Joseph Maria Olbrich

Joseph Maria Olbrich (22 December 1867–8 August 1908) was an Austrian architect, co-founder of the Vienna Secession artistic group. Olbrich was born in Troppau, Austria (today Opava in the Czech Republic). Olbrich was born the third child of Edmund and Aloisia Olbrich. He had two sisters who died before his birth, and two younger brothers John and Edmund. His father was a prosperous confectioner and wax manufacturer who owned a brick works, which... more

Joseph Maria Olbrich (22 December 1867–8 August 1908) was an Austrian architect, co-founder of the Vienna Secession artistic group. Olbrich was born in Troppau, Austria (today Opava in the Czech Republic). Olbrich was born the third child of Edmund and Aloisia Olbrich. He had two sisters who died before his birth, and two younger brothers John and Edmund. His father was a prosperous confectioner and wax manufacturer who owned a brick works, which is where Olbrichs interest in the construction industry has its early origin. Olbrich studied architecture at the Wiener Staatsgewerbeschule and the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna where he won several prizes. In 1893, he started working for Otto Wagner and probably did the detailed construction for most of Wagner's Wiener Stadtbahn (Metropolitan Railway) buildings. In 1897, Otto Wagner, Gustav Klimt, Olbrich, Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser founded the Vienna Secession artistic group. Olbrich designed their exhibition building, the famous... less