Kunsthaus Graz, Art museum in Graz, Austria.
The structure rises in organic form with a bluish shimmering exterior skin composed of 1,288 acrylic glass panels across roughly 64,500 square feet (6,000 square meters) of exhibition space on two floors. The curved structure rests on a rectangular base and contrasts markedly with surrounding historical buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries along the Mur Canal.
The museum was completed in 2003 as part of events marking Graz's year as European Capital of Culture, realized according to designs by British architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier. The project emerged from an international competition in 1998 and cost approximately 42 million euros, with the unconventional architecture generating both enthusiasm and controversial discussion.
The institution serves as a major Austrian center for contemporary visual arts, presenting works by international and regional artists through rotating annual exhibitions focused on media art, photography and installation. The absence of a permanent collection allows flexible programming that responds to current artistic developments and experimental practices in the visual arts.
Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 with standard admission of 11 euros for adults and free entry for children. The building sits roughly 1,000 feet (300 meters) south of downtown along the eastern bank of the Mur River, accessible via tram lines 1, 3, 6 and 7 to Kunsthaus stop. Audio guides are available for a fee.
The building's exterior functions as a BIX media facade featuring 930 integrated fluorescent tubes that can display moving images and artistic projections across the entire surface after nightfall. This installation was developed by Berlin-based artist collective realities:united and transforms the architecture itself into a medium for digital art and public communication.
Location: Graz
Inception: 2003
Architects: Peter Cook, Colin Fournier
Official opening: 2003
Architectural style: Blobitecture
Accessibility: Accessible en fauteuil roulant
Fee: Yes
Address: 1 Lendkai 8020 Graz
Opening Hours: Mardi-Dimanche 10:00-17:00
Website: https://museum-joanneum.at/en/kunsthaus-graz
GPS coordinates: 47.07140,15.43400
Latest update: December 1, 2025 15:42
Architecture does not have to follow straight lines and right angles. This collection presents buildings that stand out through their form: domes, spirals, tilted facades or organic structures that recall animals or plants. From Gaudí's mosaic covered works in Barcelona to the stacked concrete cubes of Habitat 67 in Montreal or the conical trulli of Alberobello, these structures demonstrate alternative approaches to construction. Some emerged from technical necessity, such as the temporary cardboard cathedral in Christchurch after the 2011 earthquake. Others are artistic statements: the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao with its titanium plates, the Dancing House in Prague or the cubist houses in Rotterdam. In Đà Lạt, the Crazy House transforms tree trunks and caves into habitable spaces, while the Atomium in Brussels represents a magnified iron crystal. These structures attract visitors but also raise questions about function and livability. The Longaberger Basket Building in Ohio takes the form of a seven story basket. The Lotus Temple in New Delhi uses concrete shells to form 27 petals. The Aldar headquarters in Abu Dhabi resembles a circular coin. These buildings expand the definition of what architecture can be.
Postmodern architecture emerged in the 1970s as a response to the rigid principles of modernism, reintroducing color, ornament, and historical references into contemporary building design. The movement evolved over decades, producing structures that challenge conventional forms and experiment with different materials and surfaces. These buildings demonstrate varied approaches to design, from playful facades to complex geometric constructions, showing how architects employ new technologies while engaging with historical stylistic elements. The collection includes cultural institutions such as the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and Casa da Música in Porto, public buildings like Seattle Central Library and Almere City Hall, and religious structures such as the Jubilee Church in Rome. Other examples include the SIS Building in London, Dancing House in Prague, and Niterói Contemporary Art Museum in Rio de Janeiro. The Louvre Pyramid in Paris and the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus show different interpretations of postmodern principles. The Piazza d'Italia in New Orleans with its colored colonnades and the Portland Building with its decorated facade represent early postmodern works in the United States.
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