THE SECESSION BUILDING

THE DESIGN     HISTORY     THE ARCHITECTURE     THE SYMOBLISM OF THE ARCHITECTURE     CONTEMPORARY REACTION     PUBLICATIONS



Secession at night, Photo: Matthias Herrmann


The ground plan and cross-section of the Secession reveals very simple geometrical forms. The building itself covers an area of about 1000m2 and has a centralised floor plan. Olbrich exploited the square as a basic motif in a number of cruciform combinations in the entrance area and exhibition wing. This scheme for the floor plan determines the entire [plastic] shape of the building.



Roof structure above Main Exhibition Hall, Photo: Margherita Spiluttini


Unbroken planes dominate on the exterior of the building. The massive, unbroken walls lend the exterior the appearance of being constructed from a series of solid cubes. However, this rather rigid geometry is utilised by Olbrich as a general framework, which he softens with sinuous lines, curves and overlapping.

Olbrich laid out the design so that it incorporated a "head" and a "body", i.e. a formal entrance area and a functional exhibition area. The entrance is flanked by hermetic blocks that are dominated by four pylons that encase the dome. The exhibition hall has a basilica form with a lofty nave and two lower aisles and a closing transept/asp. It is almost completely covered by tent-like glazed roofs which bathe the interior in a constant/even light.



THE DESIGN     HISTORY     THE ARCHITECTURE     THE SYMOBLISM OF THE ARCHITECTURE     CONTEMPORARY REACTION



For further information and photographic material please contact:
 
Urte Schmitt-Ulms
Secession, Association of Visual Artists Vienna Secession
Friedrichstraße 12, 1010 Vienna
Tel: +43-1-5875307-21, Fax: +43-1-5875307-34
presse@secession.at