Academy Challenge: Discover Brutalism in Vienna

Vienna – one thinks of the Hofburg, stucco, carriages and lots of gold. But do you think of massive concrete? That’s why we sent our Baumeister Academy winner Theresa off to discover Brutalism in Vienna. She chose a centerpiece: the Wotruba Church.

I get up unusually early for a Sunday. I make my way to the so-called “Stanahaufen” in the 23rd district of Vienna-Mauer. In reality, the pile of stones is a church designed by sculptor Fritz Wotruba and architect Fritz Mayr.

The architect Fritz Mayr had the task of constructing a functioning building from a scale model of a Wotruba sculpture. The sculpture was created by Fritz Wotruba. Not an easy task. At least the client and Wotruba were quickly able to agree on the material: Beton Brut – after all, it was the 1970s when construction began.

I walk up the hill to the church and stand in front of the glass entrance portal, which is framed by huge concrete blocks of different sizes. 15.50 meters high, 22 meters wide and 30 meters long, the church stands there without any symmetry or main façade. To get an idea of the building, I need to know how the visitors interact with the architecture. I decide to attend the service in this unusual place.

Inside, the building doesn’t look particularly inviting at first glance. 152 massive concrete blocks are stacked up, archaic, marked by the weather. So why did someone build a church like this? The answer lies in 1948, the fateful year for Margarethe Ottillinger. The then 28-year-old top civil servant was arrested by Russian soldiers in Vienna, sentenced to 25 years of forced labor, tortured and abused for seven years. She came out of Russian captivity in 1955 and, despite fierce resistance from the population, had a church built based on the sculpture by Fritz Wotruba. Her intention was to shock people with the building and make them think. To reflect on what people can be capable of, what was done to her and many others, and to never forget.

Signs of the times

Shortly before the service begins, the many visitors fill the building. Then follows a contemporary sermon, which is greeted by beaming faces, singing worshippers and enthusiasm. In between, I let my gaze wander and notice the many structural damages: cracks in the concrete ceiling and on the walls, glass panes that have become blind over time. But the light shining through the concrete blocks creates an atmosphere.

After the service, I talk to some of the parishioners. They are proud of their church, of its appearance. They identify with the building and everyone knows the story of Margarethe Ottillinger. And just as she wanted, the building has become an acupuncture point in people’s consciousness.

All pictures: Theresa Wunder

The Baumeister Academy is an internship project of the architecture magazine Baumeister and is supported by GRAPHISOFT and BAU 2019.