DR.

DY PATIL PRATISHTHAN’S
DR.DY PATIL COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AKURDI, PUNE
SECTOR NO.29, NIGDI PRADHIKARAN , AKURDI ,PUNE-44

‘BOOK REVIEW’
SUBJECT – ELECTIVE I

 Name of student – Aboli Mahajan

 Class – Third year ‘B’

 Subject – Elective – I

 Roll no - 10

SUBMITTED TO – AR. ASHIRWAD KORDE

  BOOK NAME – MODERN
ARCHITECTURE

 AUTHOR– OTTO WAGNER

 PUBLISHER – THE GETTY

CENTRE FOR HISTORY ART
AND THE HUMANITIES

 PRICE – 9215 / -

 PAGES – 202

About Author –
Otto Koloman Wagner 13 July 1841 – 11 April 1918) was an Austrian architect, furniture
designer and urban planner. He was a leading member of the Vienna Secession movement of
architecture, founded in 1897, and the broader Art Nouveau movement. Many of his works
are found in his native city of Vienna, and illustrate the rapid evolution of architecture during
the period. His early works were inspired by classical architecture. By mid-1890s, he had
already designed several buildings in what became known as the Vienna Secession style.
Beginning in 1898, with his designs of Vienna Metro stations, his style became floral and Art
Nouveau, with decoration by Koloman Moser. His later works, 1906 until his death in 1918,
had geometric forms and minimal ornament, clearly expressing their function. They are
considered predecessors to modern architecture. Wagner's book, however, also had its
exegesists among the critics. The most thoughtful response was Richard Streiter's impressive
study of 1898, "Architektonische Zeitfragen" (Contemporary Architectural Questions), which
carried the subtitle, "A Collection and Examination of Different Views with Particular Regard
to Professor Otto Wagner's Modern Architecture. Wagner himself used the term in Modern
Architecture and in the preface to the first volume of his Projects Sketches, and Executed
Buildings, written in October 1889.10 In the earlier work, he applauded realism's triumph as a
healthy sign of progress, manifesting itself (exceedingly so) in such works as the Eiffel
Tower.
Chapter 1 : THE ARCHITECT
The architect with his happy combination of idealism and realism has been praised as the
crowning glory of modern man. Unfortunately he alone feels the truth of these words, while his
contemporaries stand off to the side, little interested. The lifelong training of the architect, the
responsibility connected with his creative work, the great difficulties opposing the realization of
his buildings, the indolence and peculiar views of the masses concerning architecture,
unfortunately all too frequent envy, and the diversity of views among his colleagues invariably
cover his path of life with thorns, and far too often he looks wistfully at the disciples of the sister
arts, who as a rule are carried aloft by mankind along a path strewn with roses. The praise and
criticism that should enrich the career of the artist, as the sun and rain enrich the earth, seldom
appear in the architectural sky; the eternal gray of practice and darkness of public in differencial
every free and cheerful prospect. He says architects cannot be condemned enough for not
willingly and courageously taking up the 'artistic struggle thrust upon them by mankind, for not
knowing how to ward off the indifference of the masses toward architecture, and for simply
throwing up their hands, An active, untiring participation in exhibitions, relentless sedulity, and
unflagging energy would certainly help to promote a gradual improvement .Participation in
competitions, not with standing all their inherent deficiencies ,cannot be recommended enough,
because they are extraordinarily instructive. Although colleagues generally maintain complete
silence on exhibited works, everyone knows that one can impress artists only by works, and in
the face of them any baseless claim vanishes or even achieves the opposite effect .Through his
works the artist shows his ability, his thoughts and feelings his soul, truth and the last is always
of interest when it is beautiful. All artists are equally receptive to such a truth, and exhibitions
and competitions are just the opportunity for showing it.

Chapter 2 : STYLE
An opinion that is unfortunately very prevalent even in professional circles and is accepted, as it
were, as a postulate is that the architect must create a foundation for each of his compositions
through the choice of a so-called style. 'People then expect that he cultivate a special preference
for that stylistic tendency for which he shows an aptitude. The advocates of this theory adhere to
the stylistic foundation down to the smallest detail; it becomes a hobby horse and is ultimately
advanced as the touchstone for judging the created 'or, more correctly said, the copied art-forms.
The thoughtful architect is indeed in the greatest of predicaments in deciding where he should
apply the lever to pull down such an edifice of lunacy, It should first of all be pointed out that
the word "style" in the sense indicated above invariably refers to the flowering of the epoch,
therefore to the peak of the mountain.
Chapter 3 : COMPOSITION
The writer says composition also belongs what one could call the strategy of architecture.
By this term he mean the proper collaboration with the sister arts of sculpture and painting.
The architect may never lay aside the staff of command in such cases. Whether it is a
matter of decorating the exterior or interior of his works, or adorning his garden layouts,
streets, and squares with monuments, the architect alone is entitled to retain the leading
role, since everything has to be subordinate to his basic idea. Mistakes committed in this
regard become rather noticeable in all questions affecting monuments and are almost
always the order of the day. Every monument is an integral part of the square on which it is
intended to stand, since the square must already exist before the monument is composed;
thus the square 'should never be brought into harmony with the monument, but always the
monument with the square.

Chapter 4 : CONSTRUCTION
In chapter four the importance of construction is explained. The need and necessity for
protection against inclement weather and against men and animals was certainly the first
cause and the original purpose of building. In building itself lies the germ of every method
of construction, whose development advances with the purpose. The creation of such work
corresponds to the idea of pure utility. But it could not suffice; the sense of beauty dwelling
within man called on art and made her the constant companion of building. Thus arise
architecture! The decoration of huts and caves with flowers, boughs, trophies, weapons, and
stone tablets certainly elicited the first feeling for imitation, and thus the first art,
architecture, called into being her sisters, painting and sculpture, Their works are the
independent creation of the beautiful. Need, purpose, construction, and idealism are
therefore the primitive germs of artistic life. United in a single idea, they produce a kind of
"necessity" in the origin and existence of every work of art.

Chapter 5 : THE PRACTICE OF ART

Art repeatedly he have used the expression "the practice of art" and alluded to its later
discussion. He mean by this expression a learned, acquired experience in the shaping of
form, which is attained by everyone who devotes himself to the artistic profession for a
lengthy period of time. He think it is appropriate, therefore, to incorporate into this book the
most important of these principles derived from experience. Before entering into the subject
proper, this question should be considered: "How are architectural works to be presented
graphically It cannot be denied that very little interest in architectural creations is shown so
long as they remain on paper. 'A picture, a sculpture, a room, a building, or any other
artistic object directly affects the senses of the viewer through the eye, thereby greatly
facilitating understanding and judgment. Yet the understanding of plans and elevations
requires an intellectual concentration for which the viewer usually lacks the desire, more
often the capability, thus making judgment more difficult or even impossible. Also, many
architects are content to present designs in an unimaginative way, not consistent with the
demands of modern taste.
Conclusion : - The conclusion after reading this book is that the writer says how an
architectural field differs from the other fields . How much they have to think on a single or
in a particular way not just the exterior but also interior . Also he tells about how construction
plays a very important role in planning .He says you must commit to every single work you
are doing . Also he says that drawings on paper look more catchy than like on what the
modern day architects use it shows more clarity and a sense of imagination in viewing

References : -
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XzkkyhoYAmIsQfVHa3QGZSX4SBCYDkZ