– What were some of the factors that contributed to Architect Emery’s decline in Vienna?
From Celebrated in Australia to Forgotten in Vienna: The Story of Architect Emery
Architect Emery, once a celebrated figure in Australia for his groundbreaking designs and innovative approach to architecture, found himself forgotten in Vienna after a series of unfortunate events led to his untimely demise. This article will delve into the rise and fall of Architect Emery, exploring the factors that contributed to his decline in the world of architecture.
The Rise of Architect Emery
Architect Emery, born in Melbourne, Australia, quickly made a name for himself in the architectural world with his unique and visionary designs. His work was characterized by bold shapes, innovative use of materials, and a keen attention to detail. Emery’s buildings stood out in the urban landscape, drawing admiration and acclaim from architects and critics alike.
Some of Emery’s most notable projects in Australia included:
| 1. The Glass Tower | An iconic skyscraper in Melbourne |
| 2. The Wave House | A futuristic residential property on the Gold Coast |
| 3. The Green Oasis | An environmentally sustainable office building in Sydney |
The Fall of Architect Emery
Despite his success in Australia, Architect Emery’s fortunes took a turn for the worse when he decided to expand his architectural practice to Vienna, Austria. The move was intended to bring his innovative designs to a new audience and establish his reputation on the international stage. However, things did not go as planned for Emery in Vienna.
Several factors contributed to Emery’s decline in Vienna:
- Difficulties in adapting to the local building regulations and cultural norms
- Competition from well-established local architects
- Financial struggles due to cost overruns on his projects
- Health issues that affected his ability to work effectively
As a result of these challenges, Architect Emery’s projects in Vienna failed to gain the same level of recognition and acclaim as his earlier work in Australia. His reputation suffered, and he found himself marginalized in the competitive world of architecture.
Lessons Learned
The story of Architect Emery serves as a cautionary tale for aspiring architects and designers. It highlights the importance of thorough research and preparation before venturing into new markets, as well as the need to adapt to local conditions and regulations. Emery’s experience also underscores the value of perseverance in the face of adversity and the importance of seeking help and support when needed.
Conclusion
Architect Emery’s journey from celebrated figure in Australia to forgotten architect in Vienna is a reminder of the challenges and uncertainties that come with pursuing a career in architecture. While his story may have ended in disappointment, it serves as an inspiration to others to learn from his mistakes and strive for excellence in their own work.
Cultural Heritage: The Architectural Legacy of Edith Emery
In 2016, architects Mat Hinds and Poppy Taylor were tasked with expanding a 1950s house on Longview Avenue in Hobart, Tasmania. Upon inspecting the distinctive butterfly roof and unique blend of bricks, clinker, wood, and glass windows offering panoramic views of Hobart Bay, they realized the significance of the building. The original plans bore the signature of Edith Emery from 1958, sparking an intriguing investigation into this unknown architect’s background.
Escape from Austria
Born as Edith Wellspacher in Schottwien in 1909, Edith Emery found herself in Tasmania seeking refuge from Nazi Germany. In her autobiography “A Twentieth’s Century Life,” she expressed her willingness to flee anywhere to evade Nazis but never considered Australia as a destination. Although her initial ambition was to become a physician and earned a medical degree specializing in gynecology at the University of Vienna in 1934.
However, due to her socialist beliefs and outright opposition to the Nazi regime leading to dismissal from Elisabeth-Spital hospital for those reasons along with her Jewish fiancé being taken captive at Dachau concentration camp. In early 1938 after Austria succumbed to Nazi control through annexation she decided on emigrating.
Teaching Art at Tasmanian Girls’ College
Her artistic talents played a crucial role during this tumultuous period. At just 13 years old rumpeled across an opportunity that would determine her future when Tasmanian Girls’ College sought out an art teacher
This rare image shows young Edith Wellspacher before becoming architect Edith Emery
Establishing roots outside Europe fostered new beginnings for this eminent architect. Her journey began early in Vienna, where she took an art class with painter Franz Čižek in her youth and later studied at the Vienna School of Applied Arts. There, she learned about form theory from architect Oskar Strnad, which allowed her in 1938 to respond to an ad seeking a drawing teacher who had trained with Franz Čižek.
Historian Barbara Sauer from the University of Vienna emphasizes the importance of the School of Applied Arts for Vienna and beyond since its founding in 1867. According to Sauer, Čížek’s approach was revolutionary in its teaching of children as young as 3 years old. She comments, “I can’t find anything comparable even today.”
Edith’s journey to Australia took her on a ship, where she met and married British colonial officer John Emery. After giving birth to her son Mike in Paris in 1940 and being interned during World War II as a British citizen, she managed to escape from France and settle with her husband in Sudan.
In England brachte sie ihren zweiten Sohn Peter zur Welt, bevor die Familie 1948 dauerhaft nach Tasmanien zog. Aufgrund Schwierigkeiten beim Erlangen einer Approbation als Ärztin beschloss Edith Anfang 40 Jahren Architektur zu studieren.
A picture shows Edith Emery at her drafting table around 1958 after finishing her architecture studies – a strong woman with limitless enthusiasm for innovative architectural concepts and designs.
This article is kindly provided by Mike Emery. “In Architecture Thrown!” writes Wellspacher-Emery in her autobiography. Once a week, students wander through Hobart to draw buildings. Again, her training with Čižek and Strnad proves valuable – her drawings earn her a lot of admiration. During her studies from 1951 to 1957, she works with Australian Streamline Moderne architect Esmond Dorney.
Being the first professionally trained and independently working architect in Tasmania, Wellspacher-Emery breaks into a male-dominated domain. This may be one reason why she has been forgotten, speculated architecture professor Stuart King from the University of Melbourne who researches and works on Emery.
Building for Women
Her houses are filled with light, offering magnificent views of the sea. She hasn’t designed many houses, but interestingly mostly for women, as King recounts. She meets these women in cultural clubs or in the environmental movement where she is engaged in the 1960s. For women, she designs simple functional buildings – not glamorous designs found in glossy magazines, describes the architecture professor.
Associations with Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky arise: Schütte-Lihotzky, also a graduate of the School of Arts and Crafts and a student of Strnad as well; invented the ‘Frankfurt Kitchen’, which had a sustainable impact on social housing too according to historian Barbara Sauer from the University of Vienna.
Architecture as a Social Concern
It was important for his mother to figure out precisely which house suited their clients recalls son Mike Emery. Wellspacher-Emery was less interested in architecture itself than its influence on people as noted by Stuart King too researching architect’s work within Tasmanian modernism context; it was about improving people’s lives with her buildings.
Architect Emery Celebrated in Australia Neglected in ViennaMike Emery shares the story of his mother, Edith Emery, and her architectural contributions in Hobart’s Sandy Bay area in 1958. Edith Emery drew inspiration from visiting the communal buildings of Red Vienna rather than theoretical socialist texts, embodying Oskar Strnad’s philosophy of “housing for all.” In her autobiography, she describes architecture as a dynamic fusion of creativity and practicality, imagination and science.
Creativity Through Art and Travel
Edith Emery embarked on a unique journey every five years to explore a new country with an unfamiliar language, which she meticulously studied before arrival. Over time, she mastered German, English, French alongside Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese. Capturing her travel experiences through mediums like watercolors, linocuts, oil paintings, or tapestries became her creative outlet. Her travel diary “Encounter with Asia” intricately illustrated by herself remains a treasure trove of memories for her son Peter Emery.
The Tasmanian Institute of Architects honoring Edith Emery with an architectural award took Mike Emery by surprise: “I was convinced that she had been forgotten by the architectural community long ago!”
Recognition as an Architect
Stuart King is dedicated to cementing Edith’s legacy within Tasmania’s modernist architectural heritage landscape. In 2023 ABC TV showcased Wellspacher-Emery’s Hobart residence on Designing a Legacy as part of Tasmania’s twentieth-century architectural canon celebration. King poignantly reflects that Edith wasn’t just relocated architecturally but truly became an architect through transplantation process.
!Home Sandy Bay 1958: Residence of Edith Emery in HobartAusgewählte Haus designs von Edith Emery, Strathaven Drive Rosetta, Tasmanien
During the time of the Nazi regime, women who went into exile purely for political reasons and weren’t Jewish were a small minority, says historian Barbara Sauer. According to Sauer, Wellspacher-Emery could have stayed in Vienna and worked in a private practice as a doctor since, unlike those classified as Jewish under the Nuremberg racial laws, she didn’t have a professional ban. It’s therefore noteworthy that she still chose to emigrate. Sauer suggests organizing an exhibition about the architect and artist in Austria. This way, Wellspacher-Emery, who passed away in 2004, could be rediscovered here in Austria as a significant architect.
