Graz Architecture
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Graz Architecture Rationalists, Aesthetes, Gut Instinct Architects, Democrats, Mediacrats Thanks TU Graz, Institute for Architectural Theory, History of Art and Cultural Studies: Ingrid Böck, Sophia Walk Konrad Frey Volker Giencke Andrea Gleiniger Bernhard Hafner Karin Wilhelm Eilfried Huth Karla Kowalski Hermann Eisenköck Manfred Wolff-Plottegg Petra Friedl Eugen Gross Julia Gaisbacher Sabine Pink Oliver Hangl Ingrid Thonhofer Mischa Kuball Anselm Wagner Anna Meyer Gerhard Wallner Arthur Zalewski HDA: Markus Bogensberger, Karin Oberhuber Academy of Fine Arts, Berlin: Werner Künstlerhaus – Halle für Kunst & Medien: Heegewaldt, Eva-Maria Barkhofen, Catherine Helga and Sandro Droschl Amé, Tanja Morgenstern, Juliane Kreißl steirischer herbst: Veronica Kaup-Hasler, Archive TU Graz: Bernhard Reismann Martina Heil, Andreas Peternell Architektur Haus Kärnten: Raffaela Lackner, Gisela Stramitzer Bernhard Schabbauer Architekturzentrum Wien: Angelika Fitz, Stefan Schöttel Monika Platzer, Katrin Stingl Wolfgang Georg Fischer, Konrad Fischer Julia Gaisbacher gives her thanks to the Forum Stadtpark: Heidrun Primas, Filipa Cicin- residents of the Eschen Development. Sain, Roland Schwarz Ernst and Maria Gradischnig Gabriele Krenn, Heinz Kallan Gerald Zugmann, Sabine Haase-Zugmann Zultner Metall GmbH: Bernd Flachs, Julia Zeilinger Graz Architecture Rationalists, Aesthetes, Gut Instinct Architects, Democrats, Mediacrats This exhibition guide is published on occasion of the exhibition Graz Architecture Rationalists, Aesthetes, Gut Instinct Architects, Democrats, Mediacrats 23.09.2017–28.01.2018 Kunsthaus Graz Universalmuseum Joanneum 4 Arthur Zalewski 6 Family Affairs 10 Mischa Kuball 12 Beautiful, tasteful, attractive? 18 What matter who’s speaking, someone said, what mat- ter who’s speaking? 30 Clean air and a lovely location 36 Continuity and change 40 Architecture is not only there for self-realisation 45 Energy from the sun is independent of all the oil sheiks and coal mines in the world. It shines on both the beggar and the millionaire 50 Only poverty has a future 56 Becoming involved, taking an active part, participating, with self-determination and joint decision-making 58 Julia Gaisbacher 62 Oliver Hangl 66 Interpretable, adaptable and extendable 78 Anna Meyer 80 Appendix Arthur Zalewski or drove along on his way to the objects. Even though the single objects and the Photography as an essay single images retain their autonomy, they are thought of and treated in relation to Arthur Zalewski went out in search of one another. Basically, Zalewski adopts places that have connections with both an essayistic understanding of photogra- exhibitions. He took photographs of the phy—he approaches the objects he wishes inside and the outside of the Kunsthaus, to photograph from various perspectives, Wolff-Plottegg’s residential complex in subjectively, unsystematically, discovering Seiersberg, Domenig’s Z savings bank in surprising cross connections and views of Vienna and Giencke’s greenhouses in Graz, the architecture of Graz. amongst others. Alongside these objects, all of which are presented in the exhibition Graz Architektur, he places photographs of other buildings in Graz, Styria or elsewhere. In this way, Zalewski establishes a network of relationships between the protagonists of the exhibition and those whose work is not shown there, between architecturally sophisticated projects and purely practi- cal ones, between masterpieces and purely Born in 1971 in Kędzierzyn-Koźle (PL), lives functional buildings with no design ambi- in Leipzig (DE) tion. Exhibitions and projects (selected): At first glance, many of Zaleweski’s photos OFFENE FRAGEN — FACE to FACE, Bun- seem like snapshots—they appear unspec- desverwaltungsgericht, Leipzig (2015); 12“, tacular and arbitrary, almost as though ASPN, Leipzig (2015); Aufstocker, Kunst- the artist had pressed the shutter release verein Leipzig (2014); Notes on Beijin g, button at random. However, the images are ASPN, Leipzig (2014, solo); Abstraktion und based on a series of decisions—Zalewski Erschöpfung, Galerie b2, Leipzig (2014); photographs consistently with a focal Ortsbestimmung. Zeitgenössische Kunst length of 60 mm, slightly zooming in on the aus Sachsen, Museum Görlitz/Kaiser trutz motif. The subject and framing are precisely (2013); Irreguläre und andere Tage, Kunst- chosen, and a similar precision is shown museum Dieselkraftwerk, Cottbus (2013); in the selection and presentation of the Why I Gray, Werkschau/Halle 12, Baumwoll- pictures. Whilst photographing, Zalewski spinnerei, Leipzig (2013); Messer im Was- proceeds in an associative manner, combin- ser / Noz w wodzie, Freunde der Städtischen ing coincidence with an interest in precise Sammlungen für Geschichte und Kultur e. image construction. The path between the V. Görlitz (2012); Alle Allein, ASPN, Leipzig objects he intends to photograph plays (2012, solo); RIGHT OF REFUSAL, Maga- an important role. Anything that catches zin4 - Kunstverein Bregenz (2012); since his interest just before he takes the photo 2011 numerous book and photo projects may become a picture in its own right. This with Spector Verlag Leipzig, Schauspiel means that the artist’s material collection Stuttgart, artist collective Liga und ASPN includes images of the routes he walked Leipzig. 4 5 Family Affairs to the multifunctional and medial interest of British architecture, above all of Cedric The reason for showing the works of Price, who for his part had inspired Archi- Günther Domenig, Konrad Frey, Volker gram. Frey was impressed by the Kunsthaus Giencke, Bernhard Hafner, Eilfried Huth, design by architects Cook/Fournier, which Szyszkowitz + Kowalski and Manfred Wolff- culminated in a friendship with Fournier. Plottegg lies not only in their architectural Frey, and later Manfred Wolff-Plottegg, were significance, but—even if this may initially the first points of contact in Graz when seem surprising—in their (multi-layered) the British architects began to set up their relation to Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, office. Karla Kowalski names Archigram as the creators of the Kunsthaus. I was inter- vital for her decision to add postgraduate ested, starting with the Kunsthaus and study at the AA School in London to her how it came into being, in investigating degree in architecture. Peter Cook was work- the works of those Graz-based architects ing as a lecturer there, with Colin Fournier who like Cook and Fournier were born in one of her fellow-students. After Kowalski’s the 1930s and 1940s and so belong to the time in London, the contact broke off. Only same generation. It is no exaggeration to when the Kunsthaus was consecrated did say that Graz and the TU had become a the three meet again. Bernhard Hafner met hub for contemporary building culture in Peter Cook and other Archigram members the second half of the 20th century. Impor- in Los Angeles in 1968/69, when he was tant architects such as Yona Friedman, Frei teaching at that city’s UCLA. While Peter Otto or Cedric Price came to this city, while Cook and Günther Domenig only got to conversely Graz architects were successful know each personally in 1980, the Briton beyond Austria’s borders for many years. had already previously published his Aus- trian colleague’s work in the Archigram mag- In the course of my research, it turned out azine. The Architektur Consult ZT GmbH, to that there are deep-reaching links between which Domenig still belonged at the time the Austrian and the British architects of the Kunsthaus competition, functioned sometimes going back several decades. as the contractor partner office in the con- Peter Cook and Eilfried Huth met in the struction of the Kunsthaus Graz. Volker mid-1980s on the occasion of the exhibition Giencke was the 1976 award winner of the Vision of Modernism. The Construction Prin- Shinkenchiku competition in Tokyo, at the ciple in Frankfurt’s Museum of Architecture, time the world’s largest and most important at which both Archigram and Huth/Domenig competition for modern architecture. The were represented. Eilfried Huth’s interest in only juror back then was Peter Cook. Cook British architecture, however, especially in and Giencke saw and met one another time Archigram and Cedric Price, goes back even and again after that, at large architectural further to the 1960s. Konrad Frey met Cook symposia, as jurors, at lectures and at Bien- during his time in London. He lived in the nials in Venice, etc. Giencke was also the British metropole from 1968 to 1974. Like chairman of the jury that decided upon the Huth, he was already familiar with Archi- building of the Kunsthaus. Fournier met gram beforehand: his Cowicle is a direct ref- Giencke through Manfred Wolff-Plottegg in erence to Michael Webb’s Cushicle. His state Graz in the 1990s. Fournier like Cook, was examination project at the TU Graz, the also a guest professor at the ./studio 3 at work on Kaiser-Josef-Platz, is also thanks Innsbruck University. Fournier and Wolff- 6 Plottegg have known each other since 1994. exists for him, and under which he also sub- They met frequently, talking about ‘God and sumes the exhibiting architects) as ‘cousins’ the devil in architecture’ (Plottegg), and not of the Kunsthaus, whereby in his eyes, his least—since Cook and Fournier had won the and Fournier’s contribution is ‘less spiky and Kunsthaus competition—about the situ- less local’. They see themselves very much ation of architects in Graz, too. They co- as one ‘family’, albeit one comprised of what translated Jean Baudrillard as well (includ- may be clearly regarded as some highly idi- ing Architecture: Truth or Radicalism?). osyncratic characters. In the run-up to the exhibition I was fre- As in every family, there are always disa- quently asked whether these relations greements, and we seek to be more or less between Cook/Fournier and Graz architects close to some relatives; indeed, in some were important at all for the selection of cases we break off relations altogether. the architects exhibiting. This is assuredly This characterises relations among those not the only significant point for showing taking part in the exhibition titled Graz these eight positions.