Joanneum Visitors' Centre in Graz
To mark the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Joanneum, a museum that is scattered about various locations, a visitors’ centre was recently opened in Graz. The concept foresaw the creation of a focal point for three existing buildings grouped about a rear courtyard. The new facilities were to include a foyer and auditorium, service areas, a museum shop and a library reading room and depot. The architects did not succumb to the temptation of creating a visually striking new object between the carefully rehabilitated existing structures. Instead, they focused their attention on the intermediate space between them, a gesture that was effective both architecturally and in terms of the urban planning, and which re-sulted in an upgrading of the surroundings.
