Institute of Habsburg and Balkan Studies / Research Unit Art History: Richard Kurdiovsky and the Research Unit Art History of the TU Vienna: Oliver Sukrow (Web)

Time: 01.-02.10.2020
Venue: Virtual Space via Vienna
Registration by: 28.09.2020
In the course of Vienna‘s emergence as a modern metropolis in the second half of the 19th century, critical questions regarding the health and hygienic living conditions of its inhabitants became more widely known to experts as well as to a broader public. Influenced by progress in the natural sciences and medicine, and particularly by the “Viennese Medical School”, the fields of medicine, architecture and urban planning intersected at this time in Vienna. Up until now, the main focus of work in the history of science has been on the training and development of expert medical knowledge after the Josephinian reforms of the Enlightenment, and references to architecture and urban planning have been infrequent.
On the other hand, work in the history of 19th century architecture only rarely addresses medical issues, or the influence of medical developments on architectural design. Nevertheless, the problem of “healthy” or “hygienic” space was linked to urban planning and architectural considerations at an early point. For example, the doctor Carl Böhm developed a remarkable ventilation system for the Court Opera, whose principle was adopted by many public buildings on the Ringstrasse. Similarly, issues of health and hygiene influenced the building regulations of 1868, as well as Eugen Faßbender‘s regulatory plan for Vienna from 1893.
While in Vienna living in the suburbs or the countryside during the summer had been firmly established since the 18th century, the subsequent expansion of the city due to industrialisation and population growth led to new forms of health oriented accommodation outside the city (the “Sommerfrische” [summer resort]). Read more and source … (Web).
The event will be held in a mixture of German and English. Participation is only possible online. Please contact prior Richard Kurdiovsky (Richard.Kurdiovsky[at]oeaw.ac.at).