Hollein, << HAWL lyn, >> Hans (1934-2014), was an Austrian architect, designer, and teacher. Hollein’s architecture has been praised for its witty arrangement of historical references within the context of advanced modern form. Hollein was born and educated in Vienna, and his work reflects the influence of the rich traditions of Viennese art and architecture, most notably architect Otto Wagner. In 1985, he was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the most prestigious international award in architecture (see Pritzker Architecture Prize).
Hollein gained attention with his first commission, a design for a small store called the Retti Candle Shop in Vienna, completed in 1965. He soon received commissions to design homes, apartments, offices, and museums. His first major project was the Municipal Museum Abteiberg (1982), a museum for contemporary art at Mönchengladbach, near Dusseldorf, Germany. The exterior is a blend of classical and modern elements. One of his most striking designs is the Haas House (1990) in Vienna. The curved building has a concrete and reflective glass exterior. Hollein also designed the Museum of Modern Art (1991) in Frankfurt, Germany; the Austrian Embassy (2001) in Berlin, Germany; and the Vulcania theme park (2002) near Auvergne, France, an educational, living museum dedicated to volcanoes and their study. In 1982, he designed a major exhibition on Viennese culture called “Dream and Reality,” which opened in Vienna and then traveled to New York City, Paris, and other parts of the world.
Hollein was born on March 30, 1934, in Vienna. He graduated from the School of Architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in 1956. From 1956 to 1964, he traveled and worked in the United States and then in Germany and Sweden. He established a studio in Vienna in 1964. From 1967 to 1976, Hollein was a professor at the State Art Academy in Dusseldorf. From 1976 to 2002, he headed the Institute of Design at the University for Applied Arts in Vienna. Hollein also designed furniture, silverware, and sets for the theater. He died on April 24, 2014.
