Space in the House - Essay Example

Full Space in the House “The architect’s general task is to provide a warm and livable space” (Colomina, 265), these arethe words of the architect Adolf Loos quoted in the “Interior”, a reading from the book Privacy and Publicity: Modern Architecture as Mass Media. In the reading, the author discusses about the functionality of the interior of the house and focuses on the works of Loos to establish her point. As the architect pointed out, the house should be warm and livable, that is the general concept of every man, even the non-architect. However, for Loos, he also built houses that do not simply make the owners feel warm and cozy in the homes but he made them feel in control of their surroundings. For instance, in the Moller house, a raised sitting area is made off the living room wherein a sofa set is placed against the window. The light coming from the window makes the raised area a comfortable place to read. However, the place also gives the occupant a sense of security because from the sofa, he can view whoever climbs the stairs from the entrance to the living room. On the contrary, the person coming up the stairs will not easily recognize the one seated on the sofa (Colomina, 238). For the occupant, he feels that he is in total control of what is happening in his house because of the functionality of his space. He is like an actor on a raised platform who performs for the viewer but he also has the advantage of recognizing his viewer before he is perceived clearly. A stage is how Loos looks at the houses he built. The raised platforms in the living room acts as such. It is said that Loos designed a theater without the boxes arguing that it is not for the modern auditorium but he placed the boxes inside the home. With a box inside the house, the occupants now have a private space in the public space. For instance, in the living room, although it is a part of the private house, it may be considered a public space considering that it is where the owner entertains visitors. The raised platform, for example in the Moller house mentioned above, serves as a private space for the inhabitant because he is able to detach himself from the public space just as the box in a theater detaches the occupant from other viewers. The box enables the occupant to be invisible but is able to see the stage, that is, he can see himself and also the public space where the visitors are gathered. This is how Loos viewed the house in addition to its function as a place that gives shelter and warmth. The reading also discusses other functionalities of the interior in relation to the exterior. For instance, Loos made openings that looked like mirrors and mirrors that appeared to be openings. The Steiner house is a reflection of this architectural idea with its mirror placed just under an opaque window (Colomina, 255). The mirror looks like a part of the window so that at first glance, it would look like it could be opened but one’s reflections will prove otherwise. In the Khuner villa in Austria designed by Loos, a photomontage that appears to be a view from the window is placed in the living room (272). From the space, the occupant seems to be looking outside at a beautiful scenery but a closer look will reveal that it is an artwork that only looks a scene from through a window. Such is the concept of Loos on architecture and space, a place to live the occupant’s personality affecting the not only the physical but including the emotional and psychological aspects. The ideas of Loos have been popular during his era and they definitely are still alive during modern times just as many modern architectural designs reflect. For instance, in his idea of space, many contemporary houses reflect the interaction between the interior and the exterior. For instance, in my own house, the exterior serves as the public space. The house is located near the street where I can easily meet and greet other people around the area. This reflects my social life, a public space where I would dress as I am expected to, as a Chinese woman who is quite conservative living in the city. This is also the stage where I act and speak according to the norms, adopting the English language as my primary language and acting just like any Californian woman normally does. The stairs and the corridors to my apartment are also a part of the public space in my house. The stairs are not so wide but they are also not so narrow, allowing me and other occupants of other apartments nearby to easily pass through in case we all use the space at the same time. The space is not so wide because it was designed for a limited number of people who are expected to use the space, the inhabitants of the apartments. Aside from functioning as a channel for us to pass to or from our own apartments, the space also gives us the chance to meet and see other occupants face to face thus enabling us also to smile at and greet each other. The corridors show the doors to each apartment. This signifies that beyond the closed doors, are private places. In my own private space, the door leads to the living room. This space is in part a public space because it is where I entertain my friends and family who are visiting me. It is also in part a private space because I am in control of the people who are allowed to enter unlike the stairs and corridors wherein I cannot tell other people no to pass through the space. This is perhaps a space where I am both an actor and a viewer. The stage is arranged so that the space would be enough for a small group of people to socialize and interact. The sofa is placed on the right side from the entrance, allowing an intruder to not see immediately the occupants. The sofa is set allowing an open space near the entrance which does not simply give easy access to the occupant but also gives a welcoming atmosphere to visitors. Potted flowers are arranged in the living room to give a sense of feminine touch and also to give life and beauty to the place. The windows in the living room primarily let the light in but drapes are needed for privacy reasons because there are taller buildings near the house. I could also look through the windows and view the outside space from the living room but I do that occasionally obviously, because there is not much change about the view from my space. However, the windows also remind me of my social or public world. The buildings and busy people I can view from the window show the world where I move and deal with when I am outside. From this point of view, I am a spectator to the outside stage and not an actor anymore. Nevertheless, in the stage of my living room, I am primarily the actor acting the character of a Chinese woman living in an American city who tries to adapt to the environment. The windows separate me from the public space as I enjoy my private space especially when I am alone. From the living room, an opening leads to the kitchen. A wall divides the two spaces and the entrance to the kitchen has no door or anything that would open and close for the occupant. Instead, it gives the occupant an easy access to the space. Also, the actors (the occupant and visitors) in the living room can see in part the kitchen. The wall serves as a dividing line that seems to address the other people in the living room that the space is private and should be treated as such. If one wants to enter the space, he should ask permission from the occupant and should not simply enter because the space is already a part of my more private life. Although the opening suggests that other people may still be welcome, its narrowness suggests that the people allowed in the space are limited to closer relationships. Inside the kitchen is a fireplace where I can feel more comfortable and more sensual. There is a little space for me to relax and warm myself in front of the fireplace. The space is not too small and not too big but it is just enough for me to move around and enjoy the place. This is a more private space for me compared to the living room where I can entertain visitors. Near the kitchen is my bedroom. The arrangement of the living room, the kitchen and the bedroom shows the movement from my public life to my private life. The bedroom is hidden from the living room and one can only see the door to it by entering the kitchen first. The door inside my more private space seems to relay that the space behind it is most private and only the holder of the key is allowed to enter the space. Therefore, my closer relationships who are allowed to the kitchen cannot access what is in my bedroom unless I open the door for them. This gives me control and security in my private space. In addition to the bedroom, the toilet is also located near the bedroom which I can easily access anytime of the day. The toilet is part of my most private space and it is rightly put in its place. In the modern house that I live in, the architect gave much attention to the importance of private and public life just as Loos did during his time. The spaces were not simply created according to the architect’s moods and wants but they were designed with the lifestyle of the occupants in mind. My house allows me to go on with my public life, enabling me to see and communicate with other people because human beings are naturally social beings regardless of age, race and gender. However, the house also allows me to be myself in my own private space. The door to my apartment gives me control over who is allowed to enter my inner circle of relationships while the wall between my living room and the kitchen serve as a dividing line between that controlled stage in my house. The arrangement of my sofa in the living room gives a welcoming atmosphere to visitors, reflecting who I am as an individual but there are also spaces that only I can access. Reference Colomina, Beatriz. “Interior”. Privacy and Publicity: Modern Architecture as Mass Media. USA: MIT Press, 1996. (233-281). Electronic copy. Read More