With its mild climate and proximity to Italy, Carinthia has a tradition in architecture of Mediterranean influence. Villas and houses with a seaside appeal convey the charm of a classic summer holiday. Today, we go even further, as in the case of the Steinhaus (stone house) by Günter Domenig, on the shores of Lake Ossiach: a famous example of post-modern deconstructivist architecture.
Lower Austria has a wide range of architectural surprises in store. A walk through the old town of Krems opens a window into the Middle Ages, while the Kunsthalle takes visitors back to the present. The Krems architectural guide presents the most significant contemporary sites in the city and invites you to visit it along thematic routes, to be composed according to your personal tastes. The most spectacular architectural gem in Lower Austria is the Loisium, a huge multimedia museum dedicated to wine and connected to a design hotel. The Wolkenturm tower in Grafenegg conveys tension and emotion. In stark contrast to a castle in the style of Romantic historicism, a pavilion unfolds with expressive variety in the park sky and serves as a sculpture, open-air stage and rest area at the same time.
The architecture of Upper Austria is very varied: historic centres such as Wels, Steyr, Schärding and Gmunden alternate with exciting works of modern architecture such as the Lentos Art Museum on the banks of the Danube in Linz or the futuristic Ars Electronica Center, which is constantly changing in colour thanks to light-emitting diodes. Until a few years ago, the first modern building of international significance in Linz was the Brucknerhaus, a concert theatre from the 1970s with suspension rooms.
Salzburg is often referred to as a classic example of Baroque, thanks to the presence of numerous churches, palaces and squares built in the time of Mozart. But this city also has different faces, and this is demonstrated by some extraordinary examples of contemporary architecture, such as the Museum der Moderne on the Mönchsberg or Hangar 7 at the airport, an unusual combination of aircraft hangar, art gallery, gastronomy and entertainment area.
Styria is home to one of Austria's most vibrant architectural trends, now known as the Graz School. The city's urban planners are also affected by its influence, as can be seen in the visionary Kunsthaus, the museum of modern art of British architects Cook and Fournier, also known as "the Friendly Alien". The Kunsthaus and the island on the river Mur designed by Vito Acconci are clear proof of the feasibility of an architecture so far only imagined. The Haus für Musik and the Musiktheater in Graz, in addition to their architecture, are also surprising for the possibility of modulating the acoustics of the rooms by means of electronic controls. In this way, the room's sound response can be adjusted to suit every musical requirement.
In recent years, the mountainous Vorarlberg region has become a strong attraction for architecture enthusiasts. For the past 40 years, numerous buildings of great architectural interest have been built here for everyday use. Since the 1990s, people from all over Europe have been paying particular attention to Vorarlberg: experience in the construction of environmentally friendly buildings has given the region a strong developmental advantage in architectural culture. Simple, functional and resource-saving design, together with the use of natural materials, characterize contemporary buildings and are elements of connection with tradition.
Modern architecture in Vorarlberg
In Tyrol, most of the buildings of architectural interest are dedicated to visitors to the Land crossed by the River Inn. The Bergisel ski jump designed by Zaha Hadid, which has now become the "lighthouse of Innsbruck", stands out among them all. Visitors can reach the top of the tower and enjoy a unique view of the Inn valley. The high regard for avant-garde architecture in Tyrol is also demonstrated by the new funicular railway at Innsbruck's Hungerburg or the MPreis supermarket branches - which have won several awards.
The appearance of the historic centre of Vienna is still intact as in few other capitals of Europe. This poses a major challenge for the new architecture, which is obliged to dialogue with the existing historical heritage. The Skyline Donaucity or the MuseumsQuartier is a clear demonstration of how the transition to the 21st century has been a success. A specific feature of Vienna is also the culture of renovation and extension of old buildings. This has resulted in masterpieces of interior architecture that are trend-setting all over the world.