After successful completion of the course, students are able to develop a research question and write a scientific text. After completing the course, students will also be able to name basic methods of urban research, heritage conservation and heritage studies. In addition, they will be able to evaluate the socially influenced attribution of meaning to monuments.
destroyed - restored - reconstructed: Monuments during the war and reconstruction
The period between the destruction of the war and the early reconstruction after the Second World War not only represents a decisive period in the transformation of cities over the course of the last century, but has also been recognised in recent research as a period of heritage making, i.e. as a moment of social negotiation and definition of the building stock worthy of preservation. As part of reconstruction planning, numerous decisions were taken about preservation or demolition and replacement, which significantly changed the structure and appearance of the war-damaged old towns. Many buildings were reconstructed, especially outstanding buildings that were considered worthy of preservation, such as the State Opera House, while others were replaced by new buildings, such as the Heinrichshof opposite. It was not only the structural condition of the buildings after the end of the war that was decisive in these considerations, but rather the values and significance of the architecture were negotiated and decisions were made about restoration and destruction. The task of the participants in the seminar will be to examine this architectural process from the perspective of monument research, to analyse the transformation of selected areas of Vienna's old town and the restoration history of individual buildings.
The following questions will be discussed in the seminar:
- What was the extent of the destruction, which buildings were affected, who documented the damage?
- Who decided on the value of the buildings and their suitability for reconstruction?
- Which actors were involved in the discussion about the future of individual architectural monuments? How were decisions made?
- To what extent did monument preservation influence the decisions on restoration or demolition?
- How was the destruction perceived in the media and by the public?
In the course of our research, we will look at various sources (including historical city maps, historical images, films and written documents) and learn how to research and critically analyse them. The ultimate aim is also to understand the city as a changing entity and to be able to recognise, interpret and evaluate different layers of time.
Weekly Thursday 11.00-13.00; Start 7.3.2024, SR 257; Compulsory attendance!
A reading shelf at the department library and additional handouts will be provided to assist.
Please consider the plagiarism guidelines of TU Wien when writing your seminar paper:
Directive concerning the handling of plagiarism (PDF)
Writing a seminar paper: Each participant has to submit a written, methodologically sound, scientific paper of approx. 15 pages of continuous text. The results will be presented in a final presentation. The assessment criteria also include active participation in the group meetings, short presentations and text discussions.
