Cultural Heritage: The Architectural Legacy of Edith Emery
In 2016, architects Mat Hinds and Poppy Taylor were tasked with expanding a 1950s house on Longview Avenue in Hobart, Tasmania. Upon inspecting the distinctive butterfly roof and unique blend of bricks, clinker, wood, and glass windows offering panoramic views of Hobart Bay, they realized the significance of the building. The original plans bore the signature of Edith Emery from 1958, sparking an intriguing investigation into this unknown architect’s background.
Escape from Austria
Born as Edith Wellspacher in Schottwien in 1909, Edith Emery found herself in Tasmania seeking refuge from Nazi Germany. In her autobiography “A Twentieth’s Century Life,” she expressed her willingness to flee anywhere to evade Nazis but never considered Australia as a destination. Although her initial ambition was to become a physician and earned a medical degree specializing in gynecology at the University of Vienna in 1934.
However, due to her socialist beliefs and outright opposition to the Nazi regime leading to dismissal from Elisabeth-Spital hospital for those reasons along with her Jewish fiancé being taken captive at Dachau concentration camp. In early 1938 after Austria succumbed to Nazi control through annexation she decided on emigrating.
Teaching Art at Tasmanian Girls’ College
Her artistic talents played a crucial role during this tumultuous period. At just 13 years old rumpeled across an opportunity that would determine her future when Tasmanian Girls’ College sought out an art teacher
Architect Emery Celebrated in Australia Neglected in ViennaMike Emery shares the story of his mother, Edith Emery, and her architectural contributions in Hobart’s Sandy Bay area in 1958. Edith Emery drew inspiration from visiting the communal buildings of Red Vienna rather than theoretical socialist texts, embodying Oskar Strnad’s philosophy of “housing for all.” In her autobiography, she describes architecture as a dynamic fusion of creativity and practicality, imagination and science.
Creativity Through Art and Travel
Edith Emery embarked on a unique journey every five years to explore a new country with an unfamiliar language, which she meticulously studied before arrival. Over time, she mastered German, English, French alongside Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese. Capturing her travel experiences through mediums like watercolors, linocuts, oil paintings, or tapestries became her creative outlet. Her travel diary “Encounter with Asia” intricately illustrated by herself remains a treasure trove of memories for her son Peter Emery.
The Tasmanian Institute of Architects honoring Edith Emery with an architectural award took Mike Emery by surprise: “I was convinced that she had been forgotten by the architectural community long ago!”
Recognition as an Architect
Stuart King is dedicated to cementing Edith’s legacy within Tasmania’s modernist architectural heritage landscape. In 2023 ABC TV showcased Wellspacher-Emery’s Hobart residence on Designing a Legacy as part of Tasmania’s twentieth-century architectural canon celebration. King poignantly reflects that Edith wasn’t just relocated architecturally but truly became an architect through transplantation process.
!Home Sandy Bay 1958: Residence of Edith Emery in HobartAusgewählte Haus designs von Edith Emery, Strathaven Drive Rosetta, Tasmanien
In der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus waren Frauen, die aus rein politischen Gründen ins Exil gingen und keine Juden waren, eine kleine Minderheit, sagt Historikerin Barbara Sauer. Nach Sauers Aussage hätte Wellspacher-Emery auch in Wien bleiben und dort in einer Privatpraxis als Ärztin arbeiten können, da sie im Gegensatz zu jenen, die gemäß den Nürnberger Rassengesetzen als jüdisch galten, kein Berufsverbot hatte. Es ist daher bemerkenswert zu sehen, dass sie dennoch emigriert ist. Sauer schlägt vor eine Ausstellung über die Architektin und Künstlerin in Österreich zu veranstalten. Auf diese Weise könnte die im Jahr 2004 verstorbene Wellspacher-Emery hier in Österreich als bedeutende Architektin neu entdeckt werden.
The post From Celebrated in Australia to Forgotten in Vienna: The Story of Architect Emery first appeared on Capital Cities.
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Author : capital-cities
Publish date : 2024-08-02 09:55:39
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