A collection of old industrial sheds and warehouses in Krems, Austria has experienced a metamorphosis into a high-tech research center for Eybl International, a leading supplier of textiles to the automotive industry. By means of glazed roofing and careful spatial zoning, the architects have brought daylight deep into the large buildings. — Published 2004.1208
Something unexpected has appeared on the bank of the River Mur in Graz, Austria. Between the red brick roofs of neighboring historic buildings, "the friendly alien," as it is locally known, has landed in Austria's second largest city. — Published 2003.1203
Cobra, high-heeled shoe, golf club... Quite a few nicknames have emerged for the new Bergisel Ski Jump since its opening in September 2002. Time will tell if one of these nicknames will stick, but already the ski jump by the London firm Zaha Hadid Architects has become an important point of reference for the surrounding mountain landscape. — Published 2003.0528
CEPHEUS (Cost-Efficient Passive Houses as EUropean Standards) is a demonstration project that is examining the viability of solar and low-energy construction in Europe. Fourteen inexpensive buildings with a total of 221 residential units have been built and are being evaluated through a standardized measurement program. The results of the Austrian projects have been published in a book that proposes to demonstrate that reducing the consumption of conventional fuels is both possible and recommended in this climate. This is the story of Wolfurt, Vorarlberg, low-cost, compact multifamily terraced housing on the slopes of the Bregenz Forest. Architect Gerhard Zweier has provided eight families with dividable floor plans, ample daylight, and large gardens. Although the energy conservation results are not perfect, the example is instructive. — Editor — Published 2002.0313
This single-family house with its clear-span interiors, industrial materials, and view of city lights might be mistaken for the work of American architect (and Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice) John Lautner.
But the SPS house, named after "Sprengersteig," its street in Vienna, is a product of the young Austrian firm querkraft architekten. The glazed, pedestal-like building is recessed into a sloping site, with "two boxes and a studio" on the above-ground floor. — Published 2002.0313
Until around the turn of the 21st century, high-rise buildings were quite rare in Vienna. Here and there a radio tower or an office building would reach above the Austrian capital's skyline, but skyscrapers were so rare that the Vienna building regulations classified any building over 65 feet (20 meters) tall as high-rise. — Published 2002.0130
