21er Haus
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| Established |
1958 (reopened 2011) 1962 Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts (20er Haus); 1979–2001 Branch of the Museum of Modern Art; from 15 November 2011: Branch of the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere |
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| Location | Vienna, Austria |
| Director | Agnes Husslein-Arco |
| Website | www.21erhaus.at |
1958 (reopened 2011)
The 21er Haus or Einundzwanziger Haus (English: House 21) is a modernist style steel and glass building designed by Austrian architect Karl Schwanzer (1918–1975). Originally constructed as the Austrian pavilion or temporary showroom for the Expo 58 in Brussels, it was later transferred to Vienna to house the Museum of the 20th Century, which explains why it was first nicknamed "20er Haus" (House 20). Between 1979 and 2001, the building also acted as a depository for contemporary art works. From 2009 to 2011, it was remodeled by the architect Adolf Krischanitz and consequently renamed 21er Haus to reflect the 21st century.
Karl Schwanzer designed the building in 1954 for the Austrian government's design competition for the national pavilion at the 1958 World's fair in Brussels. In 1955 he was awarded the first prize of the jury, which included Josef Hoffmann. Schwanzer explained that maximum effects had to be achieved with minimum effort as the Austrian budget was tighter than those of most other countries participating at Expo 58. The starting point was to put man at the centre of cultural and intellectual progress, in line with the event's motto: "Striking a balance for a human world". The building was designed as a lightweight structure, its upper 40 by 40 metre floor, six meters above the ground, resting entirely on four buttresses creating a floating effect. Schwanzer was awarded the Grand Prix d'Architecture for his visionary design. Fritz Wotruba created the monumental figural relief which was installed in front of the pavilion, for which he received the award for the Expo's best artwork.
Schwanzer's ground-breaking minimalistic design is widely regarded as a masterpiece of modern architecture, created more than ten years before Ludwig Mies van der Rohe presented his iconic version of flexible interior space and transparent walls in the form of the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin. On 30 January 1958, the daily newspaper Die Presse described the exhibition hall as "a virtually ideal foundation for a Museum of Modern Art".
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