Since 1990, the department known as da (die architektur = the architecture) at the University of Arts Linz has been Austria’s newest and smallest architecture school. Located in this city on the Danube, it addresses topics related to both urban and rural space, with a critical emphasis on social and ecological aspects.

Stahlstadtschule assembles a selection of texts, interviews, projects, and artifacts that situate the Linz school of architecture within the larger Austrian architectural and cultural landscape, and in relation to the city of Linz and its urban development policies and processes. The publication traces the architectural history of the city of Linz in recent decades, at the same time opening up critical perspectives on these developments that have been offered by the local architectural school.

With contributions by Wolf-Dieter Albrecht, Peter Arlt, Sigi Atteneder, Matthias Böttger, c/o now, Elisa Engel, Martin Fritz, Roland Gnaiger, Tobias Hagleitner, Saskia Hebert, Gabu Heindl, IfA Diaspora, Gabi Kaiser, Kontextur, Franz Koppelstätter, mia2, Barbara Pampe, Sabine Pollak, Heidi Pretterhofer, Clemens Quirin, Michael Rieper, Ulrike Schwantner, Petra Stiermayer, THuM Ateliers, Rainer Zendron, and Michael Zinner

• A fresh look at developments in architectural theory and instruction in recent decades

• A critical and creative confrontation with urban development and architecture in Linz