a visit to Schindler's Clubhouse for Actors

While working for Myer & Mayer in Vienna, right out of school, Schindler designed a "Clubhouse for Actors" at 6 Dorotheergasse. This is Schindler's first built work. Sarnitz (1993) states that "...it seems evident that this design reflects the intentions of his employer more than his own intentions, and therefore this should not be considered with the other Schindler projects." Regardless, the building was published in Der Architekt (1912), albeit under the name of the architect of record, Hans Mayr.

From the narrow street, the building appears nearly the same as in the architectural drawing and doesn't exude anything special, either today or for its time. There are touches of Modernism on the first floor with with large bay windows and the simple geometries and lack or ornamentation inside. The entrance is slightly different  and the windows are updated although they retain the original rhythm of the design. A cafe holds court in the northeastern corner of the building. A theater, now billiard bar and a club, still exists on the first floor.

The cafe, Cafe Hawelka (Künstlerkaffeehaus Hawelka) was opened in 1939 by Leopold Hawelka. The cafe was a haunt for many local writers in the 1950s and 1960s. Arthur Miller and Andy Warhol stopped in. The cafe serves a mean wiener melange. The interior of the original cafe was designed by a student of Adolf Loos, and much of this original design remains.

The painter Adolf Frankl also lived in the building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the rotary house

 

Because The Bride and I are jointly enamored with the Silverlake Neighborhood in Los Angeles, Zillow sends me alerts when houses come up for sale. It's also a way to "tour" the cool moderns when they come up for sale.

This one popped up this last week, and my first thought was: is this a lost Schindler? Not a Schindler, it turns out, but definitely a house influenced by Schindler down to its axiometric drawing. The architect is Robert Nicolais who proudly admits the Schindler influence and is the official woodworker for recreations of Schindler's furniture, including the furniture you see at the Schindler House. I also learned from Googling Mr. Nicolais that he sold a set to Donald Judd for Judd's house in Marfa, which means I saw Schindler's furniture before I knew of Schindler (and had assumed Judd had designed it).

Anywho, this is a dang cool place, built in 1990. It is enormous since Nicolais used the house for his design studio and shop. 

 

 

 

for sale: the tucker house

 

For only the second time in its history, Schindler's Tucker House is on the market for a cool 3.2 mil. Even better, the listing gives us a peek of the interior and backside of this home. Listed by Crosby Doe Associates, who specialize in selling rather awesome places. My guess is all that steel down below for the foundation is post-construction.