Which authorities judge the aesthetics of a building? (Author: Evgeni Gerginski) Tastes are known to differ. That has always been the case and always will be. However, in order to avoid a sensory overload when looking at new buildings, especially in densely populated areas, there are various bodies that try to maintain a harmonious image in public spaces. Other institutions assess the aesthetic significance of historically valuable buildings. In Austria, the authorities are the local authorities or the federal government itself, depending on the area of responsibility. There is also UNESCO. UNESCO identifies and protects cultural and natural monuments of universal value. These sites must be preserved for future generations by means of national measures (ministries BMK and BMKÖS). There are currently 10 World Heritage Sites in Austria (Vienna Innere Stadt, Hallstatt...). The federal government is responsible for sites of national value through the Federal Monuments Office. These sites are listed in the register of monuments, which is constantly being expanded by experts. If someone owns such a building, they need a licence for almost every change. In the federal provinces there are the local heritage commissions with their experts and in Vienna the municipal department for architecture and urban design (MA 19). The municipalities use ordinances to define the design framework, for example by specifying roof pitches and materials. Protection zones can be used to define general regulations for entire streets. However, in purely single-family housing estates and if the house is not in a prominent location or in a municipality with high architectural standards, there is even greater freedom of design. In the specific case of Vienna, MA 19 and its expert advisors decide whether a building fits into the cityscape or not. The decisive factor here is what is visible from the public space. Even in the case of detached houses that are clearly visible from the street, approval for the external design must be obtained from MA 19, and where there is no cityscape yet - i.e. in the development areas - the architectural restrictions are more moderate. The small "Gallic villages", also known as allotment garden settlements, are a special case where there is quasi freedom of design and no aesthetic demands are placed on the houses. As a result, an architectural jewel stands next to the DIY house. There are no limits to the world of colour and form in this conglomerate. The only thing that helps is to make the fence around these estates as high and opaque as possible, as they are now often in the centre of the urban environment...