After looking at the city, there are small gems of difference embedded into the architecture around the city centers. Visiting the Looshaus, Secession building, and the Otto Wagner apartment complex showed the physical manifestation of the secessionist movement and its opposition.
We first the Looshaus, which is a bank across from the Hofburg Palace. The building is the same height but extremely different to its neighbors. The exterior facade is divided into two parts: the bottom covered in a dark grey and beige marble, swirling over the columns and entryway stairs. The top half of the facade is painted a light yellow and has rows of windows. There are flower beds at the bottom of the windows, forming the simplest type of decoration.
Upon entry, the walls are covered with a dark mahogany wood panelling and gold accents. Though Loos, the architect and philosopher behind the building described the importance of the lack of ornamentation, the interior seems extremely lavish and upper echelon. Though it seemed expensive to be inside, the building did not relate to the historic style of the ringstrasse with ornate gold and plaster finishes. Instead, the building let the material speak, having decoration but not ornament.
We had also visited the underground bathrooms constructed by Loos in the Ringstrasse, close to St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The bathrooms were small and embellished with similar interior features to the Looshaus. The stalls were made of wood and the handles and other accessories were made of gold or gold plate. There are small, frameless mirrors in each stall and a ceramic sink in the corner of each stall. Everything seemed to have a place, even though it seemed lavish, just like the Looshaus.
The door handle especially peaked my interest because it was somewhat confusing. The design seemed over the top and somewhat unnecessary, the material seemed opulent, and it didn’t seem solely functional. Only from listening to class discussion did I realize that ornamentation is what is not necessary. Whatever you have and need can look however you want it, as long as you design it with intention and thought. This struck me because, as an architecture major, I am taught to be precise and observant about everything in my designs and have a cohesive work that serves a function for not only the community but the individual.
Every aspect of functionalism is oriented around purpose and thought. Loos in his work, Ornament and Crime, mentioned that the design should have a meaning and use for the people. Otto Wagner, though, demonstrated a different perspective of secession. Wagner and the other secessionists functioned on a fluid perspective, looking at a changing world and making artwork and architecture accordingly.
Visiting the naschmarkt on the way to Wagner’s apartment complex also was an interesting experience because it put everything in an extremely contemporary perspective. I had to take a moment to take in the intersection of the buildings around us and the local market. The building itself was beautiful, with an extremely intricate floral design and gold nature-inspired detail work.
Looking at these buildings, I saw an emphasis of the ornament, or accessory. Some of the architectural decisions were only for aesthetic purposes. Yet, it makes for an extremely interesting facade, especially in comparison to the bright white building to the left of Wagner’s design. The first floor functions as a space for stores, but they are either closed down or look in bad condition, covered with street art. It was a little saddening as if the building’s significance was almost forgotten, not kept in pristine shape like we saw in the imperial palaces for the first assignment.
The architecture of this assignment was interesting as it shows the beginning of a departure from old design methods and the forking of perspectives towards design and lifestyle in Vienna. I think it is interesting how everything was so controversial, especially through my contemporary perspective.
Ananth Abroad 