Frank, Josef#
b. Baden (Lower Austria), July 15, 1885, d. Stockholm (Sweden), Jan. 8, 1967, architect. 1914 founding member of the Oesterreichischer Werkbund. 1910-1938 collaborated with O. Wlach, with whom he founded the home furnishing store "Haus und Garten" in 1925; 1919-1925 professor at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts; 1934 emigrated to Sweden. F. was an exponent of a broad definition of and a critical, modern approach to architecture. In Austria his ideas were received by H. Czech and J. Spalt. Awarded the Austrian State Prize in 1965.
Projects and works: designed furniture and fabrics; villas, council
houses, urban planning projects. - Housing estate of the municipality
of Vienna, Hoffingergasse, 1921 (with E. Faber); semi-detached house
shown at the International Werkbund Exhibition in Stuttgart, 1927;
Wenzgasse House in Vienna, 1929/30 (with O. Wlach); designed the
development plan and supervised the construction of the Int.
Werkbundsiedlung housing estate in Vienna and planned one of the
houses, 1930-1932; several residential buildings for the municipality
of Vienna (1924, 1928, 1931). - Writings: Architektur als Symbol,
1931; numerous essays.
Literature#
J. Spalt and H. Czech, J. F. 1885-1967, 1981; J. Spalt, J. F., Moebel & Geraete & Theoretisches, 1981; M. Welzig, Die Internationalitaet des J. F., doctoral thesis, Vienna 1994; M. Bergquist and O. Michelsen, J. F., Architektur, 1995; M. Welzig, J. F. (1885-1967). Das architektonische Werk, 1998.