Kunsthaus Graz
Kunsthaus Graz is a modern art museum located on the west bank of the River Mur in the historic centre of Graz, Austria. It was designed and built as part of the 2003 European Capital of Culture celebrations and has since become a city landmark, popularly known as the 'Friendly Alien'.
Its design was a collaboration between two professors from the Bartlett School of Architecture, Colin Fournier and Peter Cook, formerly the leader of the Archigram group that acquired a reputation for unusual urban design concepts in the 1960s.
The designers adopted an innovative style known as blobitecture or 'blob architecture' to create the building's organic, amoeba-shaped form with 'spouts' projecting from the roof, that stands out in stark contrast to its more traditional surroundings. The glazed outer skin is constructed from 1,288 iridescent blue acrylic panels.
The skin generates energy through the use of integrated photovoltaic panels as a result of which, its environmental impact is very low. The skin also forms a 'BIX Façade' screen, capable of displaying interactive media using the 900 computer-controlled fluorescent lamps fitted beneath the surface.
See more from the Unusual Building Design of the Week series.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Architectural styles.
- Blobitecture.
- Building of the week series.
- Centro Eventi Multifunzionale, Italy.
- Dali Theatre and Museum.
- Dancing House, Prague.
- Gentle Genius.
- Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao.
- Habitat 67.
- Lotus Temple.
- Luxor Las Vegas.
- Nexus.
- Rose Museum.
- St. Basil's Cathedral.
- Sage Gateshead.
- Switch House, Tate Modern.
- Tallest buildings in the world.
- The Gherkin.
- The Mile.
- The Oculus.
- Titanic Belfast.
- Unusual building design of the week.
- Zenith de Strasbourg.
[edit] External references
- Museum Joanneum - Official site
Featured articles and news
Combating burnout.
The 5 elements of seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke.
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.
Passivhaus social homes benefit from heat pump service
Sixteen new homes designed and built to achieve Passivhaus constructed in Dumfries & Galloway.
CABE Publishes Results of 2025 Building Control Survey
Concern over lack of understanding of how roles have changed since the introduction of the BSA 2022.
British Architectural Sculpture 1851-1951
A rich heritage of decorative and figurative sculpture. Book review.
A programme to tackle the lack of diversity.
Independent Building Control review panel
Five members of the newly established, Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended, panel appointed.
Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter progresses
ECA progressing on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales.
A brief history from 1890s to 2020s.
CIOB and CORBON combine forces
To elevate professional standards in Nigeria’s construction industry.
Amendment to the GB Energy Bill welcomed by ECA
Move prevents nationally-owned energy company from investing in solar panels produced by modern slavery.
Gregor Harvie argues that AI is state-sanctioned theft of IP.
Experimental AI housing target help for councils
Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records.