ARCHITECTURE
The State Gallery of Lower Austria in Krems is a unique architectural jewel situated at the gateway to the Wachau UNESCO World Heritage Site. The building is characterized by its dynamism, innovation, and boldness. These are also the leitmotifs of the exhibition program under artistic director Gerda Ridler.
Milestones in architectural history
In April 2014, the Lower Austrian state government made a visionary decision—it approved the construction of a museum dedicated to the State Collections in Krems an der Donau. The historic town with around 25,000 inhabitants is the preeminent center for fine art in Lower Austria, featuring various exhibition venues along the Kunstmeile Krems. The new building of the State Gallery of Lower Austria marks a milestone in this development. Together with the Kunsthalle Krems and the Karikaturmuseum Krems, the State Gallery on Museumsplatz forms the center of the Kunstmeile Krems.
An EU-wide architectural competition was announced for the realization of the new museum. Chaired by jury member Elke Delugan-Meissl, the design by Vorarlberg-based architectural firm marte.marte architects was selected as the unanimous winner out of fifty-nine submissions in 2015. Architects Bernhard and Stefan Marte are responsible for a remarkable series of award-winning buildings in the areas of culture, education, infrastructure, and healthcare.
Deriving inspiration from the picturesque old towns of Krems and Stein, marte.marte emphasizes a reduction to the essentials. Architecturally, the design harmoniously unites tradition and modernity. The building draws on the achievements of past centuries and is boldly integrated into the townscape.
Created with great precision is a landmark, a dancing sculpture, that captivates with its distinctiveness and originality, choreographing the town setting in a new way
The groundbreaking ceremony took place in June 2016. Archaeological finds soon came to light—a complex system of wooden pilings from a medieval harbor was unearthed. The “ground monument” outside the museum and an online presentation provide information about its history. After two and a half years of construction, the museum was completed in December 2018. The opening of the State Gallery of Lower Austria was celebrated in May 2019 with five exhibitions.
A landmark for art
The new building of the State Gallery of Lower Austria makes a bold architectural statement and serves as a clear symbol for art. A visually striking, upward-spiraling monolith defines the building’s dynamic form. The focal point is the rotating axis that unites two directions of movement
—towards the historic city center and towards the Danube
—situated at the very point of entry for visitors to the Kunstmeile Krems.
The design was inspired by the figura serpentinata, a mannerist approach to depicting figures in spiral-esque poses, so that they appear different from every point of view. The sculptures only achieve their effect when walking around them, which reveals the variety of perspectives. The central cubic form of the Landesgalerie also creates this effect: new views are created on all sides, as the form twists around itself, tapering upwards and finally revealing a view of the Benedictine monastery Göttweig Abbey, via a cut in the structure facing the Danube.
The new building of the State Gallery of Lower Austria designed by architects Stefan and Bernhard Marte achieves something unique: a convincing combination of monumentality and lightness, coherence and transparency. Rarely has a building translated the dynamics of a location so convincingly.
Dancer from Krems
The scaly facade of 7,200 matt, silver-gray zinc shingles creates a uniform impression resembling a sequined dress. The State Gallery of Lower Austria is also affectionately known as the “Dancer from Krems” given its rotating form and design.
The State Gallery of Lower Austria opens outward with wide arched windows at ground level, creating inviting, light-filled spaces on the ground floor. With 3,000 m² of exhibition space, the layout encompasses four floors and a large terrace, which offers a stunning view of the Danube, Göttweig Abbey, and the old town of Stein. On the lower level is the largest presentation area, which connects the State Gallery with the Kunsthalle Krems nearby.
The curvature of the cubic form is carried through to the interior of the building with hyperparabolic walls. The understated architectural design of the exhibition areas largely preserves the dynamic sense of space. Each floor offers large, open galleries, creating a harmonious interplay between architecture and museum installation.
Awards
The State Gallery of Lower Austria is the recipient of prestigious architectural awards: the Iconic Award for innovative architecture (2019) and the German Design Award in the category Excellent Architecture (2019). In 2020, the State Gallery of Lower Austria was named “Austria’s best building constructed with ready-mixed concrete.”
Artistic interventions
Various permanent artistic interventions engage with the architecture and thematic program of the State Gallery of Lower Austria. Leo Zogmayer’s inscription WENN ICH KUNST SAGE MEINE ICH DAS GANZE (When I say art I mean everything), plainly visible from outside the building, encourages reflection on the role of art and its significance for society today. Judith Fegerl explores the architectural rotation of the building by installing three intriguing concrete elements on the ground floor, which she imagines as the starting point for the force of the rotation. Werner Reiterer’s sound installation activates the museum’s large elevator, surprising visitors with his thoughts on human movement throughout history.