Ernst A. Plischke (1903-1992) - Austrian modern architecture and the emigration of the architect to New Zealand - his work and his teaching

Research project P 14557 Ernst A. Plischke, Architect (1903-1992) Austrian Modern Architecture and the Emigration of the Architect August SARNITZ 27.11.2000 ERNST A. PLISCHKE, ARCHITECT 1903 - 1992 AUSTRIAN MODERN ARCHITECTURE AND THE EMIGRATION OF THE ARCHITECT TO NEW ZEALAND - HIS WORK AND HIS TEACHING The Austrian architect Ernst A. Plischke (1903 -1992) is generally known for his striking modern buildings in Austria during the 1930s. Among these are the ,,Employment office" in Vienna, Liesing (1930), his buildings for the Werkbund Siedlung in Vienna (1932), and the country hous near the lake Attersee, known as the Gamerith- house (1933). After his emigration to New Zealand in 1939 he first worked as a civil servant for the city of Wellington, before starting his own architectural practice. During the following years Plischke realized a great number of consitently modern buildings, mainly single family houses and appartment buildings. Among others he realized a church and a multi-purpose building in Wellington. In the year 1963 Plischke returned to Vienna because he was offered a professorship at the reknowned School of Architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, the same School where Otto Wagner and Peter Behrens have tought as his predecessors. Within the 20th century architectural history of Austria Ernst Plischke emerges as one of the key figuers of modern architecture in the sense of the "International Style". Together with Rudolph Schindler, Richard Neutra, and Ernst Lichtblau the architect Ernst Plischke documents the most interesting oeuvre in the complex field of urban design, architecture, interior design, and furniture. However, since the focus of the architectural history was largely oriented towards the emegration of Austrian architects to the United States, the political and cultural situation of Plischke was omitted from contemporary research. This research-project therefore focuses strongly on the international relationships of Plischke`s work and his position among the first European Moderns to introduce the International Style to overseas countries. In the year 2003 Plischke`s 100 th birthday should be commemorated with an exhibition at the School of Architecture where he tought for ten years the post-world-war II Austrian architectural generation, which itself became the new avant-garde in the country. This research is organized as an interdisciplinary project, with specific fields of architectural history, furniture history, and art history.