A Taste of Austrian Design and Lifestyle Design, culture and lifestyle are words used in many contexts. They can be perceived as an expression of or a reaction to the culture of daily life within given social contexts. Take for instance Austrian architecture. Austria’s major architectural attractions are an open invitation to travel back through the ages, whereas the country’s contemporary architecture feature stylistic tendencies ranging from minimalism and reductionism to deconstructivism as manifested in public spaces - like Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier. Opened in 2001, the MuseumsQuartier is one of the world’s largest complexes for modern art and culture, offering a wide variety of programs and events. The MQ’s courtyard furniture, made up of designer team PPAG’s Enzi and Enzo, plays an active role in enhancing its attractiveness as a living space. (Enzi is on display in this exhibition, as is Rainer Mutsch’s modular outdoor furniture Dune.) But what makes us appreciate design or the culture it resides in? What makes objects, experiences and the meanings you ascribe to them last? What makes Austria an interesting place for design, art and architecture? What makes Austrian design culture unique?
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These are central questions to which this exhibition and travel guide seeks to provide new perspectives. One might claim that lasting design is linked to the meaning it receives from emotions, values, memories and thoughts, special or every day aspects. In this sense, design can create poetic moments, enjoyment, critical imperatives and even relief, it can fulfill or trigger needs and wishes, depending on the context. Borrowing a phrase from contemporary Austrian designers (EOOS) – “aside from enabling poetic moments in everyday life, a product or piece of furniture should (…) react with an open mind to the users’ - possibly changing - needs and wants”.