Parallel Urban Spaces from the 20th Century
March 7–June 8, 2018
The first exhibition of 2018 in Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein’s Architektur im Ringturm series focuses on the distinctive architectural languages of Budapest and Vienna. The exhibition spotlights architectural trends in both capitals between 1918 and 1970. Selected pairs of images presented alongside one another give an insight into similarities and differences in architecture and the arts. There is also an emphasis on the Danube, which connects the two capitals, and the urbanisation of landscapes along the river.
No two European capital cities are as similar in so many ways as Vienna and Budapest. This was the reason behind Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein’s decision to devote a 2015 exhibition in its popular series to a comparison of the two cities, with a focus on the Gründerzeit era in the mid-to-late 19th century. The upcoming exhibition can be seen as a chronological extension of the earlier show: around 130 pairs of cityscapes give a parallel insight into urban spaces from the end of the dual monarchy to the conclusion of the classical modernist period in the early 1970s.
The juxtaposed photos taken in Budapest and Vienna offer a direct comparison, accompanied by brief descriptions. The typical architecture employed in Budapest and Vienna between 1918 and 1970 quickly becomes apparent, as do the similarities that emerged in spite of the differences in political direction. The main topics of the exhibition take their cue from the most significant architectural, urban development and social discourses of the short 20th century. The emphasis is on the core topics of living, transport, and welfare state institutions and buildings. Other hallmarks of the 20th century are also addressed, including lighting and electricity, war and dictatorships, verticality in architecture, monuments and the preservation of cityscapes.
As an aside, the exhibition also looks at the Danube—Europe’s second-longest river—and the urbanisation of the landscapes on its banks in the 20th century, focusing on the new ports, beaches and residential complexes that took shape on the water’s edge.
Scientific concept: Máté Tamáska
Exhibition curator: Adolph Stiller
Hours: Monday–Friday 9am–6pm (closed on public holidays)
Free admission
Contact: Philippe Batka, philippe.batka [at] airt.at
