1971: The Homebuilder Boom

Following the difficult economic times of the 1950s, there was an increase in the construction of detached houses due to rising incomes and state support. In international comparison, Austria was at the same level as Switzerland in 1979. A verifiable boom took place in the period between 1971 and 1999: in these 20 years, the number of detached and semi-detached houses rose by 50 per cent. This development was deliberately promoted by the state via legal regulations, which mostly favoured housing finance, as well as via special loans; since the 1980s, this has also been promoted by Austria’s federal states.

The reasons for the tendency toward homeownership are diverse: urban exodus, upward mobility, homeownership as a symbol of independence or status, economic security as well as traditional ideas of “home”.

Initial criticism of urban sprawl started in the 1970s. Due to rising infrastructure costs and ecological problems as well as the general reduction of subsidies and the controversy surrounding tax regulations (market value, inheritance tax, etc.), the construction sector has come under pressure since the 1980s.

Web Exhibition “Built With Your Own Hands”: https://bauen.hdgoe.at/