Purkersdorf: Sanatorium

1904 – 1905

Architect: Josef Hoffmann

Wiener Strasse 60-70, Purkersdorf, Vienna, Austria

Sanatorium

The Purkersdorf Westend Sanatorium, designed by Josef Hoffmann, was built between 1904 and 1905 for Victor Zuckerkandl, the general director of the Silesian Ironworks in Gliwice.

The building is considered an outstanding example of Viennese Secession architecture.

Background

In 1903, Zuckerkandl purchased property on the outskirts of Vienna to develop it into a health resort offering spa treatments and physical therapy.

However, the sanatorium soon became more of a hotel than a hospital and developed into a social and artistic gathering place for Viennese society.

Among the guests were: Arthur Schnitzler, Egon Friedell, Gustav Mahler, Arnold Schönberg, Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Koloman Moser.

Treatment methods included bathing cures, physical therapy, therapeutic massage, and remedial gymnastics. Entertainment for the guests was provided by various reading rooms, game rooms for card games, table tennis, billiards, and music rooms.

In 1926, an addition designed by architect Leopold Bauer was built, despite Josef Hoffmann’s objections. This addition significantly affected the original design.

Building

Hoffmann‘s design caters to the needs of a modern sanatorium. Ornamentation and decoration are largely avoided.

The three-story building appears cubic due to its flat roof and symmetrical projections and recesses on its long sides. Only the edges of the building are graphically contoured with blue and white ceramic tile borders.

The smooth, white plaster walls and windowless design contribute to the building’s minimalist aesthetic.

Inside, Hoffmann left the reinforced concrete construction partially visible.

Interior

As the artistic director of the Wiener Werkstätte, Hoffmann incorporated the latter into the design of the interiors. The furniture he designed for the sanatorium’s rooms complemented the architecture, creating a total work of art.

Following Victor Zuckerkandl’s death in 1927, his nephews and nieces took over the sanatorium. From 1930 on, a son-in-law ran the business with little success.

Toward the end of World War II, the building was used as a military hospital. In 1945, the Red Army requisitioned it.

Renovation

The exterior of the building was renovated in 1995 when the top floor was removed, restoring its original appearance. The interior was renovated in 2003.

Over the years, the sanatorium has undergone numerous additions. Today, it is used as a senior care residence.