Product Description

The pioneer of Viennese Modernism One of Austria's most influential architects, Otto Wagner (1841-1918) played a key role in modernizing urban architecture. Forming an approach described as structural rationalism, Wagner pioneered use of materials such as glass, steel, and especially aluminum. He was associated with the Viennese Succession, a group of artists and designers headed by Gustav Kllmt that initiated a departure from the conservative style of the Viennese Kunstlerhaus. Among Wagner's most important buildings are the Vienna Postsparkassenamt (Postal Savings building) and the Steinhof Church. Basic Architecture features; Each title contains approximately 120 images, including photographs, sketches, drawings, and floor plans; Introductory essays explore the architect's life and work, touching on family and background as well as collaborations with other architects; The body presents the most important works in chronological order, with descriptions of client and/or architect wishes, construction problems (why some projects were never executed), and resolutions; The appendix includes a list of complete or selected works, biography, bibllography and a map indicating the locations of the architect's most famous buildings

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #325646 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

About the Author
August Sarnitz is an architect and professor of architectural history and theory at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. He has published on the subject of 20th century architecture and exile-architecture in the United States and New Zealand, including books on Rudolf M. Schindler, Lois Welzenbacher, Ernst Lichtblau, Ernst Plischke, and Adolf Loos.

Customer Reviews

Excellent, colorful overview of Wagner's work
After visiting Vienna in 2002, I came away with a great appreciation of Otto Wagner's work. Many of the sites are still extant, and the excellent Viennese tram and subway system takes you to them in minutes. This book has concise descriptions and many clear photographs and drawings of both real and imagined buildings, and should be on the shelf of anyone interested in Secessionist/Jugendstil/fin de siecle architecture.