The Hundertwasser-Haus, Vienna and Nant-Y-Cwm Steiner School, Pembrokeshire
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_________________________________________________________________________Swansea University E-Theses Constructing and Unsettling Utopia: The Hundertwasser-Haus, Vienna and Nant-y-Cwm Steiner School, Pembrokeshire Kraftl, Peter How to cite: _________________________________________________________________________ Kraftl, Peter (2005) Constructing and Unsettling Utopia: The Hundertwasser-Haus, Vienna and Nant-y-Cwm Steiner School, Pembrokeshire. Doctoral thesis, Swansea University. http://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa50753 Use policy: _________________________________________________________________________ This item is brought to you by Swansea University. Any person downloading material is agreeing to abide by the terms of the repository licence: copies of full text items may be used or reproduced in any format or medium, without prior permission for personal research or study, educational or non-commercial purposes only. 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Please link to the metadata record in the Swansea University repository, Cronfa (link given in the citation reference above.) http://www.swansea.ac.uk/library/researchsupport/ris-support/ Constructing and Unsettling Utopia: The Hundertwasser-Haus, Vienna and Nant-y-Cwm Steiner School, Pembrokeshire Peter Kraftl Submitted to the University of Wales in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Wales Swansea 2004 Summary The thesis draws on a range of theoretical and methodological approaches to interrogate some of the ways in which the idea of ‘utopia’ is relevant to contemporary socio-spatial practices. It does this in two, inter-linked ways. Firstly, the notion of utopia is re theorised following a re-reading of utopian literature through certain ‘non- representational’ and post-structural theories (performativity, Actor Network Theory). Secondly, the thesis explores the complex relationship between architecture and utopia. I promote a number of new ways in which studies of architecture and utopia can be related. Crucially, I do this through a ‘critical geography’ of two ecological buildings: The Hundertwasser-Haus, Vienna, and Nant-y-Cwm Steiner School, West Wales. This meant examining - through mixed, ethnographic methods - the complicated ‘performative’ meanings that builders and users constructed. This is particularly important because these two examples, and ecological architecture in general, can be associated with various utopian features, but have not yet been explored through a more ‘critical’ approach. The research drew together these strands to provide a number of often surprising conclusions. The most important was that in addition to (re)presenting visions of comfort, order or political critique, much of the effect and attraction of utopias is that they can in many ways be fundamentally unsettling, discomforting and un-homely. Focussing on three specific themes - difference, the homely and community - the thesis demonstrates this empirically by arguing that utopias are contingent, painful, embodied, anxiety-inducing, momentary, co-relationally produced with non-human actants (including ruination!), and require a tremendous amount of work, whether euphoric experiences of ‘escape’ or ethical versions of the ‘good’. It highlights important ways in which critical geographies of architecture can collect and disperse a variety of emotional, ethical and material concerns (such as utopia or community), and are hence well-suited to the complex demands of contemporary theories and everyday lives. 1 DECLARATION This work has not been previously accepted in substance for any degree and is not being concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree. Signed................. ....,............................................... (candidate) Date.............. ......................................................................... STATEMENT 1 This thesis is the result of my own investigation, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by references contained in the text and footnotes, both giving explicit references. A bibliography is appended. Signed..............................—................................................ (candidate) Date....... ............2 £ . ( o .(.2£Q 4< ......................... STATEMENT 2 I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed (candidate) Date... Contents Summary Declaration and statements 11 Contents iii List of figures and plates vii Acknowledgments viii 1. Introduction 1 1.1 This thesis: context 1.2 Case studies 1.3 Aims and structure 2. ‘Traditional’ utopias, and difference, the homely and community 11 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Utopia and function 2.3 The political function of utopias 2.4 Other functions of utopias 2.5 Form/content: space, architecture and utopia 2.6 The form of fiction 2.7 Architecture and planning: the spatial form of utopia 2.8 The problem of (urban) space 2.9 Conclusion 3. The utopian unsettling 38 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Revolution 3.3 Work and community 3.4 The un/homely: Freud and Heidegger 3.5 Ruin(ation) and the agency o f‘nature’ 3.6 Sacrifice, terror, euphoria 3.7 Romanticism and the flâneur 3.8 Risking ‘public space’ and ‘community’ 3.9 Performativity, ANT, difference and the utopian unsettling 3.9.1 Difference/differance 3.9.2 Performativity, ANT and an unsettling utopian ethics 3.10 Conclusion 4. Critical geographies of architecture: collecting/dispersing buildings 74 4.1 Introduction in 4.2 ‘Reading’ architecture 4.3 ‘Critical geographies of architecture’ 4.4 Gieryn’s ‘moments’ and other approaches 4.5 Actor Network Theory 4.6 Performativity (and non-representational theory) 4.7 Collecting/dispersing buildings: translation 4.7.1 Collecting and dispersing the Hundertwasser-Haus and Nant-y-Cwm: texts 4.7.2 Practices 4.7.3 Summary: what about utopia? 4.8 Conclusion 5. Methodology 108 5.1 Introduction 5.2 A note on collecting/dispersing and material-semiotic methods 5.3 The Hundertwasser-Haus 5.3.1 Texts 5.3.2 Ethnographic methods 5.3.3 Interpreting ethnographic material 5.3.4 Problems 5.4 Nant-y-Cwm School 5.4.1 Texts 5.4.2 Ethnographic methods 5.4.3 Interpreting ethnographic material 5.4.4 Problems 5.5 Conclusion 6. Introducing the Hundertwasser-Haus and Nant-y-Cwm: constructing 129 ‘different’ buildings 6.1 Introduction 6.2 The Hundertwasser-Haus 6.2.1 The house 6.2.2 Context and influences 6.2.3 Movement and the Hamburg Line 6.2.4 Nature and artistic creativity 6.2.5 Hundertwasser’s other built projects 6.2.6 The Hundertwasser-Haus in the context o f Viennese architectural history 6.2.7 Press responses to the Hundertwasser-Haus: difference 6.3 Nant-y-Cwm Steiner School 6.3.1 The school 6.3.2 Rudolf Steiner and anthroposphy 6.3.3 Influences and Day’s written work 6.3.4 Work, health and process-based design 6.3.5 Parents and the local area 6.3.6 Day’s other projects IV 6.3.7 Press attention and difference 6.4 Conclusion 7. Living with difference: The Hundertwasser-Haus 188 7.1 Introduction to chapters 7 & 8 7.2 Introduction: Hundertwasser-Haus 7.3 Living with an artwork 7.4 Living with the press and tourists 7.4.1 The press at the house 7.4.2 Tourists at the house 7.5 Conclusion: Hundertwasser-Haus 8. Living with difference: Nant-y-Cwm School 211 8.1 Introduction: contextualizing the difference of Nant-y-Cwm 8.2 The buildings 8.3 A general ‘culture’ of difference at Nant-y-Cwm 8.4 ‘Right’ difference, a ‘right education’ and a ‘fitting’ time 8.5 Conclusion: Nant-y-Cwm 8.6 General conclusion to chapters 7 & 8 9. Constructing home: The Hundertwasser-Haus 234 9.1 General introduction to chapters 9 & 10 9.2 The Hundertwasser-Haus: Introduction 9.3 Home and identity 9.4 Practical considerations 9.5 Everyday moments or utopian escape? 9.6 Conclusion 10. Constructing home: Nant-y-Cwm 257 10.1 Introduction: Nant-y-Cwm 10.2 Constructing and compromising a homely school 10.3 Performing a ‘homely’ school: Structuring the day 10.4 Children’s use of the school 10.5 From constructions of an ideal to ideal constructions: utopian moments 10.6 Conclusion 10.7 General conclusion to chapters 9 & 10 11. Constructing community spaces: The Hundertwasser-Haus 285 11.1 Introduction to chapters 11 & 12 11.2 Introduction: Hundertwasser-Haus v 11.3 The original community 11.4 The house’s openness 11.5 Personal friendships 11.6 Conclusion 12. Constructing community spaces: Nant-y-Cwm School 12.1 Introduction 12.2 A ‘pioneering spirit’ 12.3 Community today 12.4 The future of the school (community) 12.5 Conclusion: Nant-y-Cwm 12.6 General conclusion to chapters 11 & 12 13. Conclusion 13.1 Unsettling utopia 13.2 A critical geography of architecture 13.3 The Hundertwasser-Haus and Nant-y-Cwm 13.4 Future work and closing comments Appendices Appendix 1 Interview schedule for the Hundertwasser-Haus Appendix 2 Interview schedule for Nant-y-Cwm Steiner School Appendix 3 List of interviews at the Hundertwasser-Haus Appendix 4 List of interviews at Nant-y-Cwm Bibliography List of figures and plates List of figures Page Figure 6.1 The Hundertwasser-Haus: location