Waiting at a bus stop is widely held to be one of life's most mundane experiences. But that's no longer so if you happen to be a resident in the small village of Krumbach, western Austria.
There, the town's cultural association invited seven world-class architects, including Pritzker Prize winners Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu, to design shelters along the local bus route, offering nothing more than a week's free holiday in the region.
Remarkably, the architects accepted, and the construction was funded entirely through local community's donations, with no public money spent at all. The resulting seven architectural visions, such as this triangular creation by Architecten De Vylder Vinck Taillieu, turn the humble, hum-drum bus stop into avant-garde landmarks.
Interviews by Milena Veselinovic
There, the town's cultural association invited seven world-class architects, including Pritzker Prize winners Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu, to design shelters along the local bus route, offering nothing more than a week's free holiday in the region.
Remarkably, the architects accepted, and the construction was funded entirely through local community's donations, with no public money spent at all. The resulting seven architectural visions, such as this triangular creation by Architecten De Vylder Vinck Taillieu, turn the humble, hum-drum bus stop into avant-garde landmarks.
Interviews by Milena Veselinovic
Dietmar Steiner, a curator from the National Architecture Museum of Austria who was tasked with selecting the architects, initially balked at the idea after being approached by Krumbach residents: "I didn't believe it would work, it was such a crazy proposal, but what I think attracted these studios was a near complete freedom to create whatever they wanted," he said.
Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, who designed the airy construction above, wanted to create a vantage point from which people could admire the picturesque scenery around them: "By climbing up the heights people would wait -- for the bus, for a friend, for something to come, for your future, or overlooking a destination of their own," he says.
Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, who designed the airy construction above, wanted to create a vantage point from which people could admire the picturesque scenery around them: "By climbing up the heights people would wait -- for the bus, for a friend, for something to come, for your future, or overlooking a destination of their own," he says.
The area in which Krumbach lies has long been known for its superb quality of craftsmanship, which was one of the main draws for the Norwegian studio Rintala Eggertsson Architects, creators of the shelter shown above. "All this talk about star architects is funny to us," says Dagur Eggertsson, "because for us it was all about meeting the star craftsmen of the region. They have embraced all the modern technology while also preserving their tradition and heritage," he adds.
Around 300 local volunteers were involved in the project, with each international architect paired with a local partner. Debora Mesa and Anton Garcia-Abril of Ensemble Studio, who were behind this rustic looking bus stop, say that they were intrigued by the extravagant nature of the commission: "It's an experimental idea. We were curious to see the outcome and be part of it."
Dietmar Steiner stresses that the effort mounted by the town's 1000 residents is like nothing he had ever seen before: "It's the most wonderful project I have ever been involved with. The shelters are like temples of the bus system, and the people of the region have built it by themselves, for themselves" he explains.
Russian superstar of architecture Alexander Brodsky presented his vision in the form of a watch tower -- there is even a bench and a table for waiting in comfort in case the famously punctual Austrian bus service is late.
Russian superstar of architecture Alexander Brodsky presented his vision in the form of a watch tower -- there is even a bench and a table for waiting in comfort in case the famously punctual Austrian bus service is late.
Pritzker Prize winners Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu from Hangzhou's Amateur Architecture Studio designed their version of a giant folding SLR camera which captures the sprawling view ahead: "The lens focuses on the scenery, sunlight illuminates the interior as gentle breezes filter through it, and our gaze is guided to the mountains far away," says Wang Shu.
Chilean architect Smiljan Radic, who will also design this year's Serpentine Summer Gallery Pavilion in London, created a glass parlor with rural wooden chairs and a playful birdhouse.