Domenig House
The Domenig-Haus , also known as the former branch of the Zentralsparkasse , is a well-known building by the architect Günther Domenig in Favoritenstrasse 118 in Vienna - Favoriten (10th district). Today it houses the Echo Medienhaus, among other things.
With the expressive facade made of curved stainless steel plates and its strict functionality inside, the Domenig House is considered the most important building of the “Graz School” in this early phase. It is often cited as one of the most notable examples of recent architecture in Austria. The facade as well as the artistically designed first two floors have been under monument protection since October 2005 ( list entry ).
history
The striking reinforced concrete building was built between 1975 and 1979 by Günther Domenig on behalf of the Zentralsparkasse and Kommerzialbank Wien as a bank building and cultural center . When it opened, the U1 underground line , which runs under Favoritenstrasse here , was already in operation (since 1978) and the street in this section was converted into a pedestrian zone. The building, which is located between the Keplerplatz underground station and Viktor-Adler-Platz , a large market, reflected the spirit of optimism that prevailed in the district at the time.
Due to its unusual appearance, the house sparked heated discussions at the time of completion. The multi-arched facade consists of stainless steel panels. The convex, flowing facade seems to be "squeezed in" by the neighboring houses. Straight lines are also rarely found inside, many details are not planned, but were improvised on the spot. Domenig himself describes the building as a key building for his architecture.
“ The technology of the building, which is consistently legible both outside and inside, has been artistically transformed into a biomorphic- simile appearance of bones, tendons, skins, scales, tubes and veins. In this way, the bank building forms an organ-like body with its own aesthetic density and cohesion, which as a symbol of life-oriented activity appeals to people and invites them into its dynamic spatial conceptions. "
The then builder “Z” (Zentralsparkasse) was under the influence of the City of Vienna (Mayor: Leopold Gratz ) and was called the “red bank”. The 10th district still has a social-democratic majority ( almost leveled out in 2015 by the strengthening of the free electoral segment) . Today the former Z branches operate as UniCredit Bank Austria AG (with Milanese parent company) after various bank mergers; the bank no longer uses this building itself. In July 2007, the house was sold to the SPÖ- affiliated Viennese Echo-Verlag.
After the building was taken over by Echo Sportmedia GesmbH in 2008, the exhibition rooms were moved to the basement and were directly accessible from the street. Another change of ownership made a different location necessary in 2013. In autumn 2014, the gallery was relocated under the name Domeniggalerie to the anchor bread factory site , also in the 10th district, which is only partially used by the bread factory and is now at Puchsbaumgasse 1c, staircase 5.2 (access also via Absberggasse 27). The gallery still belongs to the Favoriten Kulturverband, whose president is district chairwoman Hermine Mospointner , and is managed by Gertrud Hopf.
The Domenig House is also known as the "house with the kink".
literature
- Günther Feuerstein: Biomorphic architecture: People and animal shapes in architecture , Volume 1, Edition Axel Menges , 2002, ISBN 978-3-930698-87-5 .
- Lillian Schacherl: Vienna Edition 9, ADAC Verlag DE, 2004, ISBN 978-3-89905-251-0
- Dietmar Steiner, Johann Georg Gsteu: Architecture in Vienna. Austrian Society for Architecture, Issue 3, Die Business Group, Vienna 1990.
- Ernst Křenek , Kristian Sotriffer : Greater Austria: intellectual and social life from 1880 to the present. Edition Tusch , Vienna 1982, ISBN 3-85063-122-2 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Werner Kitlitschka about the Domenig House ( Memento of the original from April 11, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Günther Domenig in the Austria Forum ( memento of the original from July 18, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Lillian Schacherl: Vienna , Edition 9, Verlag ADAC Verlag DE, 2004 ISBN 978-3-89905-251-0 , page 119
Coordinates: 48 ° 10 ′ 38 " N , 16 ° 22 ′ 36.6" E