By far the most disappointing building of my trip last year, the "Friendly Alien" appeared to be a promising building from the publication photos I have seen of it.

Address:
Lendkai 1, A-8020 Graz

T 43-316/8017-9200
F 43-316/8017-9212
info@kunsthausgraz.at

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun 10am-6pm
Thu 10am-8pm

Website:
www.kunsthausgraz.at

Map:

Context shot

Located in the heart of Graz on the banks of the Mur River, opposite the Schlossberg of Graz, the building in an urban formal sense stands out yet for some strange reason, blends in with the intricately detailed/articulated roof with the surrounding buildings. A beautiful dialogue

View from across the river

closer...
probably one of the best views of the building

The Kunsthaus Graz consists of 3 parts, the old building (Camera Austria), the new blob (Space 01-03) and the 'needle' which is essentially a viewing deck

All 3 parts can be seen here

before we go inside, let's take a look at this building from the outside and see how it integrates with the urban landscape...

look closely at the bottom glass element is detailed/expressed and how it joins the blob above :wondering

British 'High-Tech' meets Blobatecture

this looks kinda interesting, but wait till we see it from the inside!

Entrance

As expected, its the space between the new blob and the old building, that's all cool

once you enter, you are greeted with a glazed roof space, to which on your left is the old building (ticket office and shop on ground floor) and the blob hovering to the right with bridges leading into it from the old building

the way the bridges lead into the blob is quite exciting way to enter this thing

oh, whilst we are up here, take a look out the window to see that same space we saw earlier from the outside.

the details of how it joins the glass (how it is expressed) really let the building down, not to mention the dead spaces that require band-aid solutions such as surveillance cameras

ok, back down to the entry foyer

this is what you see, the escalator leading up to Space01, though Space01 was shut.

note the detail again to the right where the glass meets to blob.... British 'High-Tech' meets blobatecture, why such a heavy detail when it's meant to read as if the blob is just there and that glass is meant to be almost non-existent?

in fact, as a gallery, it was poorly run, poorly maintained with very impolite staff, not a good gallery experience afterall.

that same detail from the restaurant/cafe.

btw, its quite cheap place to have a decent meal in Graz!

Galleries

Ok, not sure if you have seen the published photos of the gallery spaces inside the blob, but here is one I found for you.

Photo by Niki Lackner

and here is the real thing...
don't you just LOVE the hindsight of track lighting requirements?!
and oh, check how the curved ceiling meets the top of the fire stairs block

sorry for the poor photo quality photography is not allowed. i didn't have to resort to the extreme like i did for the Therme Vals shots.:D

one of those neon light features with the sky lights (and the lighting track)

the only 'skylight' that is low enough for people to see through into the distance view of the city

closer

And now for the 'Needle'

feels more like something that's from the Pompidou Centre instead of relating to anything that's about this building.

the strategy of placing a viewing platform there is great, but it doesn't have to feel like a tram/funicular collided with the blob!

the other side

the famous roof details

under the roof it actually has lights that make up graphics at night

here is a shot of how its meant to look at night
unfortunately i wasn't there at night

another great view from the 'needle'

View from the needle looking down to the intersection and the Mur River.
A 100m down the river you will find the floating island on the Mur by Vito Acconci

oh, and inside at the top of the fire stairs where it meets the curved roof

i have to say, the building looks ace when you look up from the outside, but a huge disappointment when it comes to details and how it meets the ground

Last one....

beautiful reflection of the surrounding buildings on the plastic panels

thank you and sorry it took almost 2 years for me to post this!

I'd read about this building and was a little confused as to what benefit there is in designing a blob other than pure novelty. It seems to look interesting coming from the river and looking up from the ground, but I just can't get over the sense that it's total folly; nothing in the photos tie it to its surroundings. The poor detailing and lack of forethought is a big disappointment - it seems like the skylights that puncture the blob would've had awesome potential for creating some well-framed views of the city.

Great photos btw.

I think it's not that bad for a guy who only has this single project built. It's obvious that for such a different for there would be lots of bad details.
I still don't know if I like this building, sometimes it looks good and sometimes it doesn't. At least I'm sure I don't like the interiors and the skylights could have worked much better.
thank you and sorry it took almost 2 years for me to post this!
Think of it as "good that it didn't go down with the big forum hack"

Just wanted to add that the building was by Peter Cook and an interesting guy called Colin Fournier.

Despite studying at the Bartlett, UCL when he started teaching there I didn't know that Fournier was also teamed with Bernard Tschumi on the Paris, park de la villette (he must be used to playing understudy).

Fascinating bio on him here (http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse/Our%20Organisation%2FDesign%20and%20Social%20Conte xt%2FSchools%2FArchitecture%20and%20Design%2FNews% 20and%20Events%2FEvent%20Articles%2FColin%20Fourni er/)

ps. thanks for the very good pictures

I'd read about this building and was a little confused as to what benefit there is in designing a blob other than pure novelty. It seems to look interesting coming from the river and looking up from the ground, but I just can't get over the sense that it's total folly; nothing in the photos tie it to its surroundings. The poor detailing and lack of forethought is a big disappointment - it seems like the skylights that puncture the blob would've had awesome potential for creating some well-framed views of the city.

Great photos btw.

Duncan has pointed out that this project is a folly. Gorgon has mentioned that Colin Fournier has worked with Bernard Tschumi (park de la villette). swank-e raises the question, "let's take a look at this building from the outside and see how it integrates with the urban landscape..."?

With this in mind... does the project become successful in the context of an architectural folly within the urban landscapre of Graz?


link to thread started by PPB2 member joHanneum Z about Graz (http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4586&highlight=Graz)

The poor detailing is often the trouble when you have a very interesting concept which makes a great image. Its when trying to make it work in real life, that you realise the problems with organic structures.

I could only imagine the cost of it!