DOI Heft:
No. 128 (November, 1903)
DOI Artikel:Lux, J. A.: The "Arbeiterheim", or workmen's home, Vienna
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19880#0168
A Vienna Workmen,'s Home
RECREATION HALL IN THE VIENNA WORKMEN S HOME HUBERT GESSNER, ARCHITECT
implanted by Wagner in his disciples are as fruitful right proportions without hugeness, simplicity with
germs developing fast in the younger generation, out meagreness, and strength without baldness.
The whole secret of the success of Wagner's The household gods of comfort and hospitality
school is that he recognises talent and exercises must be found there. When the cost must be
strict selection. Others may boast of the number limited, as was the case here, the difficulty is aggra-
of their pupils—sixty or more in a year ; but he vated ; still, this has its advantages. Everything
sifts his down to ten, or even five. But these five superfluous must be avoided, and the best and the
are a host. While he fights the Cerberus of official most must be made of a little, while nothing must
committees, his disciples are conquering the world be found lacking. Frugality becomes a virtue ; the
of small things. One of these pupils, not yet complexity of the task lies in foreseeing and pro-
famous indeed, but capable perhaps of becoming viding for the requirements of family life, and sup-
so, is Hubert Gessner; and, since he is not widely plying every convenience for such a life, from the
known, some outline of his artistic antecedents and private rooms to a place for festive and political
milieu may be of interest. Though still quite meetings, with accommodation for entertainments
young, he has already designed two important and educational purposes.
public buildings : a Savings Bank at Czernowitz How has Gessner achieved his task ? The struc-
and the Workman's Home in Vienna. ture is in two main divisions : the dwelling-house
To design a building for the modern workman is on the street-front, and a large hall at the back,
a difficult task, and a new problem for the architect, with a vestibule between them accessible from the
The strict adaptation of the structure to its end street. On the ground floor, under the dwellings,
presupposes a knowledge of the requirements of the are a restaurant and buffet. On the entresol are
modern artisan ; and, besides this, the art of ex- the offices of the company, of the sick fund, the
pressing the social idea which should characterise library, etc. ; and above these the small compact
such a building. Strict taste is needed to find the tenements, each consisting of a bedroom with a
151
RECREATION HALL IN THE VIENNA WORKMEN S HOME HUBERT GESSNER, ARCHITECT
implanted by Wagner in his disciples are as fruitful right proportions without hugeness, simplicity with
germs developing fast in the younger generation, out meagreness, and strength without baldness.
The whole secret of the success of Wagner's The household gods of comfort and hospitality
school is that he recognises talent and exercises must be found there. When the cost must be
strict selection. Others may boast of the number limited, as was the case here, the difficulty is aggra-
of their pupils—sixty or more in a year ; but he vated ; still, this has its advantages. Everything
sifts his down to ten, or even five. But these five superfluous must be avoided, and the best and the
are a host. While he fights the Cerberus of official most must be made of a little, while nothing must
committees, his disciples are conquering the world be found lacking. Frugality becomes a virtue ; the
of small things. One of these pupils, not yet complexity of the task lies in foreseeing and pro-
famous indeed, but capable perhaps of becoming viding for the requirements of family life, and sup-
so, is Hubert Gessner; and, since he is not widely plying every convenience for such a life, from the
known, some outline of his artistic antecedents and private rooms to a place for festive and political
milieu may be of interest. Though still quite meetings, with accommodation for entertainments
young, he has already designed two important and educational purposes.
public buildings : a Savings Bank at Czernowitz How has Gessner achieved his task ? The struc-
and the Workman's Home in Vienna. ture is in two main divisions : the dwelling-house
To design a building for the modern workman is on the street-front, and a large hall at the back,
a difficult task, and a new problem for the architect, with a vestibule between them accessible from the
The strict adaptation of the structure to its end street. On the ground floor, under the dwellings,
presupposes a knowledge of the requirements of the are a restaurant and buffet. On the entresol are
modern artisan ; and, besides this, the art of ex- the offices of the company, of the sick fund, the
pressing the social idea which should characterise library, etc. ; and above these the small compact
such a building. Strict taste is needed to find the tenements, each consisting of a bedroom with a
151