Modernism and Otto Wagner
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Otto Wagner/Modernism
“This is the way it was, this is the way it will always be.”
Otto Wagner
Modernism is clearly seen as one of the most significant building blocks towards
the progress in the field of architecture today. Not only did it pave the way for our modern design culture, but the individuals involved in the movement spread knowledge and theories on the subject that lives on through modern projects being built presently. One of the most important figures in the field of modernism is Otto Wagner. Known for his Vienna Stadtbahn, the Church Am Steinhof, and the Postsparkasse, Wagner is best known for the impact he left on the world of modernism. In order to express the monumentality of this influence, I will present and analyze certain aspects of the life and works of Otto Wagner. Three important products came from Wagner and his teachings, and it is on those three things that I will be focusing on in order to examine his profound impact on Modernism. Three of the trademarks that Wagner left on the world came in the form of the Wagnerschule, his teachings in Modern Architecture, and three protégés by the names of Emil Hoppe, Marcel Kammerer, and Otto Schönthal. We often see movements in architecture as temporary and fleeting. We see them as crucial points in time that lead to a much larger revelation farther down the timeline. In Wagners case, in respect to modernism, this is a different instance in which the theories and ideas that were brought to light during the imperative movement continue to carry much importance in todays world of design. Before diving into the Wagnerschule, I believe its pertinent to provide a brief background of Wagners coming of age and what fed his motive to become the stylistic leader that so many students would soon come to follow.
As an architect, Wagner was never a stationary man. His career as an architect can only be described as extremely productive, as he had a staggering number of projects, most of which were never actually executed. His method of working wasnt to wait for competitions or clients to come his way, but to take the initiative and prepare his own works in order to sell them to potential customers (Geretsegger, 24). As his work progressed, it was clear that there was a notable difference between Wagners ideas, and those of the architects around him. Wagners designs pointed towards the fact that spatial effects were dependent on the amount of uninterrupted space that could be created. The reasoning behind this claim was his previous knowledge of modern engineering. His modern roots appear through his arguments, such as his opposition towards introducing abnormal height factors to compensate for the lack of true space. Wagner started to realize that the contemporary engineers were using new materials and structural methods so drastically, that they started to lead a life of their own. Its not that Wagner disliked engineering, he quite enjoyed it. He knew it was the reason for all of the architectural advances being made at the time. Otto “wanted the engineer to be a scientist, i. e., a man who provided the architect with new techniques; he did not want him to be a builder in his own right” (Mallgrave, 4). A method that was extremely characteristic of Wagner and lies within the center of all genuine building was what he called, the “division of work, i. e., the simultaneous execution of different structural units in order to speed up the work programme” (Geretsegger, 14). Ottos relationship with eclecticism began to dissolve around 1889, the same year he wrote the first portion of Sketches, Projects and Executed Buildings. Using the French and their realism of the Eiffel Tower, Wagner stated that architecture must reflect its time. He had created his own style that “clearly manifested a distinct change in traditional sensibility, the almost total breakdown or romanticism and the emergence of purpose-built structures in every sphere of architecture” (Geretsegger, 17). He continued to develop his theme of modernity in 1892 with his master city plan for greater Vienna. The architect was once again leaning towards efficiency as mentioned that “our realism, our traffic, and modern technology imperatively demand the straight line.” This description of Wagners methods and theories only scratches the surface of what he had to say about the field of modern architecture, but we will be focusing on the architects impact rather than his actual philosophy. We begin with the Wagnerschule, and it all started when Otto was appointed professor in 1894.
At the time Wagner was appointed to the school, there were two distinct schools of architecture: Classical and Medieval design. Otto was chosen as the new Professor not only for his ability to represent the Classical Renaissance, but because he could “offer an innovatory approach in the use of new building materials and the ability to reconcile traditional artistic considerations with the particular demands of modern life” (Mallgrave, 24). He joined the school, but only after noting that the tradition of mimicking past styles was unnecessary, although it could still be used if there was a proper reason behind its specific use in the design. Wagner believed that necessity should always come first in design, even over aesthetics. Since he saw this work as an “art” that only few people had the talent for, Otto strictly limited the number of students he allowed in his school to around six or seven. After years passed within the school, a tradition began which involved Wagner taking the most talented of his students and hiring them at his practice. This practice was actually adjacent to the schools studio and it allowed development not only between the students of the school, but with Wagner and his assistants as well (Mallgrave, 16). During its life, the Wagnerschule had many projects pass over its desks, some strictly for the firm, and some that Wagner allowed his students to work on collectively. One notable project that came from both the students and Otto during the early days of the school was the Wienzeile/Köstlergasse houses. The challenge posed in this work was the nearly rectangular site on which the houses needed to be built. Wagner viewed this as an exercise to “adapt the apartment house as far as possible to the needs of modern men. The plan seeks to combine the maximum utilization of the site with a functional distribution of the internal spaces” (Mallgrave, 10). The design choices used in the houses are often seen as Wagners public rejection of historicism, as well as forms of support for the Secession and its aesthetic