Carl Pruscha : Architect, Bohemian, Activist

This monograph on the work of Austrian architect Carl Pruscha (born 1936) is divided into the three geographical areas of his life and legacy: the United States, Kathmandu, and Vienna. Following his study of architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Pruscha spent the early 1960s attending Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, constantly in search of inspiration and visions, a balance between work and free time, and a desire for freedom and self-determination. An invitation by the UN to go to Nepal in 1964 enabled him to establish himself as a practicing architect. Various construction projects along with the Kathmandu Valley Development and Preservation Project made it possible for him to observe and document, to plan and build. Living within a foreign culture encouraged him to examine roles, status, and privileges in society and investigate the works of Kenzo Tange and Louis Kahn. After returning to Vienna in 1978, he was a professor and later the head of the Academy of Fine Arts. Pruscha’s academic and societal influence brought to light the differences between teaching and practice in architecture and made this activist and bohemian a defining figure in the city. The three chapters are accompanied by photographic portfolios by Iwan Baan and Hertha Hurnaus, numerous project documentations, and a detailed timeline that illustrates the geopolitical, cultural, and technological developments surrounding the life and times of Carl Pruscha.