ArchitectText in English and German. Franz Riepl is the outstanding exponent of the architecture now called 'the other architecture'. Housing was the dominant architectural theme of his entire working life. Riepl has always gone his own way, not attaching himself to the general trends of the day or to ideologies. Instead, his housing is distinguished by its humane form, and outstanding suitability for normal daily life inside it: calm, without exclamation marks so to speak. It is part of that other Modernism, which is austere but comprehensible without being populist. This also includes the disciplined building details, in many cases improved industrial products. The characteristics of Riepl's buildings are durability, flexibility, sustainability and reticence. The book also intends to show that they do not become obsolete in terms of use, nor do they become old-fashioned. At the same time, lively respect has to be paid to Riepl's buildings because of their surroundings. A second area of his work is building in the country. His buildings there show up-to-date, hence topical handwriting, fulfilling today's functions and fitting in with village and landscape without borrowing from folklore, local styles or even modernisms. All of them suggest and indicate that the country is an important space for current building as well. |
