The New Austrian Architecture

Over the past decade, a younger generation of Austrian architects has attracted increasing attention with dynamic new forms and high-profile commissions. Continuing the tradition of rebellious debate and architectural innovation that ushered in the twentieth century in Austria, these designers are introducing new ideas and materials into historical cities and sparking a renewed interest in urban planning.This volume presents a wide-ranging overview of the best and most representative architecture in Austria today. Included are projects by such widely publicized architects and firms as Hans Hollein, Coop Himmelblau, and Rob Krier, as well as younger, cutting-edge firms that include Eichinger oder Knechtl, Ortner & Ortner, and Driendl*Steixner, whose multimedia approaches often incorporate film, video, and experimental drawing. Among the projects featured are Hollein's Salzburg Guggenheim Museum, Coop Himmelblau's proposal for the remodeling of the Ronacher Theater Complex in Vienna, Boris Podrecca's showroom for Mazda in Waidhofen, and Gustav Peichl's Städel Museum in Frankfurt, Germany.The work of seventeen architects and firms is described in individual sections of one to three projects, each fully illustrated with photographs and drawings. The introduction traces the history of Austrian architecture from the fin-de-siècle contributions of Otto Wagner and Adolf Loos through the postwar forms of Clemens Holzmeister and Roland Rainer, and their influences on today's practitioners. A short essay on Rainer illuminates this master architect's career and presents three of his best-known works.The New Austrian Architecture continues the successful series that began with The New French Architecture and continued with The New Japanese Architecture, The New Finnish Architecture, The New Spanish Architecture, and most recently, The New German Architecture.