Ernst Lichtblau was an Austrian architect and designer who played an important role in the development of modern architecture in Vienna. He studied architecture between 1902 and 1905. He later collaborated with the Wiener Werkstätte and became a member of both the German and Austrian Werkbund.
Lichtblau's early work was influenced by Art Nouveau, but his architectural style gradually developed towards functionalism and Modernism. Among his notable projects was the Schokoladenhaus in Vienna (1914), recognisable for its distinctive ceramic façade.
During the 1920s and 1930s, he contributed to Vienna's municipal housing programme, such as the Julius-Ofner-Hof. He also participated in the Wiener Werkbundsiedlung (1930–1932). The settlement brought together international architects to explore new approaches to modern housing and living.
In 1939, following the Nazi annexation of Austria, Lichtblau emigrated to the United States via England. There, he continued his career as an architect and educator, teaching at Cooper Union and the Rhode Island School of Design, where he later became Dean of the Faculty of Architecture.
Lichtblau returned to Vienna towards the end of his life and continued working as an architect. His work reflects the transition from Viennese Art Nouveau to modern architecture and demonstrates his contribution to the development of functional residential design.
Sources