Synopses & Reviews
Arriving in the United States in 1914, Viennese-born Paul T. Frankl (18861958) brought with him an outsiders fresh perspective and an enthusiasm for forging a uniquely American design aesthetic. In the years between the two world wars he, more than any other designer, helped shape the distinctive look of American modernism. This authoritative book draws on an extensive collection of unpublished documents and family papers and photographs to provide the first full account of Frankls life and ideas. The book also explores the history of modern American design and the extent of Frankls influence on its trajectory.
In the early 1920s, Frankl opened a New York City shop that became an epicenter of American modernism. Over the next decades, his work encompassed everything from individual pieces of furniture and decorative accessories to entire interiors, and his style continuously evolved, from early Skyscraper” furniture to relaxed and casual designs favored by the Hollywood elite in the 1930s to manufactured pieces for the mass market in the 1950s. The book charts the impact of Frankls ideas on merchants and consumers, on his fellow designers, and on the changing look of American homes and workplaces. With close to 170 illustrations, Paul T. Frankl and Modern American Design is an essential reference on 20th-century design.
Review
and#8220;Steeped in detail of every kind, this book conveys an exhilaratingly rich tableau of the Viennese world within which Adolf Loos operated, and makes a very valuable contribution to the study of a building already widely acknowledged as among the most important early 20th-century additions to the architecture of Vienna, a key site in the evolution of early Modernism.and#8221;and#8212;Elizabeth Clegg, author of Art, Design, and Architecture in Central Europe 1890and#8211;1920
Review
"[Long's] book is authoritative about the design and rich in detail about Viennese society and art."—Stanley Abercrombie, Interior Design Elizabeth Clegg
Review
andldquo;Immensely detailed. . . . Christopher Long has uncovered all the difficulties Loos encountered in his attempt to andlsquo;build an ideaandrsquo; in the early days of twentieth-century modernism. How clearly does Loosandrsquo;s architectural language speak above the opinionated noise of historical struggles? This book gives us all the background information we need to enable us to make a calm judgement about the lasting quality of the architecture of the Looshaus.andrdquo;--Colin Amery,
The Burlington Magazineand#160; Review
"Authoritative about the design and rich in detail about Viennese society and art."—Stanley Abercrombie, Interior Design Colin Amery - The Burlington Magazine
Review
andquot;Authoritative about the design and rich in detail about Viennese society and art.andquot;andmdash;Stanley Abercrombie, Interior Design
Synopsis
A celebration of the centennial of Vienna's Looshaus--one of modernism's earliest and most controversial buildings
When it was completed in 1911, the Goldman & Salatsch Building in Vienna, commonly known as the Looshaus, incited controversy for its austerity and plainness. It represented a stark rejection of the contemporary preference for ornamentation, though its architect, Adolf Loos (1870-1933), had intended it to preserve Viennese tradition within a new modernist language. The heated debate that ensued among critics and the public set the project apart, distinguishing it as one of the most important and contentious buildings of the early 20th century.
In celebration of the Looshaus's centennial year, Christopher Long, a leading authority on Viennese architectural history, brings to light extensive new research and careful analysis that dispel long-held myths about Loos, his building, and its critical reception. The book, which features new color photography and a vast array of archival materials in print for the first time, tells the remarkable story of the Looshaus's design and construction, the political and social restlessness it reflected, and the building's fundamental role in defining the look of modernism.
Synopsis
When it was completed in 1911, the Goldman and Salatsch Building in Vienna, commonly known as the Looshaus, incited controversy for its austerity and plainness. It represented a stark rejection of the contemporary preference for ornamentation, though its architect, Adolf Loos (1870and#8211;1933), had intended it to preserve Viennese tradition within a new modernist language. The heated debate that ensued among critics and the public set the project apart, distinguishing it as one of the most important and contentious buildings of the early 20th century.
In celebration of the Looshaus's centennial year, Christopher Long, a leading authority on Viennese architectural history, brings to light extensive new research and careful analysis that dispel long-held myths about Loos, his building, and its critical reception. The book, which features new color photography and a vast array of archival materials in print for the first time, tells the remarkable story of the Looshaus's design and construction, the political and social restlessness it reflected, and the building's fundamental role in defining the look of modernism.
About the Author
Christopher Long is associate professor, architectural history and theory, University of Texas at Austin. He publishes widely on a diverse range of subjects and was a contributing author to Josef Frank: Architect and Designer (Yale).