The need as the fundament of art: Otto Wagner’s architectural contributions to the idea of the sustainable city

This research develops the architectural contributions of Otto Wagner [1841-1918] to the idea of the Sustainable City. For this propose we will use as guiding concept “the need”, since for Wagner it would be the fundament of art, and therefore, the fundament of architectural practice. Emphasis will be located on the Wagnerian notion of “metropolis”, that is understood as the model proposed by Wagner in Vienna that would represent the solu tion for the Sustainable City. Also, we will argue that Otto Wagner was an architect that conceived the city as a living system, since the “apparent functionality” of a built environment is not the objective of architectural practice, instead the objective is to resolve the needs of citizens who dwell the city. This need will have an aesthetic but also a ethics connotation, it is what we will call “true functionality”, we contend that Wagner’s proposal resonates profoundly with contemporary concerns, aligning closely with the objectives outlined in the 11th goal (point 2nd and 3rd) of the “Sustainable Development Goals” of the United Nations [2015] and the European Un ion’s “New European Bauhaus” initiative [2021]. Through this examination, we highlight the enduring relevance of Wagner’s ideas and their potential applicability to the challenges of the 21st century.