This special episode of Scaffold features a brief interview with the Austrian architect Herman Czech conducted by architect David Kohn in advance of Czech's 10 May 2024 Architecture Foundation lecture. The interview was recorded at Kohn's recently completed Smart's Place project in Covent garden for Baylight Properties.The lecture coincided with a major retrospective of his work, Approximate Line of Action, that has been staged by FJK3 Contemporary Art Space in Vienna.
Czech began his practice in the early 1970's, with key projects including the loggia renovation of the Staatsoper Wien, (1991–1994), the Palais Schwarzenberg in Vienna (1984), and the recently completed Sigmund Freud Museum, (2020), all marshaling the smallest of details to produce intense and precisely calibrated social environments.
Influenced by the Viennese architects Adolf Loos and Josef Frank and Czech's work is sophisticated, ironic and historically astute. Perhaps most relevant today is the fact that much his projects involve the reuse and transformation of existing buildings, which he considers as a fundamentally artistic, cultural practice.
Scaffold is a podcast series featuring interviews with architects, artists and designers. Hosted by Matthew Blunderfield and produced by the Architecture Foundation, it is available on Apple Pocasts, Spotify, and most major podcast streaming platforms.
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