Österreichische Postsparkasse in Vienna

Otto Wagner – Kaiserlich-Königliche Postsparkasse, Vienna Austria, 1904-1912

In 1906, the new headquarters in Vienna was built by the architect Otto Wagner. It is located in the Inner Stadt along the Ringstraße boulevard.
The building is one of the most important examples of Viennese Jugendstil, also known as the Vienna Secession. Its clear lines and its fresh elegance, obtained thanks to the use of steel, concrete and glass, give the building a solid and impenetrable appearance.
The aluminum facade cladding with iron studs represents on the one hand a technical necessity, a programmatic announcement of modernity, but on the other an important symbolic message: the iron-studded treasure chest rises as an archetype for the custody of money saved and invested.
However, the skylight in the main room allows natural light to reach the interior of the building, making it both light and airy. The building became the most recognizable brand of the Austrian postal savings bank.