As a supporter of architectural realism, Otto Wagner was interested in urban planning. Although Wagner began as a traditional architect, he fostered the transition from historicism to the idea of ​​architecture that spoke to his times. As an architect, Wagner began his career with buildings designed in the conventional Baroque and Neoclassical styles. Wagner attempted to turn away from accepted traditional forms of architecture by bringing together structural rationalism and technology. However, it retains a sense of historicism and eclecticism. (Wagner 21). Wagner's architectural style embraced and clearly manifested a distinct shift from traditional buildings and the emergence of purpose-built buildings. The Steinhoff Sanatorium Church in Vienna, the Postal Savings Bank and several Vienna City Railway entrances are among Wagner's most memorable buildings. (100). The conviction that art has a purpose is expressed when he declares: "The practical element in man, which is particularly pronounced, is obviously here to stay and every architect will have to confront the postulate: a thing which is not practical cannot be beautiful” (100). In exploring the idea of ​​modernity in architecture, he used the designs of his own buildings, where he used new technologies, materials and simpler ornamentation. The Postal Savings Bank is considered one of the first important works of modern architecture. This represented Wagner's shift from neoclassicism. The building was constructed of reinforced concrete. Square marble slabs cover the facade attached to the brick structure with mortar and adorned with iron bolts with aluminum caps. The photo below shows the exterior of the main facade of the Postal Savings Bank...... middle of paper ......considered modern at that time, it still contained references to classicism and to the neo-Renaissance. This has resulted in his arguments for modern architecture not being completely distinct and moving away from the traditional architecture of the past. John Ruskin denounced the type of restoration employed by Viollet-le-Duc stating that it was "a destruction of which no vestige can be gathered, a destruction accompanied by a false description of the thing destroyed" ( Viollet-le-Duc 35). Because Viollet-le-Duc refuted the challenge of his own ideas, he continued to design buildings in eclectic styles. Wagner and Viollet-le-Duc failed to completely avoid using traditional architecture as a reference to modern architecture. The preservation movement largely rejected Viollet's methods because they threatened the autonomy of observed history..