Franz Reznicek


Franz Reznicek was an Austrian architect. After moving to Bludenz, Vorarlberg, where he initially headed an architectural firm with Alois Dönz, he was responsible for the design of numerous modernist buildings in the area during the 1930s.

Biography and career

Franz Reznicek was born 20 October 1903 in Baden bei Wien. At the age of 12, he moved to Innsbruck, where three years later he entered the four-year architecture program at the Bundeslehranstalt für Hochbau. After interning with his instructor, L. Welzenbacher, Reznicek passed his graduation examination at the institute on 13 February 1923.
Following that he continued to work at the Welzenbacher firm as a full associate. In 1926 he transferred to the Innsbruck City building authority, and two years later became head of the Innsbruck Office of Architecture - North, in Bozen.
After participating together with Alois Dönz in the Bregenz National Fire Insurance contest, in 1929 Reznicek relocated to Bludenz and opened an architectural firm with Alois Dönz. Finally in 1936 he succeeded in being accepted into the Zentralvereinigung der Architekten Österreichs, and in 1949 he took a further examination in civil engineering for the Engineering Bureaux of Tyrol and Vorarlberg.
Following Dönz's retirement, Reznicek led the firm for a further five years before he too retired.

Works

Also included in his works are the Tschofen House, the Unterstein community, the Schadler House, and the Plangg and Pfluger workers' housing. His unrealized designs for a produce grading station in Rankweil and a country house on the Tschengla/Bürserberg and a mountain hotel and sketch for a post office in Lech are also important.