Episode 101: Liane Zimbler
The time was May 31, 1892, the place Prerov, Moravia, Juliana “Liane” Fischer, was born. Liane didn't go to architecture school, she was self-taught in many fields. She attended the Vienna Arts and Crafts School. While there she got graphic design and illustrator commissions for various books and designed clothes for the salon of the famous Emilie Flöge. In 1916 she joined the Bamberger furniture factory in Vienna and married the lawyer Otto Zimbler. A few years later she went to the Rosenberger design studio in Vienna to work as an architect and by the early 1920s she opened up her own firm and had a child.
In 1922 Liane got a huge contract to remodel the Bankhaus Ephrussi & Co which kept her busy and earned money for two years. This project put her on the map and she started getting more and more work. Business was going so well, she opened a second office in Prague and it was run by her associate Annie Herrnheiser. The firm became well known and sought after for studios and one-bedroom apartment remodels. And also expanding the architecture market for the middle class.
On February 21st, 1938, Liane passed her exams and became the first woman in Austria to receive a civil architect's license. Unfortunately, Austria was becoming increasingly hostile towards Jews and Liane closed her firm and left eventually landing in Los Angeles where she collaborated with Ada Gomperz and worked in the firm of Anita Toor. When Anita passed away Liane bought the firm from the estate and kept it running under her leadership.
One project to mention from her time in California is the Panzer Residence where she focused on how spaces were connected and also designed custom furniture meant to be comfortable and modern, fitting within the design of the home.
Throughout her career, Liane became a member of the American Institute of Interior Designers and the Association of Women in Architecture and Design. She kept working until she was 90. Then enjoyed 5 years of retirement and passed away in November 1987 in Los Angeles.
Check out images of projects and floor plans: https://viennatotheworld.com/pleasure/ , https://undiaunaarquitecta3.wordpress.com/2017/11/22/liane-zimbler-juliana-fischer-1892-1987/
Caryatid: Katharina Hoerath
Katharina Hoerath is the Architectural Director for Bond Collective and the Co-Director of K-Works Studio, a firm she runs with her friend Katie Donahue. She has a Bachelor of Art History and a Master of Architecture. As the Architectural Director at Bond Collective, she is responsible for the design and development of large co-working spaces in major US cities. At K-Works Studio, as quoted from their website, “she focuses on the tactile and tangible, material cycles, and aspects of time and geology at the scale of exhibitions, houses, and retail typologies.”
She’s also a professor y'all! Molding minds at Parsons New School of Design.
In January 2020 she won the Contract award for best large office space design, and a year later she was finalist for the Hospitality Award in the category for Hybrid spaces.
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This transcript was prepared during the development of the episode.
Final recorded episode may deviate slightly from the content presented below as changes, edits, or improvements may be made during the recording and editing process.
Norgerie: Hi! Welcome to season 11 of She Builds Podcast, where we share stories about women in the design and construction field, one lady at a time.
Jessica: This season we were inspired by the number 11 which is basically a pair of ones so this season’s theme is: “Pairs, Duos” . We are talking about ladies who were a part of a professional pair in some fashion.
Lizi: As always, we are not experts, we are just sharing stories about the information that we find, as friends having a fun conversation. If you find an error, send us an email and we will all continue learning.
Norgerie: We're kicking off this season talking about Liane Zimbler, an architect who owned studios in Austria and the United States and collaborated with other women architects throughout her career. I’m Norgerie Rivas, surpassing my yearly audiobook goal, my goal is 12 books in a year, I’m on 19 right now, in Houston Texas
Jessica: Hi, I’m Jessica Rogers I’m pushing and pulling 45 pounds on the weighted sled when I previously was pushing 10-25 , in Miami, FL
Lizi: Hi, I’m Lizi Raar, still waking up in San Francisco.
Norgerie: Before we begin today's story we want to thank you for being here listening and learning along with us. Whether it's your first episode, your 101st or anywhere in between, we could not do this without your support, so thank you very much.
Lizi: Yes! Thank you so much listeners for sticking with us or joining us fresh!
Jessica: Yes Thank you! It’s great to be back with another season and some more ladies
Norgerie: Also, second disclaimer, there’s a lot of German words this episode and I’m gonna do my best but please forgive me if I butcher anything. Ok lets do this. The time was May 31 1892, the place Prerov, Moravia, Juliana Fischer was born.
Lizi: Ooo Moravia, so is that Germany? Or Czechia?
Norgerie: She went by the nickname Liane so we will do the same. When Liane was born, Prerov Moravia was part of the Austro-Hungary Empire but today it's part of Czechia formerly Czech Republic.
Jessica: Ooh interesting
Lizi: Gotcha.
Norgerie: Liane’s family was Jewish, she had a sister, and her dad was a senior inspector at the Kaiser-Ferdinand-Nordbahn which was a railway company. In the 1900s the railway company transferred him to Vienna and the family relocated there.
Lizi: ooo I’ve heard great things about Vienna. Hopefully they enjoyed it there.
Jessica: Yeah Vienna is definitely on my bucket list - I hope it was good transition for her and her family.
Norgerie: For a while Liane and her sister were homeschooled, but later they went to Realschule which I understood was a type of middle school/ high school.
Lizi: Ooo nice.
Norgerie: After high school Liane didn't go into architecture right away. No no no, she started out at the Vienna Arts and Crafts School. I couldn't find a record of when she graduated, so I think that while she was in school she was also working and she realized she could learn just as much from the school of life. She was getting graphic design and illustrator commissions for various books, and designing clothes for the salon of the famous Emilie Flöge.
Lizi: oooo that’s cool that she was getting a bunch of side gigs.
Jessica: it’s funny because when I think of graphic design I think of computers but we are talking about hand drawn graphic design haha
Norgerie: Random fun fact, Emilie Flöge was the life partner of Gustav Klimt.
Lizi: ooooooooo that’s a cool connection to have.
Jessica: That is really cool! I was going to say that Emilie was a really interesting fashion designer and businesswoman - She was considered to be the “it” designer before Coco Chanel - if we ever do another non-architect season - I might do a story on her
Norgerie: In 1916 she joined the Bamberger furniture factory in Vienna. She's doing furniture design now guys.
Jessica: I love it - I love the connection from graphics in fashion, to furniture.
Lizi: Nice, loving her versatility. Also, WWI? Did that have a big impact on her and her family?
Norgerie: Good question, I wondered about this as well, how did WWI impact her, but I could not find a lot of info on this. You’ll learn quickly, as we keep going on this episode, that her personal life is a little bit of a mystery.
Lizi: Got it. I mean I had to ask because we’re in Austria and ya know Franz Ferdinand, etc.
Jessica: I mean true - it’s not shocking to not find info on her personal life but finding info on how WWI would have impacted her is something I would be curious about.
Norgerie: Yeah, I thought the same thing. But if anything, it caught my eye that she seemed to have work throughout this whole time.
Lizi: Yeah that was also why I asked because I was wondering if her having work in a factory was like how in WWII lots of women were working in factories because all the men were off at war? Or if they were just like keeping on keeping on during the war and she was able to get work.
Norgerie: Yeah, good point. Through all these professional experiences in various design fields she was able to hone her skills for designing, drawing, and deepen her understanding of fabrics and colors.
Lizi: Yeah it sounds like she’s really becoming a renaissance woman with all of her different talents.
Norgerie: Yes, she was a true autodidact. That same year she married Otto Zimbler, he was a lawyer. Don’t ask me how or when they met because I don’t know. Shout out to Yuliana Retana who helped me by reading and listening to a few articles and shows in German to see if she could find this information, in Yuliana’s words it seems that she pulled a guy from her sleeve and they got married.
Lizi: Hahaha magic. She’s a wish! But congrats to the happy couple.
Jessica: That's hilarious and also friend Yuliana helping finding out info lady Yuliana I love it!
Norgerie: So before the end of WWI, Liane switched careers again, she went to the Rosenberger design studio in Vienna to work as an architect.
Lizi: Of course she did. A woman of many talents.
Jessica: It’s kinda impressive that she was able to find work in different fields like this
Norgerie: It seems she liked working as an architect because she started moonlighting as an architect too, she got her first architectural commission in 1918. A distant relative of hers, Dr. Paul Hellman, asked her to design his country house in Bad Aussee. Three years later he hired her to design an extension.
Lizi: Nice! Using those connections to get herself jobs. Love it.
Jessica: And she must have done a great job the first time to then get asked to do the extension.
Norgerie: Eventually, at the beginning of the twenties, she was getting enough commissions that she thought, what the heck, it's time I bet on me! And so she went into business for herself as an architect. BUSINESS OWNER IN THE HOUZZZ. She specialized on residential renovations, alterations, and interior design.
Lizi: AMAZING!!! Way to go Liane.
Jessica: That’s awesome
Norgerie: Oh and if she doesn't sound busy enough, let me tell you that in 1922 Otto and Liane welcomed baby girl Eva to the world.
Lizi: Aww! Congrats to them. Power mama right there.
Jessica: Ahh baby girl Eva
Norgerie: That same year Liane got a huge contract to remodel the Bankhaus Ephrussi & Co which kept her busy and earned money for two years. This project put her on the map and she started getting more and more work. So in 1924 she opened a studio to handle the workload and she had her private apartment in the same building so that she could take care of Eva and design at the same time.
Lizi: Love this initiative! That’s so great that she was able to get a big project and get her name out there AND I love that she was able to optimize her workspace to accommodate her home life and do it all.
Jessica: Love to see it! I also love learning about how this mama - is handling her business while taking care of her daughter - love hearing stories.
Norgerie: Y'all, business was booming for her! Which I love to hear about any of our ladies, especially the early pioneers. So much so that she opened a second studio baby woot woot!!!!
Jessica: oh snap! That’s great!
Lizi: WOAH! That’s so awesome.
Norgerie: Her new studio was in Prague and it was run by her associate Annie Herrnheiser. So now we've introduced the Liane, Annie duo. Running an international women led architecture firm.
Lizi: YESSSSSSSSS This is awesome! I love that her partner was another woman. Lady power partnership.
Jessica: Yassssss - I was wondering when the second person was going to come in hahaha
Norgerie: The firm became well known and sought after for studios and one bedroom apartment remodels. And also expanding the architecture market for the middle class.
Jessica: Beautiful!
Lizi: So cool. I bet there was a huge market for that at that time.
Norgerie: Notable projects in Vienna included a villa in Silbergasse, refurbishment of the Ephrussi Bank.
Jessica: Very impressive
Norgerie: And you know being the owner of a multi office architecture firm was in no way enough, she lectured on the sociological and artistic aspects of housing, she served as chairman of the Austrian board of the International Housing Society, and participated with organizations in support of working women.
Lizi: haha no surprise that she was doing all the things. Good for her for promoting working women. But that’s also great that she was able to be on the board of that society. I feel like we hear so many stories of our ladies being denied entry into those groups that are male led.
Jessica: yeah I love that she is doing all of this - but I’m also wondering when this lady sleeps!
Norgerie: She also took on exhibitions, she collaborated with so many artists and craftswomen to name a few: Maria Stauß-Likarz anything wall and furniture painting related, Hertha Bucher for stoves and ceramics, Anny Schantroch was her go to for woven pieces, and Ninetta Wandruska-Steindl did her lamps. Liane brought all their work and disciplines together and presented them in exhibitions or for her interior designs.
Lizi: This is SOO cool that she was working with all of these women. I love this international women's collaborative that she was building!
Jessica: woop woop
Norgerie: Ok Liane is all around slaying right?
Lizi: Heck ya!
Jessica: no denying it
Norgerie: So much so that they could not deny this lady had earned the right to an architecture license. Not saying that anyone tried to, my research can neither confirm or deny that. What I can say is that on February 21st 1938, Liane passed her exams and became the first woman in Austria to receive a civil architect's license.
Lizi: YEAHHHHH!!!! Amazing!
Jessica: ooooo yeahh - making it official because home girl was already killing it
Norgerie: Super sadly she was not able to live this achievement at home for long. Again to those paying attention, with a little knowledge of geography and World History they might be connecting a few dots: we're in Vienna, it's 1938, what's about to happen?
Lizi: Anschluss.
Jessica: The Annexation of Austria into the German Reich which happened on March 12 1938.
Lizi: UGH I’m already really bummed for Liane that this is going to throw a real wrench in her thriving business. I didn’t realize how far in time we’d gotten and now I’m really afraid for her safety as a Jewish woman.
Norgerie: Yeah, bad news bears. Luckily Otto had connections and the Zimblers were able to get the heck outta dodge, before the Anschluss happened. They first went to the Netherlands, then London, and then a few months later they landed in the US. Sadly that seems to be the end of her practice in Europe.
Lizi: Well I’m really glad they were able to get out before things really got going, but so sad to have to just up and leave their whole life behind.
Jessica: It’s awful! Her business was doing so well too - I mean she even had two locations! What happened to her partner?
Norgerie: Sadly, I could not find any information on what Anna did once Liane left. In fact all I can find about Anna is one sentence, that she was Liane’s business partner.
Jessica: Sad
Norgerie: While in the US, she met up with fellow Austrian interior and furniture designer Ada Gomperz, who fun fact, was also the wife of the philosopher Heinrich Gomperz, Ada collaborated with Liane on projects, so hello pair number two, Liane/ Ada duo. And I tell you right now Ada is a future episode alert!
Lizi: WOO!
Jessica: *airhorns yeah her life is really interesting - her husband seems really cool too.
Norgerie: Ada connected Liane with Anita Toor, who owned an interior design firm in Los Angeles and Liane started her career in the US there.
Lizi: Nice! Glad that she’s starting to get going again in the US. Also, another career change for Liane. This lady truly is the jack of all trades. Or jane of all trades am I right?
Jessica: For real! But from what I read about her partner I think it was more sp that Ada will collaborate on the interior side of Liane’s architecture business. Now working with Anita Toor? That just seems like a third partnership to me
Norgerie: Yep! In the early 1940s tragedy hit again, Otto died in a traffic accident, and then Anita Toor also passed away.
Lizi: NO! Oh my goodness that’s terrible.
Jessica: wow oh wow
Norgerie: The firm needed someone to step up, and that person was Liane. Liane bought out Anita’s estate and ran the firm, leading them to specialize in interior design and alterations.
Lizi: Wow. I mean good for her for stepping up in what was probably a really really hard time losing your friend/boss and your husband? I can’t imagine it was easy to push through and keep going, but maybe it was also a good way to have a goal and something to focus on.
Jessica: Yeah this is tough- it goes to show the type of leader she must have been to step up like that. Handling the personal and the business side of things
Norgerie: She also entered her firm in exhibitions and exposed their work to the masses.
Lizi: Of course she did.
Jessica: well I think of interiors and furniture designers especially around this time - I think Eileen Gray, Charlotte Perriand and maybe even Clara Porset in Mexico, but I’ve always wondered what was going on in the US … VERY COOL!
Norgerie: One project to mention from her time in California is the Panzer Residence where she focused on how spaces were connected to each other and also designed custom furniture meant to be comfortable and modern, fitting within the design of the home.
Lizi: This sounds really really cool. I’d love to see photos if we’re able to find any. It sounds like a really cohesive and well thought-out design.
Norgerie: Now that I mentioned furniture, I should mention Liane became very well known for designing simple economic furniture, in fact she was one of the designers introducing modular furniture to the California middle class market.
Lizi: Cool!
Jessica: that’s so neat! We have to remember that architecture in design has the stigma for servicing the upper or wealthy class so for a designer to be intentional with who they are serving - that ‘s pretty neat to see. And yes I need to see pictures!
Norgerie: through all her designs, whether they were buildings, interiors, or furniture, one could trace the principles of simplicity, clean, less is more as we say, learned through her education and work in Europe.
Lizi: I love this. Will there be any pictures of her furniture designs in the show notes Norgerie?
Norgerie: I’ll search but I don’t make any promises. And on top of the design work that she was doing she also published articles in design magazines and newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times, and if that's not enough she also gave lectures.
Lizi: Doing all the things and killing it.
Jessica: show them what you working with *snaps snaps
Norgerie: While all this was going on, her daughter Eva joined her firm as an apprentice and then in 1958 she became an associate!
Lizi: AMAZING! Mother daughter duo!
Jessica:oooh partnership number 4????
Norgerie: Throughout her career, Liane became a member of the American Institute of Interior Designers and the Association of Women in Architecture and Design, which I don't think we've mentioned this Association on the podcast yet, at first I thought there was a typo in the article I was reading but then I looked it up, and yes the Association of Women in Architecture and Design is the real deal folks!
Lizi: Oh hey! I haven’t heard of this either.
Jessica: I have heard of it - they are based in California. I want to say they are based out of San Francisco. I might have mentioned it a long time ago because they were doing an exhibition that I wanted to submit for but that was like 3 years ago when we were kinda getting started. ANYWAY - They do great work and if you are in the California area this seems like a good group to join. They aren’t as big as say the AIA which is maybe something you are interested in. Looking at their website this description that I found is exactly how I would describe the work that they do: “ THE ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN IN ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN is Committed to advancing women in the architectural and design professions. WE ARE A PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING WOMEN IN ARCHITECTURE AND ALLIED DESIGN FIELDS.”
Norgerie: When Liane was 86, she suffered a stroke? Do you think that she retired after that?
Lizi: Wait what? She had a stroke, survived, and kept on keeping on?
Jessica: you know a normal person might take it easy after a stroke. But yeah don’t tell me this lady kept on working????
Norgerie: She kept working until she was 90. Then enjoyed 5 years of retirement and passed away in November 1987 in Los Angeles.
Lizi: Wow! That’s amazing. I’m glad she was well enough to keep working and then enjoy some retirement as well. Norgerie thank you for sharing this story with us. Liane did so many things and I loved learning about her. I especially loved how woman focused her career was, both with her business partners, and who she collaborated with. So great.
Jessica: Yeah - it’s great to hear these stories of women collaborating with other women - but what makes this story more interesting that Liane worked with several women - great story.
Norgerie: Alright, now we have reached the second part of our episode, the Caryatid. A caryatid is a stone carving of a woman, used as a column or a pillar to support the structure of a Greek or Greek-style building. In each episode we choose a “caryatid” -- a woman who is working today, furthering the profession through their work, and who ties into the historical woman of our episode.
Norgerie: Drum roll please… Katharina Hoerath
Lizi and Jessica: (applause) Yeay!
Norgerie: Katharina Hoerath is the Architectural Director for Bond Collective and the reason she fits so wonderfully today is because she is also the Co-Director of K-Works Studio, a firm she runs with her friend Katie Donahue.
Lizi: Yay! Kat!
Jessica: yayyyy
Norgerie: Jessica, Lizi, and I know her as Kat; she graduated from Syracuse University with us. She was absolutely wonderful and talented. What I didn't know about her until I started doing a little research for this episode is that not only did she graduate with us with a bachelor of architecture. She also got a Bachelor of Art History and a Masters of Architecture!
Lizi: WHAT!? Like at the same time as the BArch?? So impressive!
Norgerie: Well probably not at the same time.
Jessica: I remember home girl had a lot of stuff going on and her work was always amazing.
Norgerie: Just like Liane, Katharina is from Austria and now living in the US, though she's based out of NYC not Los Angeles.
Lizi: Loving the connections
Norgerie: As the Architectural Director at Bond Collective she is responsible for the design and development of large co-working spaces in major US cities. At K-Works Studio, as quoted from their website, “she focuses on the tactile and tangible, material cycles, and aspects of time and geology at the scale of exhibitions, houses, and retail typologies.”
Jessica: cool!
Norgerie: She’s also a professor y'all! Molding minds at Parsons New School of Design.
Lizi: WHAT!?! That’s amazing. Good for her!
Jessica: ooooh that I didn’t know! nice
Norgerie: Oh and have I mentioned she's award winning? In January 2020 she won the Contract award for best large office space design, and a year later she was finalist for the Hospitality Award in the category for Hybrid spaces.
Lizi: Kat! She’s doing awesome. I love to hear that she’s killing it in all areas of her work.
Jessica: that is so awesome - and now I realized that I owe Kate a DM or phone call - cuz we have to catch up lol home girl is killing it
Norgerie: Before we say goodbye we want to say thank you to CMYK for the music, John W our technical advisor. And most of all thank you for listening!
Lizi: Remember to check out our show notes for links to all of our resources on this episode as well as pictures of projects we’ve talked about.
Norgerie: We hope you enjoyed learning about today’s lady and caryatid along with our banter, and that you are inspired to find out more about them and other amazing professional ladies. Again, thank you.
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References
Chamme, Ale. “LIANE ZIMBLER (JULIANA FISCHER) 1892-1987.” UN DIA | UNA ARQUITECTA 3, 30 Jan. 2018, undiaunaarquitecta3.wordpress.com/2017/11/22/liane-zimbler-juliana-fischer-1892-1987.
Jackson, Ladislav. “The Pleasure of 90-Years-Old Before and After Pictures, or the Rise of Upcycling and Zoning in Liane Zimbler’s Living Space - Vienna to the World.” Vienna to the World, 1 Feb. 2024, viennatotheworld.com/pleasure.
Wikipedia contributors. “Liane Zimbler.” Wikipedia, 23 Jan. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liane_Zimbler.
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