Vienna and the New Wohnkultur, 1918-1938

This article reviews "Vienna and the New Wohnkultur, 1918–1938" by Michelle Jackson-Beckett, published in 2024 by Oxford University Press. Vienna and the New Wohnkultur, 1918–1938 presents an insightful exploration of the city’s interwar domestic culture, known as Wohnkultur. This culture shaped a distinctive design identity that navigated international modernist concepts while remaining closely connected to local social, political, and aesthetic traditions. Utilizing a rich collection of archival materials, exhibition catalogues, trade magazines, and popular critiques, the book reconstructs a narrative in which housing issues intertwine with discussions on affordability, comfort, style, and ideology.