Design No. 316: Adolf Loos' Misunderstood Coffeehouse atelier ying, nyc.
I have Clare Beck Loos portrait of her husband which I have converted into a "Loos Portfolio". I do prefer this more to a sketchbook. I have put many designs into its pages and designs that overlap her letters, like a pictorial slideshow.
The Promenade des Anglaise house has a prominent garden in front giving it privacy. A low terrace is extended to a tree lined street alongside this garden.
Under the terrace a subterranean bohemian cafe is created, with a grand entrance of two staircases, the first leading to a bronze bust of the architect, and an arcade walkway with views of the garden, then down two side stairs to the main lower cafe level. At the other end, a grand staircase goes through the arcade level into a hallway that extends to the villa house. The misunderstood element is the contrast in spaces. The tiny stair down to the bronze bust of Loos shifts in scale to the circumference of the arcade with clerestory windows. The coffeehouse is meant for a salon-sized function yet is connected with grand stairs and hallways. The terrace should be private yet is open and guards the garden when the reverse should be the case. A very fancy railing about the circumference of the arcade level would disappoint Loos, but the size of the space is too big to avoid using this. Pillars of the arcade level seen from outside make the cafe seem intimate and bohemian when it isn't. The gradual reduction in size of the floor plan saves the space. Misunderstandings abound.
Amidst the confusion, this is a place for Loos to get away and relax with a cup of free coffee under the eaves and with the camaraderie of artists. I was reminded of the burdened poet in Les Contes Hoffmann and the Cafe Momus of La Boheme in envisioning the function of this space.
Design, concepts, text, photograph & drawing are copyright 2016 by David Lo
Design No. 316: Adolf Loos' Misunderstood Coffeehouse atelier ying, nyc.
I have Clare Beck Loos portrait of her husband which I have converted into a "Loos Portfolio". I do prefer this more to a sketchbook. I have put many designs into its pages and designs that overlap her letters, like a pictorial slideshow.
The Promenade des Anglaise house has a prominent garden in front giving it privacy. A low terrace is extended to a tree lined street alongside this garden.
Under the terrace a subterranean bohemian cafe is created, with a grand entrance of two staircases, the first leading to a bronze bust of the architect, and an arcade walkway with views of the garden, then down two side stairs to the main lower cafe level. At the other end, a grand staircase goes through the arcade level into a hallway that extends to the villa house. The misunderstood element is the contrast in spaces. The tiny stair down to the bronze bust of Loos shifts in scale to the circumference of the arcade with clerestory windows. The coffeehouse is meant for a salon-sized function yet is connected with grand stairs and hallways. The terrace should be private yet is open and guards the garden when the reverse should be the case. A very fancy railing about the circumference of the arcade level would disappoint Loos, but the size of the space is too big to avoid using this. Pillars of the arcade level seen from outside make the cafe seem intimate and bohemian when it isn't. The gradual reduction in size of the floor plan saves the space. Misunderstandings abound.
Amidst the confusion, this is a place for Loos to get away and relax with a cup of free coffee under the eaves and with the camaraderie of artists. I was reminded of the burdened poet in Les Contes Hoffmann and the Cafe Momus of La Boheme in envisioning the function of this space.
Design, concepts, text, photograph & drawing are copyright 2016 by David Lo