Finding aid for the Coop Himmelblau architectural models and drawings for five projects, 1983-1995 2002.M.2

Sara McGillivray

Special Collections

2017

1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100

Los Angeles 90049-1688

Business Number: (310) 440-7390

Fax Number: (310) 440-7780

reference@getty.edu

URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10020/askref

Contributing Institution: Special Collections

Title: Coop Himmelblau architectural models and drawings for five projects

Creator: Coop Himmelblau

Creator: Prix, Wolf D., 1942-

Creator: Swiczinsky, Helmut, 1944-

Identifier/Call Number: 2002.M.2

Identifier/Call Number: /repositories/3/resources/811

Physical Description: 138.21 Linear Feet (33 boxes and 1 flatfile folder)

Date (inclusive): 1983-1995

Abstract: This collection consists of architectural models and drawings for five projects designed by the architectural firm Coop Himmelblau from 1983 to 1995. The five projects are: Open House, Malibu, California, 1983-circa 1990; Rooftop Office Remodeling, Vienna, 1983-1989; City Plan for Melun Sénart, France, 1987; Rehak House, Malibu, California, 1990-circa 1995; and Anselm Kiefer Studios, Buchen, Germany, 1990 and Barjac, France, 1992. The firm name is also presented as Coop Himmelb(l)au.

Request Materials: Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the catalog record for this collection. Click here for the access policy .

Language of Material: Collection material is in English with some German.

Conditions Governing Access

Open for use by qualified researchers. Contact the repository for information regarding access to the architectural models.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Acquired in 2002.

Arrangement

This archive is arranged by project in rough chronological order guided by the job numbers assigned to each project by the firm.

Biographical / Historical

Coop Himmelblau is a Viennese architectural firm founded in 1968 by Wolf D. Prix, Helmut Swiczinsky, and Michael Holzer. Holzer left the firm in 1971, and Prix and Swiczinsky continued working as partners until Swiczinsky's retirement in the early 2000s. The name Coop Himmelblau translates to Blue Sky Cooperative and reflects the firm's focus on designing structures that reach towards the sky and endeavor to leave the ground. The firm's early work was rooted in theory and performance art, and by the 1980s had developed into experimentations with structure and design processes. Prix and Swiczinsky explored architectural tectonics and the visual expression of tension through structural materials. They pushed their design process by cycling back and forth between sketching and modeling, and by sketching with their eyes closed.

The materials in this collection date from the 1980s to early 1990s as the firm's work was gaining international recognition. The Rooftop Office Remodeling project brought the firm attention, and the firm was included in the 1988 exhibition Deconstructivist Architecture at the New York Museum of Modern Art.

Coop Himmelblau opened a Los Angeles office in the late 1980s, where they would develop such unbuilt projects as Open House and Rehak House.

In the mid 1990s, the firm began to concentrate on built work, and also began to present the firm name as Coop Himmelb(l)au to emphasize the role of construction in their practice.

Bibliography:

Coop Himmelblau website; coop-himmelblau.at

Wim de Wit, Acquisition Approval Form for "Twenty-seven architectural models and 49 drawings by the Viennese firm of Coop Himmelb(l)au", accession no. 2002.M.2, August 21, 2001.

Preferred Citation

Coop Himmelblau architectural models and drawings for five projects, 1983-1995, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, Accession no. 2002.M.2.

http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa2002m2

Processing Information

The collection was rehoused upon receipt. In 2017, Sara McGillivray rehoused the drawings and wrote the finding aid.

Scope and Contents

This collection comprises architectural models and drawings related to five projects designed by the architectural firm Coop Himmelblau from 1983 to 1995. There are 27 models in the collection, including conceptual and sketch models, site models, and finished models. The drawings consist of 38 computer generated negatives, 41 prints printed directly from the negatives, nine computer generated prints, 16 original drawings, and two color photocopies. Materials for each project include both models and drawings.

The five projects are: Open House, Malibu, California, 1983-circa 1990; Rooftop Office Remodeling, Vienna, 1983-1989; City Plan for Melun Sénart, France, 1987; Rehak House, Malibu, California, 1990-circa 1995; and Anselm Kiefer Studios, Buchen, Germany, 1990 and Barjac, France, 1992.

Open House began as a paradigmatic design in 1983, and was later developed for a New York-based client, to be built on a site in Malibu. The double-skinned structure was conceived as a shell only, with an open floor plan balanced above the ground plane. The project was not realized.

The design for Rooftop Office Remodeling began in 1983, and was further developed and constructed between 1987 and 1989. The project consists of an addition to an existing building on Falkestrasse in Vienna for the law firm Schuppich, Sporn, Winischhofer, Schuppich. The cantilevered structure houses a meeting room and office space.

The firm's City Plan for Melun Sénart is a master plan study that responds to urban sprawl in an area outside Paris.

Rehak House is an unbuilt project sited in Malibu. Material for this project includes 15 models at various stages of the design process.

The firm designed studios for the German artist Anselm Kiefer in two different locations, neither of which were realized.

Publication Rights

Contact Library Reproductions and Permissions .

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Architectural models

Architectural drawings -- 20th century

Architecture, Modern -- 20th century

Open House (Malibu, California), P_8301/repositories/3/archival_objects/717189 1983-circa 1990

Drawings /repositories/3/archival_objects/717308

box 1, folder 1

Negatives /repositories/3/archival_objects/717196

box 2, folder 1

Prints /repositories/3/archival_objects/717209

box 3*, folder 1

Original drawings /repositories/3/archival_objects/717204

Models /repositories/3/archival_objects/717309

box 4**

Site model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717316

Physical Description: 9 1/2 x 36 x 27 inches;

Physical Description: corrugated board, paper, foamcore, and metal wire

box 5**, box 6**, box 7**, box 8*

Model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717317

Physical Description: 12 3/8 x 36 x 25 inches;

Physical Description: plywood, plexiglass, cardboard, board, corrugated board

box 9**

Finished model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717318

Physical Description: 12 3/8 x 36 x 25 inches;

Physical Description: wood, paper, wire, corrugated metal, and plexiglass case

Rooftop Office Remodeling (Vienna, Austria), P_8401/repositories/3/archival_objects/717190 1983-1989

Drawings /repositories/3/archival_objects/717306

box 1, folder 2

Negatives /repositories/3/archival_objects/717197

box 2, folder 2

Prints /repositories/3/archival_objects/717210

box 3*, folder 2

Original drawings /repositories/3/archival_objects/717205

Models /repositories/3/archival_objects/717307

box 10**

Site model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717291

Physical Description: 23 1/2 x 33 1/4 x 18 3/4 inches;

Physical Description: board, wire, paper, and plastic sheet

box 11**

Model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717292

Physical Description: 23 x 39 3/4 x 44 inches;

Physical Description: wood, metal wire and rod, plexiglass, paper, and foamcore

City Plan for Melun Sénart, France, W_8602/repositories/3/archival_objects/717191 1987

Drawings /repositories/3/archival_objects/717310

box 1, folder 3

Negatives /repositories/3/archival_objects/717198

box 2, folder 3

Prints /repositories/3/archival_objects/717211

flatfile 1**

Original drawings /repositories/3/archival_objects/717208

flatfile 1**

Color photocopies /repositories/3/archival_objects/717202

Models /repositories/3/archival_objects/717311

"Dissipation of our Bodies" (sketch models) /repositories/3/archival_objects/735735

box 12**

Model A, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717319

Physical Description: 12 x 22 x 15 inches;

Physical Description: wood, metal, wire, rubber band, foamcore, paper, and tape

box 12**

Model B, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717320

Physical Description: 12 x 22 x 15 inches;

Physical Description: wire, foamcore, paper, rubber band, metal, wood, and tape

box 13**

Conceptual model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717321

Physical Description: 3 1/2 x 40 x 28 inches;

Physical Description: board, paper, plexiglass, wood, metal wire, rubber band, and foamcore

box 14**

Model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717322

Physical Description: 7 3/8 x 46 x 34 1/8 inches;

Physical Description: paper, foamcore, wire and sculpting foam, and plexiglass case

Presentation model /repositories/3/archival_objects/735736

box 15**

Part 1, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717323

Physical Description: 10 x 79 3/4 x 41 3/8 inches;

Physical Description: painted board, metal wire, and plexiglass

box 16**

Part 2, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717324

Physical Description: 11 x 79 3/4 x 41 inches;

Physical Description: painted board, glass, metal wire, and plexiglass

box 17**

Part 3, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717325

Physical Description: 6 x 79 3/4 x 41 5/8 inches;

Physical Description: painted board, wood, glass, metal wire, and plexiglass

Rehak House (Malibu, California), P_9009/repositories/3/archival_objects/717192 1990-circa 1995

Drawings /repositories/3/archival_objects/717312

box 1, folder 4

Negatives /repositories/3/archival_objects/717199

box 2, folder 4

Prints /repositories/3/archival_objects/717212

box 3*, folder 3

Original drawings /repositories/3/archival_objects/717206

Models /repositories/3/archival_objects/717313

box 18**

Study model with base, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717328

Physical Description: 33 3/4 x 50 1/2 x 17 3/4 inches;

Physical Description: paper, wood, and plastic sheet on plywood base

box 19**

Study model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717329

Physical Description: 8 1/4 x 17 1/4 x 11 inches;

Physical Description: foamcore, paper, metal pins, and corrugated cardboard

box 20**, box 21**

Study model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717330

Physical Description: 15 x 18 x 11 inches;

Physical Description: paper, wood, blackline print, cellophane tape, and plastic sheet

box 22**

Topographical model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717331

Physical Description: 2 1/2 x 18 x 9 1/2 inches;

Physical Description: foamcore, paper, and metal pins

box 22**

Study model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717332

Physical Description: 16 x 20 x 18 inches;

Physical Description: plexiglass, corrugated cardboard, and wood

box 23**

Study model, 3/8" scale, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717333

Physical Description: 56 1/2 x 50 1/2 x 38 1/2 inches;

Physical Description: foamcore, white paper and plexiglass, wire, white board, cellophane tape, and metal pins

box 24**

Site model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717334

Physical Description: 8 1/4 x 39 x 18 3/4 inches;

Physical Description: plaster, wood, cardboard, and metal pins

box 25**

Site study model, Main and Guest House, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717335

Physical Description: 13 x 16 3/4 x 17 inches;

Physical Description: foamcore, plexiglass, paper, and wood base

box 26**

Structural model, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717336

Physical Description: 27 1/2 x 33 x 52 1/2 inches;

Physical Description: plaster base on wood, wood, and board

box 27**

Model "A" (site model), /repositories/3/archival_objects/717337

Physical Description: 14 1/2 x 39 3/4 x 19 1/4 inches;

Physical Description: foamcore, paper, wire, photographic plastic film mounted on plexiglass sheet inside case

box 28**

Model "B", /repositories/3/archival_objects/717338

Physical Description: 26 3/4 x 21 x 16 5/8 inches;

Physical Description: cardboard, metal, and wood

box 29**

Model "C", /repositories/3/archival_objects/717339

Physical Description: 20 x 17 1/2 x 16 3/4 inches;

Physical Description: board, plexiglass, wood, and plastic

box 29**

Model "D", /repositories/3/archival_objects/717340

Physical Description: 20 x 17 1/2 x 16 3/4 inches;

Physical Description: plexiglass, plywood, wood, plastic, metal wire, and paper

box 29**

Model "E", /repositories/3/archival_objects/717341

Physical Description: 20 x 17 1/2 x 16 3/4 inches;

Physical Description: foamcore, paper, wood, and plastic

box 30**

Model "F", /repositories/3/archival_objects/717342

Physical Description: 30 x 50 3/4 x 17 3/4 inches;

Physical Description: board, plexiglass, cardboard, wood, plastic, and metal wire

box 31**

Model "G", /repositories/3/archival_objects/717343

Physical Description: 53 x 53 1/2 x 50 1/4 inches;

Physical Description: plywood, foamcore, paper, plexiglass, and metal wire

box 19**

Unidentified base, /repositories/3/archival_objects/744685

Physical Description: 8 1/4 x 18 x 11 inches;

Physical Description: wood

Anselm Kiefer Studios (Buchen, Germany, and Barjac, France), VP_9013/repositories/3/archival_objects/717193 1990, 1992

Drawings /repositories/3/archival_objects/717314

box 1, folder 5

Negatives /repositories/3/archival_objects/717200

box 2, folder 5

Prints /repositories/3/archival_objects/717213

box 3*, folder 4

Original drawings /repositories/3/archival_objects/717207

Models /repositories/3/archival_objects/717315

box 32**

Model I, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717326

Physical Description: 10 1/2 x 39 3/4 x 83 inches

Physical Description: ; paper, masking tape, wood, metal, and plexiglass

box 33**

Model II, /repositories/3/archival_objects/717327

Physical Description: 18 x 65 1/4 x 71 inches

Physical Description: ; wood, masonite (or particle board?) base, corrugated board, plexiglass, and metal