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Architectural Drawings

As part of the collection of drawings, the Graphic Collection has an extensive selection of architectural drawings. This includes the globally unique inventory of Gothic architectural plans from the 14th to 16th centuries, which were added to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Memory of the World Register) in 2005. These 427 drafts, presentation plans and atelier works come from the construction works of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna and provide an incomparable insight into late medieval construction planning and building operations.

The drawing shows a design for a three-part window bay for the Vienna City Hall with Gothic tracery.
Laurenz Spenning, attributed to: Sketch of an oriel window from the Vienna City Hall project, 1486, ink on paper, blind grooves, © The Graphic Collection of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

Among the architectural drawings there are also numerous template sheets and student works that were used in or created during lessons at the Academy. Many works have been preserved, especially from the 19th century and from the Friedrich von Schmidt School.

Shown is the longitudinal section of a design for the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna.
Theophil Hansen: Longitudinal section through the “Golden Hall” of the Musikverein building in Vienna, c. 1868, ink, watercolour and gold paint, heightened with white, on paper, © The Graphic Collection of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

The largest part of the holdings consists of works from the estates of Theophil Hansen, Ernst A. Plischke and Ernst W. Heiss. In addition, there are numerous sheets by Karl Hasenauer, Josef Hoffmann, Clemens Holzmeister, Franz Jäger the Younger, Friedrich Kurrent, Georg Niemann, Friedrich Ohmann, Gustav Peichl, Roland Rainer, Gottfried Semper, Otto Wagner and many more.

The illustration shows a polygonal pavilion designed by Josef Hoffman with a black roof surrounded by trees and shrubs. It is a design for the Austrian exhibition building at the Venice Biennale.
Josef Hoffmann: Revision of the project for the Austrian exhibition building at the Venice Biennale, 1913, ink on paper, © The Graphic Collection of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna