Oskar Strnad

Austrian architect, sculptor and designer

Oskar Strnad (26 October 1879 – 3 September 1935) was an Austrian architect, sculptor, designer and set designer for films and theatres. Together with Josef Frank he was instrumental in creating the distinctive character of the Wiener Schule der Architektur ("Vienna School of Architecture"). He stood for a modern concept of "living" for all people, planned and built private dwelling houses, designed furniture, created ceramics and watercolours and designed sets and props for stage plays and films.

Strnad was born in Vienna on 26 October 1879 into a family of Jewish descent. From 1909 to 1935 he was a professor in the Wiener Kunstgewerbeschule ("School of Applied Arts in Vienna") along with Josef Hoffmann. From 1918 he created designs for a "round theatre" (Rundtheater) in collaboration with his pupil Margarete Lihotzky (later Margarete Schütte Lihotzky). Among his other pupils were the later film architects and set designers Artur Berger and Harry Horner. In 1923 Strnad constructed the Drei Szenen Theater ("three scene theatre"), a three part stage within a circular auditorium. From 1919 he was stage designer for the Wiener Volkstheater. Later Strnad designed many highly acclaimed sets for the Wiener Staatsoper, including sets for Berg's Wozzeck and for the premiere of Jonny spielt auf by Ernst Krenek. He also designed interiors for the lavish masterpieces of the "Wiener Film" such as Maskerade (1934) and Episode (1935). He died in Bad Aussee on 3 September 1935.

O. S. 1879 1935 Jüdisches Museum Wien, Palais Eskeles, Dorotheergasse, Wien. Bis 24. Juni 2007. Catalogue, edited by Iris Meder & Jüdisches Museum Wien, 2007. Salzburg: Verlag Anton Pustet.