A Glance at Austrian Architecture of the 20th Century

"To our time its art, to art its freedom" was a sentence written on the entrance of the Secession building, representing the program and goal of modern architecture in Austria at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1897, a number of young artists separated from the artists' union and founded an independent association called the Secession.

Viennese artists were too attached to the past and therefore could not create new art that would respond to the requirements of the new era. By declaring their separation, they not only began their artistic activity as an independent movement but also effected an intellectual and artistic break from the prevailing style in Viennese architecture in the second half of the 19th century, namely Historicism. From 1857, the Ring Street replaced the old city wall like a ring, and alongside it buildings were erected with facades inspired by the architecture of the past, including the Parliament building (1883) by Theophil Hansen and the City Hall (1885) by Friedrich Schmidt.

Figure 2 — Theophil Hansen, Parliament, 1883. Figure 4 — Heinrich Ferstel, University of Vienna, 1884.

The Secession, with its motto "To our time its art," effectively drew a line through Historicism in architecture. Otto Wagner, who had several years of experience in the Historicist style and joined the association in 1899, writes in his 1895 text Modern Architecture: "This type is nothing more than architectural deceit." Wagner believed: "From now on, one can only use the Historicist style as a foundation for future efforts." Elsewhere he writes: "The fundamental changes are so great that we cannot speak of a revival or Renaissance; rather, a new birth — a Naissance — will result from this process."

Figure 5 — Otto Wagner, Majolika House, 1898–99. Figure 6 — Otto Wagner, Urban Railway Station, 1898.

Wagner demonstrated his architectural theories in the Majolika House built in Vienna (1898–99), decorated with Majolika tiles in a uniform composition. His urban railway stations and the Central Post Office building (1904–07) precisely demonstrate Wagner's attachment to creating a modern architectural language. With mass production of ornament by the Jugendstil movement, the use of decorative motifs came into question, and ornament was regarded as the enemy of modern architecture.

Figure 7 — Otto Wagner, Central Post Office, 1904–07. Figure 8 — Adolf Loos, House at Michaelerplatz, 1909–11.

The Austrian architect who from 1898 profoundly distanced himself from ornament — both old (Historicism) and new (Jugendstil) — was Adolf Loos (1870–1933). His opposition to ornament was so intense that he earned the title "ornament killer." By building the house at Michaelerplatz (1909) in the center of Vienna, he became the pioneer of modern Austrian architecture. The building was so plain when completed that Vienna's public authorities organized a competition, resulting in box-shaped flower planters being added. His only ornament was the use of natural material textures, which drew severe criticism from contemporaries who called the building "a disreputable house" and compared it to a naked woman. From this date onward, Austrian architects turned to functional buildings devoid of ornament.

Figure 9 — Karl Ehn, Karl Marx Hof, 1927–30. Figure 10 — Josef Hoffmann, Werkbund Siedlung, 1930–31.

After World War I, with the establishment of the First Republic and the housing crisis, housing for the lower classes became a priority. From 1923 to 1934, in Vienna alone more than 60,000 residential units were constructed as enormous complexes. The Karl Marx Hof (1927–30), with 1,400 units designed by Karl Ehn, was among the most famous. Alongside government projects, the growth of international architecture inspired many works. The Werkbund Siedlung (1930–31), led by Josef Frank, involved over 30 international architects building 70 residential villas — including Le Corbusier, Henri Sauvage, Adolf Loos, and Josef Hoffmann.

After the annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938, during World War II, no noteworthy movement occurred in Austrian architecture and many cities were damaged. Prominent architects were forced to emigrate, and some never returned. Buildings constructed during the post-war reconstruction were devoid of architectural innovation and purely functional, unable to compete on the international stage.

Figure 11 — Roland Rainer, Wiener Stadthalle, 1955–58. Figure 12 — Roland Rainer, Puchenau Settlement, 1963–68.

With the 1960s, Austrian architecture was revived through two movements. The first, pursuing Modern Classic architecture, was led by Roland Rainer and Karl Schwanzer. Rainer's most famous work, the Wiener Stadthalle (1955–58), demonstrated how he integrated steel columns, electrical, and ventilation installations as architectural elements in a modern composition.

The second movement comprised "Arbeitsgruppe 4" — Wilhelm Holzbauer, Friedrich Kurrent, and Johannes Spalt — who sought to relate to international architecture while maintaining ties to late-19th and early-20th century Austrian traditions. Their first realized work was the Parsch Church (1953) in Salzburg.

Figure 13 — Arbeitsgruppe 4, Parsch Church, Salzburg, 1954–56. Figure 14 — Hans Hollein, Retti Shop, 1964.

Hans Hollein, with the Retti candle shop (1964), broke the traditional mold of retail design. Using the most modern materials, he set a simple cube within a traditional facade, forcing buyers through a narrow corridor. This work was recorded as pioneering in architectural history, demonstrating both a connection with early modern Viennese works and an entirely different artistic perspective on the past.

Figure 15 — Hans Hollein, Austrian Travel Agency, 1977.

After a thirty-year hiatus, Austrian architecture returned to the international scene. From the 1970s, two movements grew in parallel: postmodernism and deconstructionism. Hollein, with works like the Austrian travel agency, enriched the postmodern style. His famous declaration — "Everything is architecture and everyone is an architect" — defined his expansive vision.

Figure 16 — Wilhelm Holzbauer, Virgil Education Center, Salzburg, 1965.

Holzbauer, upon returning from the United States, drew upon American postmodern trends. His Virgil Education Center (1965) in Salzburg assembled educational buildings, classrooms, and dormitories in a complex architectural organism. Simple geometric forms — circles, squares, and cylinders — created special interplays of light and shadow.

Figure 17 — Hans Hollein, Haas Haus, 1987. Figure 18 — Hans Hollein, Guggenheim Museum design, Salzburg, 1989.

The Haas Haus (1987), facing Saint Stephen's Gothic Church, provoked intense debate. Its glass facades reflected the image of tradition into a modern work. One year later, Hollein presented the Guggenheim Museum design for Salzburg — a cave within a mountain where halls are placed inside rock and the museum has no exterior wall.

Figure 19 — Wilhelm Holzbauer, Kartner Ring Commercial-Office Complex, 1987–93. Figures 20–21 — Coop Himmelb(l)au projects.

In 1968, Dieter Prix, Helmut Swiczinsky, and Rainer Michael Holzer formed Coop Himmelb(l)au — "Blue Sky Cooperation." They pursued "open architecture" that does not dedicate itself to anything specific nor limit inhabitants in their use. Their "Hot Flat" project (1978) featured a steel cube cutting through an apartment building like a burning arrow, and their law office atop a traditional Viennese building (1984–89) demonstrated transformation to the point of reversing individual building elements.

Figure 22 — Coop Himmelb(l)au, Law Office on a Traditional Building, Vienna, 1984–89. Figure 23 — Workshop No. 3, Energy Center, Saint Veit, 1989.

Gunther Domenig, another deconstructionist, designed the Zentralsparkasse bank (1974) in Vienna with an undulating facade covered in corrugated metal. His works include additions to Graz University of Technology's Faculty of Architecture (1982) and the Stein Haus in Steindorf (1986).

Figure 24 — Gunther Domenig, Zentralsparkasse Bank, 1974. Figure 25 — Domenig, Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Graz, 1982.

Figure 26 — Gunther Domenig, Stein Haus, Steindorf, 1986.

In this decade, building construction in Vienna experienced particular prosperity. South of Donau City, a new complex was planned (1990–93) with contributions from Gustav Peichl, Hollein, Holzbauer, Hermann Czech, Elke Delugan-Meissl, and Arata Isozaki. The Gasometer project — converting historic gas storage tanks into residences, offices, and commercial spaces — involved Holzbauer, Coop Himmelb(l)au, Jean Nouvel, and Manfred Wehdorn. Prix stated: "With the Gasometer, we were able to create an exciting tension between tradition and modernity in Vienna."

Figure 27 — Master plan for the new complex south of Donau City, 1990–92.

The movement that began with the separation of a small group from the classical Austrian style, carrying the motto "To our time its art, to art its freedom" at the beginning of the century, despite encountering enormous obstacles such as two devastating wars and the resulting economic turmoil, succeeded in attaining a special place on the international level.

Gasometer renovation project, Vienna.