Be truthful. Nature only sides with truth.
Adolf LoosRead
The house has to please everyone, contrary to the work of art which does not. The work is a private matter for the artist. The house is not.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote distinguishes between the communal nature of architecture and the personal nature of art, suggesting that a house must accommodate public taste while a work of art is an expression of the artist's individuality.
Adolf Loos emphasizes the difference between architecture and art by highlighting that a house must cater to the preferences and comfort of its inhabitants or the public, whereas a piece of art is a personal expression that reflects the unique vision and feelings of the artist. This contrast suggests that while architecture is a functional space meant for communal use, art serves a more subjective and individualistic purpose.
Themes
ArchitectureArtPublic TasteIndividualityDesign
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about architectural designs that balance aesthetics and functionality, this quote could illustrate the challenges architects face.
More from Adolf Loos
All quotes →The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.
Adolf LoosRead
Does it follow that the house has nothing in common with art and is architecture not to be included in the arts? Only a very small part of architecture belongs to art: the tomb and the monument. Everything else that fulfils a function is to be excluded from the domain of art.
Adolf LoosRead
Architecture arouses sentiments in man. The architect's task therefore, is to make those sentiments more precise.
Adolf LoosRead
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