Thursday, February 29, 2024

Josef Hoffmann's amazing Stoclet Palace (1905-11)



Josef Hoffmann was a German architect whose work was important in the early development of modern architecture in Europe.

The idea here is to go against the grain and create an asymmetrical compilation of rectangular blocks underlined by exaggerated lines and corners. 




Take a look at the opulent interior decoration:
 



what do we have here? 
 * this is a suburban palace for Adolphe and Suzanne Stoclet to entertain the European artistic elite. 
* it mixes formality and informality, while keeping immense sophistication. 
* the overall facade is balanced bu asymmetrical, 
* the stepped stair tower with its attached sanctuary 
* bow windows and the port cochere. 
* facade covered with thin stone slab veneers with linear moldings, to accentuate planarity, 
* there's a bit of Mckintosh influence in the house, 
* inside we have the Klimt mural decorations!

this is early 20th century aristocratic bohemianism.