Coat rack Roland Rainer for Vienna Stadthalle 1956

Roland Rainer was an leading Austrian architect, urban planner and designer who combined functionality with new aesthetics in his designs. One of his main works is the Stadthalle Wien, one of Austria’s largest venue for concerts and various events. For many years, from 1968 to 1980, Rainer was head of the class for architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, which had impact on many generations of young architects. The Wiener Stadthalle was built in the 1950s and became a landmark of Austrian post-war architecture. Back then and for many following years this outstanding project was the largest public event venue in Austria and the third largest in Europe. For this complex event center, Rainer was able to fully realize his creative vision and technical expertise, designing the entire building all the way to the smallest interior details. Although our piece is only a small part of the furnishings, this linear coat rack exemplifies Rainer’s precise formal language and uncompromising industrial design. This coat rack was part of the original furnishings and was purchased privately, when sold in 2002.