Crosswise - “x projects by arbeitsgruppe 4“ (de) - a podcast by CastYourArt.com

Crosswise - “x projects by arbeitsgruppe 4“

”We never wanted to overthrow tradition, but rather build on it”. In retrospect, when Wilhelm Holzbauer emphasizes the idea of building on tradition as a central aspect of arbeitsgruppe 4, one becomes aware of the timeframe and circumstances of their development. The post-war period, characterized by financial hardship and the reconstruction of the country, could not really embrace the new trends of a developing modern age. These movements could probably only take root in this country when the desire for security and the good old days had sufficiently challenged the cultural scene. While the avant-garde had a relatively easy starting point, based on work that was not always oriented towards utility, the architecture scene had to persuade politicians, officials, and a conservative society through their own visions and negotiations. In Johannes Spalt, Wilhelm Holzbauer, Friedrich Kurrent, and Otto Leitner, Austria found four visionaries who were ready to meet this challenge, but build on tradition at the same time.

Studying under Clemens Holzmeister at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, they founded a working team at the beginning of their studies in 1952. Their “masters“ rarely attended work reviews, however, they observed the creative endeavors of their students in a well-meaning manner. The Salzburger “School of Seeing”, the summer academy under the direction of Oskar Kokoschka, contributed a great deal to the development of art and architecture. Here, the four students got acquainted with the architect Konrad Wachsmann, who emigrated to the US in 1941, and who had a substantial influence on the group with his innovative work methods. Within the environment of this group, there were poets, composers, and filmmakers such as the Wiener Gruppe, Peter Kubelka, the music ensemble, die reihe—who all partied together, as well as influenced each other.

Member Otto Leitner left the group after one year in order to participate in a competition to design the City Museum of Vienna in Karlsplatz, which he wanted to take on alone. His colleagues, Spalt, Kurrent, and Holzmeister, participated in the competition as well. The group did not win, however, the experience paved the way for the group for projects that followed. The unofficial name of the group, “the 3/4“, was coined by the designer Anna Lülja Praun, which reffers to Leitner’s separation from the group with a sense of humor. The new constellation held together until 1956. Holzbauer’s journey to the US, as well as opposing points of view of the individual members on the role of the architect in public life, led to a further reduction of the team.

The arbeitsgruppe 4 harbored a special interest in the building of churches, not so much due to any commitment to this tradition, but rather due to the church’s ability and willingness as a client to support their extravagant projects at this time. Although many of their projects won competitions, none of their housing projects were realized. Their ideas, especially in terms of “Wohnraumschule” (“living room” schools), were regarded either as trend-setting, or too innovative for their time. This reception was also applied to their concepts for urban planning. Only years later did the ideas of the group come into fruition—for example, with the revival of the Flaktürme, the flak towers in Vienna, and the redirection of the Argentinierstrasse around the Karlskirche.

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