Wolf dPrix is an Austrian architect and co-founder of Coop Himmelb(l)au, the Vienna-based architectural practice internationally known for its radical, deconstructivist methodology. Born in 1942 in Vienna, Prix studied architecture at the Vienna University of Technology, the Architectural Association in London, and the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in Los Angeles. Since 2001, he has led Coop Himmelb(l)au as Design Principal and CEO.
Wolf dPrix’s architectural language resists typological convention, instead foregrounding spatial dynamism, structural complexity, and technological innovation. His early encounter with Le Corbusier’s La Tourette monastery shaped a design ethos driven by atmosphere, narrative, and tectonic intensity. Landmark projects under dPrix’s leadership include BMW Welt in Munich, the Musée des Confluences in Lyon, the MOCAPE Museum in Shenzhen, and the Dalian International Conference Center—each articulating the practice’s integration of expressive form with technical performance across cultural and civic programs.
Prix has received multiple international distinctions, including the Grand Austrian State Prize for Architecture, the Jencks Award, and several Progressive Architecture Awards. In parallel to practice, he has held professorial roles at SCI-Arc, Harvard GSD, UCLA, and the University of Applied Arts Vienna, where he directed Studio Prix and served as vice-rector.
What inspires you?
Piranesi, Kiesler, Corbusier, and the guitar riffs of Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones.
What inspired you to become an architect?
My father was an architect, and my family was involved in politics or craftsmanship.
When I was 18, I wanted to see something new, so I visited the monastery of La Tourette by Le Corbusier in France. I remember this church wall with an ear-shaped chapel attached, with light tubes instead of windows. I remember thinking: If this is the future of architecture, then I want to become an architect. So, I went to study architecture at the Technical University in Vienna.
How would you describe your design philosophy?
We wrote a manifesto about creating architecture with fantasy, as buoyant and variable as clouds. It was a statement against non-progressive architecture that generates static and unchanging buildings. We still think that way today, and work to push the boundaries of architecture through our projects.
What is your process for starting a new project?
The constant dialog between analog and digital media.
The strategic sketch, the 3-dimensional sketch models and AI and drawings.
How do you fuel your creativity?
By looking outside of architecture.
What inspired Dalian International Conference Center?
The idea was to create an instantly recognizable landmark and icon at the terminal point of the extension of the city’s main axis. So, the design was meant to reflect the city’s ambitions as a growing center for commerce, culture, and innovation. The truly novel aspect of the Dalian Conference Center is the hybrid combination of an opera house and a conference center that can accommodate up to 6,000 visitors. I like that the building’s vibrant climate skin, which gives it its unique look, wasn’t just a design exercise. It allowed us to create complex forms and technical designs based on the climate and natural light.
How did materiality shape the Dalian International Conference Center?
Materiality in the Dalian International Conference Center shapes not only the building’s appearance but also its function, sustainability, and connection to its context. Initially, the extensions of the existing urban street axis defined the main form. Then, in a dynamic way – deformed by strong winds – the internal program forms the skin of the outside. The lively climatic skin, the energy-supporting facade, gives the building its formal appearance. This was modelled using parametric design, which allowed us to consider the complex technical and climatic conditions. The double-ruled facade structure connects the two layers of table and roof, creating a load-bearing shell structure.
We used new design and simulation techniques, we knew how to bend massive steel plates, and we used more than 40,000 tons of steel. This allowed us to build bridges over 85 meters and buildings over 40 meters long that stick out from the main structure. Our architectural design for the exterior of the building uses a technical principle to provide the building with natural ventilation for heating as well as for cooling. The façade also lets in daylight. This helps to avoid exhaustion.
Reflecting on your career, which project presented the greatest challenges?
I’m particularly proud of three things:
- The rooftop remodeling on Vienna’s Falkestraße
- The Musée des Confluences in Lyon
- The Mocape Museum in Shenzhen. This project was the closest I came to Piranesi.
But one of the biggest challenges was to design and build the Dalian International Conference Center in only 3 years. During the construction process, we had to transform the conference center into a combination of a conference center and an opera house.
Where do you see the future of global architecture heading?
Architecture is dead, long live architecture!
What advice would you give to young architects?
Architecture is not a combination of work and life balance, it’s life.
My advice for young architects: Stay cool and carry on!
