Poche drawings

Some fascinating poche drawings

Parti and Poche sketches

Parti

One of the important parti for Villa Muller is the contrast between the enclosed space and open space. Villa Muller has a screen-like facade on all four sides. The facade not only marks the border between public and private spheres but also provides the shell.

Another parti is the differentiation of public zone and private zone. Within Villa Muller, a clear separation between public zone - on the basement and ground floor, and the private zone - on the first and second floor. Such arrangement responds to specific requirements for different functions in a range of different rooms.

Circulation is another crucial parti. The spiral staircase located next to the entrance is the main pathway connects all six floors, its access is for both the master and the servants in the villa.

A series of stairs and level changes on each level also manipulate the circulation as they lead people to different rooms without disturbing the room arrangement and function.

Structure: Villa Muller is laid on a grid system with load bearing walls acting as the main structural element. Four columns not only acting as structural elements, also allow for feature design.

The spatial interpenetration in Villa Muller brings linked spaces into close visual contact.

Two substantial associated spaces are easily recognisable in the villa: the coupling of the library with the lady's reading room and that of the living room with the dinning.

Poche

Villa Muller - Research and analysis

Some important aspects behind Adolf Loos's philosophy towards the creation of Villa Muller.

Raumplan (Spatial Plan)

Adolf Loos' creation of the Raumplan introduces a new point of view for the composition and connection of rooms. This can be seen at:

“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.” 1

Loos also comes to the conclusion, that “one can save space through connecting a higher main room to a lower annexe” 2

1. Adolf Loos: Shorthand record of a conversation in Plzen (Pilsen), 1930

2. (ibid.)“manalsodurchdieVerbindungeines höheren Hauptraumes mit einem niedrigem Annex Raum sparen kann (...)“