Museum Bezau / Innauer-Matt Architekten

Architects: Innauer-Matt Architekten
Area: 408 m²
Year: 2024
Photographs: Dominic Kummer
Lead Architects: Sandra Violand
Structural Engineering: Merz Kley Partner
Building Physics: DI Günter Meusburger
Electrical Planning: Willi Meusburger
Architect: Tobias Franz
Exhibition Design: Robert Rüf Design
Graphic Design: Super Büro für Gestaltung
City: Bezau
Country: Austria

Museum Bezau, a museum project in Bezau, Austria, designed through a collaboration rooted in traditional craftsmanship, enhances a protected historical building with a timber extension. The project restores the Bregenzerwald house typology by adding a three-story volume that complements the original structure. The design merges old and new through interlocking spatial forms and subtle material contrasts. Completed using prefabricated timber, the extension supports contemporary museum uses while preserving a strong dialogue with regional building practices and historical context.

Museum Bezau merges a listed historic structure in Bezau, Austria with a new architectural addition that reinforces the relationship between local craftsmanship and contemporary museum functions. The original building, considered an exhibit in itself, reflects the heritage of the region and its deep connection to traditional construction methods. The extension continues this narrative by reinstating the spatial configuration typical of the Bregenzerwald house, with distinct front and rear segments.

Spanning three levels, the addition supports modern museum needs, including visitor reception, flexible exhibition areas, and small events. The spatial arrangement introduces interwoven volumes that horizontally and vertically link the old and new sections. This configuration allows for an architectural experience defined by the contrasts between light and dark, narrow and wide, and high and low spaces, creating complexity and variation throughout the visitor journey.

Construction was realized using prefabricated timber elements, complementing the existing log structure and emphasizing precision in execution. The design approach reflects local Baroque-era construction traditions where collaboration between architecture and craft was fundamental. The differentiated facade responds to both functional requirements and regional character.

Interior finishes consist of whitewashed wooden wall cladding, solid spruce flooring, and ash wood furniture. These elements produce a restrained, coherent environment that supports the display of historical objects. The resulting composition establishes a balanced integration of old and new, forming a unified architectural and cultural ensemble that continues the region’s building legacy.