Vorarlberg Museum
The project’s site is characterised by the open landscape of Lake Constance and the compact urban structure of Bregenz. Between the closed block structure of the city and the lake there is an insular lot with solitary buildings of special functions. The voids between the buildings lead to beautiful lines of sight from the city towards Lake Constance.
The design of the new State Museum is developed structurally out of these circumstances, adding a solitary new building at the western end of the row of landmark detached buildings. The concept for the new building itself is based on the principal of architectural continuity. The listed building, which formerly housed the local administration, has been almost completely preserved and integrated into the new structure. Two levels have been added to the historic structure and directly adjacent to it a new five-storey building has been erected.
The existing structure, the two added levels and the new construction are combined in a unified new form characterised by a clear and compact plan. A new urban situation is created by leaving the site’s sharply-angled south-western boundary unbuilt, instead aligning the facade along it to form a gentle angle at the junction of the existing and new building. The closed block urban structure is thereby transformed into a solitary detached building.
The different stages in the building’s history are rendered visible through varying façade composition and surface textures. Homogenous colouring unites the different exteriors to an overall ensemble. Through its elevated height and its new colouring the museum exerts a strong presence across its urban context and Lake Constance.
CNA Team : Andreas Cukrowicz, Anton Nachbaur-Sturm, Christian Schmölz, Stefan Abbrederis [PL], Martin Ladinger, Philipp Schertler, Martina Berlinger, Vera Hagspiel.
