Rudofsky’s La Casa Is Safe

Photo: © The Bernard Rudofsky Estate Vienna/VBK 2009

Bernard Rudofsky, the influential architect, designer, curator, and writer who died in 1988, built only a few private residences in his career. His last one–indeed, his last built project of any kind–was his own summer house in Andalusia, Spain. Designed between 1970–71, “La Casa” is considered a landmark example of Rudofsky’s architectural philosophy–but after his widow passed away in 2006, the property went to a third party and its fate was uncertain. Now, thanks to the efforts of Peter Noever, the director of the MAK Vienna, La Casa appears to be safe. Noever drew up a petition signed by several prominent international architects–including  Frank Gehry, Daniel Libeskind, Shigeru Ban, and Thom Mayne–and, this morning, the MAK announced that La Casa has been listed in the General Catalogue of Andalusian Heritage as a protected monument. Noever called the decision “more than gratifying”–and he’s encouraging the Analusian government to take the next step and open the house to the public.