Post-war Modernism

Season of Lectures "The History of Viennese Housing"

The series of seven lectures "The History of Viennese Housing" is dedicated to the evolution of residential architecture in Vienna from the early 19th century to the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century, in the context of the social, political, and urban transformations of the city. Through the analysis of key architectural movements, the course reveals how perceptions of comfort, types of housing, urban environments, and the role of architecture in shaping the everyday lives of city dwellers have changed. The course systematically examines the periods of Biedermeier, Neo-Renaissance, and the Vienna Secession, as well as the phenomenon of Red Vienna — both in the interpretation of Otto Wagner's students and in the context of Constructivism and the ideological confrontation with Black Vienna.

Lecture 6: Post-War Modernism

This lecture is dedicated to the development of Viennese housing after World War II, when the city faced the massive task of reconstruction and modernization. New challenges prompted the authorities to seek a balance between functionality, cost-effectiveness, and the quality of the urban environment. The focus is on large residential complexes from the second half of the 20th century, as well as changes in apartment layouts that catered to the altered way of life. We will explore how the attributes of modernism — light, air, greenery, rational space — transformed the notion of a decent life. At the same time, modernism became the subject of criticism for its monotony and strictness, paving the way for postmodernism, with architects like Hundertwasser declaring an artistic rebellion against it.

Lecture in Russian.