A Gallery at 1,800 metres - arlberg1800

When a feeling for the fun inherent in art and culture comes together with the right touch and a good local opportunity, striking projects can result. This is the case with the highest gallery in the Alps, currently under construction in St. Christoph, a town at the Arlberg. The arlberg1800 project, which arose from a private initiative, was planned by the Tyrolese architecture studio Jürgen Kitzmüller. The initiator is Florian Werner, who is a collector, patron of the arts, gallery owner and manager of the 5-star Arlberg Hospiz Hotel St. Christoph. Two-thirds of the new building are located underground; the above-ground areas have been designed as flexible spaces for congresses and seminars. The centre of the structure houses the White Space, an exhibition hall measuring about 600 m² in area and 8 metres in height. This is where exhibitions curated by section.a will take place. Further plans are under way for a 250 m² concert hall with excellent acoustics and space for 160 people, an art lounge, a project room for smaller shows and two studios for artists in residence. The artist-in-residence program, which has been running for several years, takes on a professional continuation here and will offer young contemporary artists a great opportunity to work at lofty heights and raise their own profiles. Austrian Biennale artist Hans Schabus has won the international Kunst am Bau competition, which is overseen by a specialist jury. His winning work Tunic, Staff, World is a reference to St. Christopher, the town’s namesake. The opening of the new building is planned for autumn 2015.