david altrath’s lens frames layered raw concrete blocks in austrian brutalist church

david alrath photographs 1970s brutalist Church in vienna

In the latest of his architectural photography series, Hamburg-based photographer David Altrath‘s lens frames the Wotruba Church, a landmark of brutalism in Vienna. The building, envisioned by the Austrian sculptor Fritz Wotruba and realized by the architect Fritz Gerhard Mayr, is composed of 152 raw concrete blocks in varied shapes and sizes, with the tallest reaching 13.1 meters. Mayr meticulously realized the sculptor’s vision, assembling the blocks in an unconventional, staggered arrangement that gives the structure a powerful, monolithic presence while revealing the unadorned surfaces typical of brutalist aesthetics.

glass filters the light amid Wotruba Church’s concrete blocks

Completed in 1976, the abstract, sculptural form of the church departs from traditional ecclesiastical design, emphasizing mass and asymmetry. David Altrath’s photography depicts the interplay of natural light and shadow within the minimalist interior of the Wotruba Church, where simple glass panels set between raw concrete blocks filter light that casts dynamic beams across the austere space. This interplay animates the otherwise sparse environment, enhancing the serene, contemplative atmosphere that Fritz Wotruba envisioned. The careful integration of light and form reflects his belief in finding beauty in simplicity, creating a space for reflection.