About Andrew Cusack
Writer, web designer, etc.; born in New York; educated in Argentina, Scotland, and South Africa; now based in London. read more
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An Otto Wagner Embassy
The unbuilt Imperial Russian Embassy in Vienna
Otto Wagner was an exceptionally talented architect, though not, I think, the genius that many people would credit him with being. In the most emblematic work for which he is known, the Kirche am Steinhof in Vienna, there is too much angularity and not enough flow, curvature. For a free-standing structure it feels a bit stultified and uptight despite the brilliance of the individual elements of the design. I much prefer his Post Office Savings Bank and Stadtbahn stations.
Stumbling through the archives the other day, I came across this unexecuted Otto Wagner design for an Imperial Russian Embassy in Vienna: one now-vanished emperor’s embassy to another. From earlier in his career, it’s not as distinctively Ottowagnerian, but I admire the composition of the façade. The bulbous curved projections into the courtyard, however, are unfortunate, and too large for the space.
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A pompous design, showing ambition but nothing which even hints at genius.
The Russians ended up simply adding a story to their old embassy – as well as a splendid Orthodox church, showing that, as always, the old regime had its priorities right.
Wagner also submitted designs for the Hungarian Parliament, the Reichstag, and the Lutheran Dom in Berlin. Although they were not built, they would make wonderful topics for your future posts!
I like this building design very much actually, and wouldn’t mind if that was what the next billionaire builder wanted to put up in New York.
I like this building,sadly unbuilt. It is true that it is “pompous” but that is what an embassy of a great empire should be. They are designed to impress the leaders and citizens of the host country with the power and majesty which they represent – in this case the great Russian Empire. I think Otto Wagner rose to the challenge and didn’t fall into the temptation to design something too radical or “modern”.