Maja Lorbek | University of Applied Arts Vienna (original) (raw)

Papers by Maja Lorbek

Journal of Design History

Vom Wert des Weiterbauens, 2020

Schooling in the future will take place in exist-ing school buildings. The reason is simple: in G... more Schooling in the future will take place in exist-ing school buildings. The reason is simple: in German-speaking countries, most school build-ings were built during either the late 19th centu-ry or the postwar era of demographic, economic, and educational expansion. Existing schoolhous-es need to be maintained and renovated, but also adapted to accommodate changing educational requirements. The German notion of Weiterbauen denotes continued construction in existing build-ings, ranging from subtle surface renewal to com-prehensive renovation to modernisation based on extensive material, spatial, and structural interven-tions. Different forms of renovation also include a conceptual reinterpretation of existing build-ings, a process that, according to Gieryn, starts immediately with inhabitation.1 Loosely based on Social Construction of Technology (SCOT)2 as the theoretical framework, this article will examine the school renovation programme in Vienna carried out between 2008 and 2017 with the aim of iden-tifying relevant social groups and studying the potential for interpretative flexibility during ren-ovation.

This paper will present results from two research projects on ICT technologies for the elderly wi... more This paper will present results from two research projects on ICT technologies for the elderly within an urban neighbourhood. Contrary to common ambient assisted living technologies, which are developed primarily as home-based solutions, in our approach ICT is deliberately placed outside the dwelling in order to upgrade urban neighbourhoods. Smart ICT services for the elderly provoke social interaction while preserving the physical mobility of the elderly. ICT solutions developed in the first project are deliberately placed in both traditional localities and as well as newly established venues, and are based on social interaction with peers. Final outcome of research are four scenarios, which are in fact concepts for ICT prototypes. The four scenarios in short are: mobile pavilion, service point, information platform and learning machine. The second project, currently ongoing, is dealing with the question on of public transport and pedestrian mobility of the elderly within urban nei...

Raumforschung und Raumordnung | Spatial Research and Planning, 2019

For some years, increased attention has been paid to the single-family housing stock in Germany a... more For some years, increased attention has been paid to the single-family housing stock in Germany and the further designation of building land by municipalities. A Germany-wide anonymous survey of municipalities sheds light on the municipalities’ land management strategies with regard to declining populations and their anticipation of future problems for the further use of the single-family housing stock. The results of the quantitative survey are supplemented by qualitative interviews with municipal experts from case studies that were selected on the basis of criteria such as population decline, old-age dependency ratio, the share of single-family homes and vacancy rates. The aims of the survey and the interviews are to assess municipal representatives’ perceptions of population decline and of the necessity of undertaking measures to deal with shrinkage. Research questions are: What measures do municipalities consider appropriate to counter population loss and falling demand for hous...

Urbani izziv, 2015

At the end of 19 th century, the removal of city walls and introduction of mass transport in Euro... more At the end of 19 th century, the removal of city walls and introduction of mass transport in European cities provided the opportunity to expand cities in green suburban areas. Colonies of small houses with garden plots and allotment gardens developed during this era thus represent a new type of settlement, where green infrastructure (gardens) and allotment dwellings are closely intertwined. The gardens in these settlements were originally based on the notion of subsistence economy, providing food and emergency accommodation in periods of crisis. This paper examines the evolution of allotments and particularly allotment dwellings in Germany and Austria by matching the actual practices of gardeners with the formation of and changes in the legal framework. The legislation and zoning regulations, which were predominantly established after the fact, reveal an ongoing process of negotiation between informal practices and planning authorities.

Summary Refurbishment practices, subsidy policies and assessment tools deal predominantly with si... more Summary Refurbishment practices, subsidy policies and assessment tools deal predominantly with single buildings and small ensembles. Large portfolios of social housing building stock are suitable for case study research on sustainable features of historic built environment and for developing long term, portfolio-based strategies. The social housing of Red Vienna was examined a case study. This building stock consists of interdependent elements: small dwelling units, based on the principle of sufficiency and complementary communal facilities. The buildings are located next to existing material infrastructures and in the vicinity of public transport. Research on building stocks revealed several original features, which are sustainable according to contemporary criteria. Portfolio approach to long-term refurbishment, in which several scenarios are assessed, allows historic building stocks to be transformed through reactivation of social facilities, ownership options and targeted tenant...

Architectural Histories, 2018

In the 20th century, detached single-family houses proliferated in Germany. Continued publication... more In the 20th century, detached single-family houses proliferated in Germany. Continued publication of built houses as idealised, model homes in magazines for non-professional housebuilders contributed to the popularity of detached single-family housing, influenced the architecture of single-family homes, and contributed to shaping the culture of habitation. Through their customer magazines, aimed at non-professional housebuilders, German building societies played a crucial role in the constitution of self-provided detached housing. With a focus on the Kleinhaus (small house), this paper uses mediated representations of built houses to trace the evolution of single-family houses in Germany from the 1920s to the 1960s, as they were represented in Mein Eigenheim, a customer magazine of the Wüstenrot — Gesellschaft der Freunde (GdF) building society. During the Weimar era (1919–1933), the GdF magazine highlighted the affordability and modest size of the Kleinhaus. Following the financial crisis of the late 1920s and the rise of Nazism, the economy of self-sufficiency, centred on vegetable gardens, became a popular theme. During the 1950s, under the influence of increasing material progress, the significance of the Kleinhaus changed. The gardens lost their economic function and became extended living spaces. In the late 1950s, the Kleinhaus lost its dominant position on the housing market, with the emergence of new building types such as the bungalow and larger homes with two full storeys, which better catered to the desires of an affluent and increasingly individualised society.

Do practices of self-provision such as the self-organized adaptation of homes, neighbourly help a... more Do practices of self-provision such as the self-organized adaptation of
homes, neighbourly help and the contracting of tradespeople, etc. contribute to the re-constitution of local communities in suburban areas? Do self-organized renovations extend the service life of existing
building stock as a crucial non-renewable cultural resource? This study is based on empirical on-site research. The sample comprises 26 recently acquired secondhand detached homes. Research has shown that most owner-occupiers rely on self-provision and self-build to renovate used properties. A better supply of affordable, existing homes in suburban areas could help consolidate the development of towns. Hence, redevelopment strategies for suburban residential areas should integrate the potential of self-provision empirical on-site research.

Die architekturgeschichtliche Arbeit endet nicht mit dem bauzeitlichen Nar rativ, jede spätere M... more Die architekturgeschichtliche Arbeit endet nicht mit dem bauzeitlichen Nar rativ, jede spätere Modernisierung wird mit der Zeit ebenfalls geschichtlich. Am Beispiel einer profanen Bauaufgabe – der nachträglich installierten Auf zugsanlagen in den Wohnbauten des Roten Wien – wird gezeigt, wie diese nicht dazugehörigen, stets irritierenden Supplemente wesentlich zum his torischem Verständnis sowohl der Architektur als auch der Wohnbaupolitik beitragen. Die Aufzüge, die über keinen historischen Platz und über keine originäre Form verfügen, erweisen sich in der retrospektiven Betrachtung als wider spenstiges, sperriges Supplement. Der Stil und die Konstruktion der Auf zugsschächte veränderten sich im Laufe der Zeit mehrfach. Standardisierte Profilbauglasanbauten wurden um 1980 zu massiven, dekorierten Schäch ten. Um 1990 gestalteten Architekten eine Reihe von Liften als fein abge stimmte Interpretationen des Historischen. Und aktuelle Ganzglasanlagen eignen sich neue Bereiche an: die Bürgersteige.

Many countries in Europe face large-scale renovation of 20th century housing. Although challenges... more Many countries in Europe face large-scale renovation of 20th century housing. Although challenges for energy efficient renovation are similar in many countries contextual differences create varying possibilities and barriers for actions. We present a comparative study of managerial practices regarding refurbishment of housing in Austria and Sweden, countries with large stocks of publicly built, owned and managed housing. Due to what we have identified as socio-technical traditions of the welfare state, rather distinct renovation strategies are applied. We conclude that a more reflective approach to refurbishment that coordinates policy for housing and sustainability with detailed knowledge of the stock and its socio-technical context is a way forward.

Book chapters by Maja Lorbek