Architecture

Enlightenment, Theory and Practise

Peter Sellars has been holding a guest professorship at the Institute of Architecture of the University of Applied Arts Vienna since March 2005. Based on a co-operation with the studio of professor Wolf D. Prix, Sellars heads the interdisciplinary studio “Enlightenment, theory and practise”, in whose context students and graduates of the study program...(more)

Enlightenment, Theory and Practise

Peter Sellars has been holding a guest professorship at the Institute of Architecture of the University of Applied Arts Vienna since March 2005. Based on a co-operation with the studio of professor Wolf D. Prix, Sellars heads the interdisciplinary studio “Enlightenment, theory and practise”, in whose context students and graduates of the study programmes for architecture, landscape design, art, art pedagogy and graphic design are to develop joint projects. The focus of the projects is on the key themes formulated by Sellars for NEW CROWNED HOPE: “Transformation, Reconciliation, Remembrance“. The declared objective lies in developing and implementing architectural projects and artistic urban interventions in Vienna that will be inspired by the positions and ideas embodied in NEW CROWNED HOPE and will constitute physical manifestations of these ideas. In November 2006, some of these projects shall be realized; all works will be presented in an exhibition at Architekturzentrum Wien.

Since the 2005 summer semester, the abovementioned concepts and ideas have been intensively communicated, are being theoretically discussed with students and will be put into a specific perspective relating to Vienna. The key focus is on public spaces in the city that are situated in social “hot spots” and/or constitute unused, “fallow” urban areas. Direct communication with marginalised population groups is assigned particular importance. A wide variety of social facilities and institutions of the city were visited by the students for an analysis of their potentials and needs. Particularly intense interactions developed with Ute Bock and Integrationshaus Wien. Starting from this experience, the students were confronted with concrete places in the city, which had been proposed as project sites by Rudolf Schicker, Executive City Councilor for Urban Development, Traffic and Transport. Fundamental issues that are to be addressed and placed within the difficult field that extends between segregation and integration include: what is missing in a given context? What urbanistic, landscaping, architectural and artistic interventions would permit improving such contexts? How can public space be created that will enable marginalised groups to reinforce and reimagine their complex identities? What kind of programme could evoke a novel mix of cultural and social spaces and events?

Students and graduates involved: Christian Deschka, Kieran C. Fraser, Sandra Häuplik, Iris Hercher, Verena Holzgethan, Gregor Holzinger, Doris Kepplinger, Leo Levine-Moringer, Panajota Panotopoulou, Luciano Parodi, Daniel Podmirseg, Eva Radlherr, Marta Rego, Tatia Skhirtladze, Rüdiger Suppin, Elena Valcheva, Tobias Werkner

Director of projects and project studio: Peter Sellars

In co-operation with: Studio Prix, Institute of Architecture, University of Applied Arts Vienna

Project leaders: Bärbel Müller, Hannes Stiefel