loos' interpretation of the Raumplan and how it shaped his building design and made it unique.