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ARCHITECTURE IN VIENNA
Planned and edited by August Sarnitz. Vienna/New York: Springer-Verlag. 1998. DM54, Austrian schillings 380

Over the last 10-15 years an enormous amount of building work has been going on in Vienna. A comprehensive, updated architectural guide to the city, ranging from its earliest historical beginnings to today, therefore comes none too soon. Architecture in Vienna is a joint effort by city authorities and its architects, through the Architekturzentrum Wien, and gives a comprehensive picture of the city and its architecture.

Unlike most such guides, the projects are presented district by district, and not listed chronologically but more or less by street address, thereby making it a useful travel guide as well as giving a picture of how different historical periods coexist. Each section is preceded by a list of recommendations: prominent Viennese architects give their suggestions of buildings worth visiting, making it possible to trace influences and inspirations almost two generations back. With its wealth of details, clear maps and informative essays, Architecture in Vienna should be a model guide for the architectural self-presentation of any civically minded city.

INGERID HELSING ALMAAS