Open Space Cafe-Bar

The Open Space Hotel in Murau, Austria, a building dating back to the 13th century, has been expanded with an ultra modern cafe-bar.
But integrating a modern addition within a space characterized by traditional architecture, is never a easy task. Designed by Architektur Steinbacher Thierrichter, the new addition to the hotel towers 12 meters over Muraus medieval town walls, offering great views over the river Mur. However, due to its placement in a historical town, some people are not happy with it.
We feel that it blends in with its surroundings, highlighting even more the old buildings. Therefore the Open Space Cafe-Bar can be seen as a valuable addition to Muraus historical center.

Grand Scale Opera

Each summer, the Bregenz Festival in Austria presents stunning opera stages, set on Lake Constance. Whether its a giant eyeball for Tosca, during which performance a part of the James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" was filmed, or a skeleton opening a book for Verdi's Masked Ball, the festival's creativity doesn't cease to amaze. This year, for Umberto Giordanos French Revolution opera "Andrea Chenier", the organisers have erected the statue of Marat, murdered in the bathtub, as seen in the famous painting by J.L.David. A giant staircase runs from Marats eye down to his neck and shoulder. To his right there is an over-sized open book of Cheniers poems and to the left a guilded mirror on which images are projected. One thing this stage is not, is discrete. But opera purists should be appeased by the spectacle it offers. 
The festival runs until August 21st, but if you miss it you have another chance next year, as the stages are built every two years.

Stage for Andrea Chenier 2011



Aida 2009-20010

A masked ball 1999-2000