Theory and History of Architecture
Liane Lefaivre, o. Univ. - Prof. Dr. phil.
Mathias Boeckl, ao. Univ. - Prof. Mag. phil. Dr. phil.
The department Theory and History of Architecture is comprised of three faculty members. Liane Lefaivre concentrates on issues relevant to the context of architectural practice, in particular to Critical Regionalism, such as globalisation, progressive urbanisation, urban design, urban planning, regional planning, identity, post-colonialism and sustainability. She also offers courses with varying themes related to twentieth-century architectural design tools; most recently she involved the students in the participatory design process of public spaces in Vienna’s 15th district, also inviting children from the neighborhood to participate in her seminar at the university. The teaching of Matthias Boeckl, one of the most internationally recognized specialists on the topic, provides a comprehensive history of Austrian architecture from the Middle Ages to the present, with special emphasis on Otto Wagner, Adolf Loos and Josef Hoffmann, as well as to the generation of Austrian architects who went into exile, among them Rudolph Schindler, Richard Neutra, Friedrich Kiesler and many others.