Architecture as Medicine? A Comparison of Otto Wagner's Am Steinhof Hospital and Josef Hoffmann's Purkersdorf Sanatorium

In the subject of art - architecture, building history, and monument preservation, a study was conducted in 2021 at the Bergische Universität Wuppertal on Art in Vienna, achieving a grade of 1.7. The research focused on two institutions located less than 10 kilometers apart. Today, it is possible to visit both facilities within minutes by car, as they were opened at the beginning of the 20th century on the western edge of the Viennese district, only two years apart.

The Niederösterreichische Landes Heil- und Pflegeanstalt für Nerven- und Geisteskranke "Am Steinhof" (now known as "Klink Penzing") and the Sanatorium Purkersdorf are not only close in time and space, but are also connected by their renowned architects of the Viennese Modernist movement, Otto Wagner and Josef Hoffmann. Hoffmann, a student of Wagner, was greatly influenced by him in terms of artistic style. Both architects were known for their radically modern architectural styles, breaking away from Vienna's existing historicist architecture in favor of simple geometric forms and a focus on functionality.

It is remarkable that both architects independently chose to design facilities for mentally ill patients. What motivations drove them to do so? Did they aim to help the patients through their architecture? By examining and contextualizing these institutions, the study explores the possible reasons behind Wagner and Hoffmann's decision to build them. This preparation sets the stage for a comparison of the two facilities, highlighting the aspects in which they differ at first glance.

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