Walter Zschokke

The Walter Zschokke Archive documents the publishing and theoretical work of this architect and architectural communicator.

Walter Zschokke studied architecture at the ETH Zurich and moved to Vienna in 1985. As an architect, writer, and exhibition curator, he shaped the architectural discourse in Austria for decades. Alongside his work at the Michl/Zschokke office, he was actively involved in teaching, research, and cultural outreach, and was a key voice in raising the profile of Austrian architecture on the international stage.
The work archive provides comprehensive insight into his teaching and publishing activities, as well as his conceptual work on exhibitions, book projects, and essays.

Holdings

Work Archive
Approximately 26 archive boxes containing around 800–1,000 A4 hanging files; these include collections of materials, manuscripts, typescripts, and proof pages from publications, particularly Zschokke’s essays for the Spectrum supplement of the newspaper Die Presse (1988–2008). The collection constitutes a nearly complete working archive of his journalistic work.

Card Files
Cards in A6 format, organized by person and keyword, with references to literature, quotations, and publications

Working Papers and Book Projects
Approximately 30–40 folders containing texts, expert opinions, studies, and materials for various book projects

Slides
Approximately 2,500 35mm slides, systematically labeled, primarily from Zschokke’s lectures on architectural history and selected special topics

Biography

• Born 15.01.1948 in Wildegg, Aargau, Switzerland
• 1967–1973 Studied architecture at the ETH Zurich
• 1977–1985 Assistant to Adolf Max Vogt
• From 1977 on Worked at the Institute of the History and Theory of Architecture at the ETH Zurich
• 1985 Moved to Vienna
• From 1985 on Worked in the office of Hermann Czech
• From 1988 on Architecture critic for the supplement Spectrum of the newspaper Die Presse
• From 1989 on Studio partnership with Walter Hans Michl
• 1997–1999 Advisory Board for Culture and Science of the State of Lower Austria
• Advisory Board of the Arts Section of the Federal Chancellery
• 1997–1999 Chairman of the Board of ORTE (Architecture Network of Lower Austria)
• 2000–2005 Lecturer in the Theory and History of Architecture at the University of Art and Design Linz
• Died 05.02 2009 in Vienna

Awards

• 2000, 2006 Lower Austrian Culture Prize for Architecture
• 2005 City of Vienna Prize for Journalism