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International success for lecturers

The lecturers Bernardo Bader, Kathrin Aste and Hannes Stiefel from the Institute of Architecture and Planning at the University of Liechtenstein have received prestigious prizes and nominations.

The lecturers Bernardo Bader, Kathrin Aste and Hannes Stiefel from the Institute of Architecture and Planning at the University of Liechtenstein have received prestigious prizes and nominations.


Piranesi Award 2012
The architect and lecturer DI Bernardo Bader has won the Piranesi Award 2012 for his design for the Islamic cemetery in Altach – the first Muslim cemetery in Vorarlberg. The jury of experts particularly praised the design’s clear structures and sobriety, stating that the building is well integrated into the landscape and creates a meditative atmosphere with light and shade, reminiscent of the transition from life to death. “The Islamic cultural association sought a pragmatic solution with as little symbolism as possible,” said Bader. “Only the ornamental open-work windows call the Islamic architectural tradition to mind.”



The Piranesi awards are presented as part of the Piran Days of Architecture in the Slovenian town of Piran. They were named after the renowned Italian architect Giovanni Battista Piranesi, who lived and worked in the 18th century. Bernardo Bader’s design is also nominated for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award 2013 and the DETAIL Preis 2012

Redesign of Eduard-Wallnöfer-Platz
Also nominated for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award 2013 is the design by the LAAC Architects and Stiefel Kramer Architecture for Eduard-Wallnöfer-Platz in Innsbruck. Kathrin Aste and Hannes Stiefel are partners at the two architecture offices, who were also praised for their project at the Piranesi Award 2012. Eduard-Wallnöfer-Platz, which had been neglected in the recent past despite its many monuments, has been significantly revitalized as a result of its redesign.



With the aid of particularly robust concrete, Kathrin Aste and Hannes Stiefel transformed the 9,000-square-metre site into a large, single shaped surface. The international architecture journal DETAIL focuses on the project by the two lecturers, referring particularly to the space-structuring geometries and the areas of movement that encourage interaction between various users and age groups. 



Hannes Stiefel in Zeit Online
The redesign of Eduard-Wallnöfer-Platz in Innsbruck was the first realization of a design in which the office Stiefel Kramer Architecture was involved. The online portal of the renowned weekly newspaper Die Zeit portrays the Austrian by choice as “one of the most significant talents on the scene, many of whose new ideas will be heard in Austria”. In the “Heroes of tomorrow” section, the author describes him as an architect “who would like to tackle fundamental challenges in his work”.

Prizes and nominations for projects in Innsbruck and Kufstein

The BTV Mitterweg branch in Innsbruck and the town hall in Kufstein, two projects completed by architect Rainer Köberl in 2012, were both awarded the Austrian Architects’ Association prize 2012 as well as the Tyrol region competition prize for new construction 2012. They were also nominated for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe award 2013. Furthermore, the town hall in Kufstein (together with Giner + Wucherer) was awarded the Austrian State Prize for Architecture 2012. 


With the small branch, Rainer Köberl creates an oasis and a striking symbol at the start of an unattractive suburban environment. (Photo © Lukas Schaller)


In Kufstein, a simple town house is transformed into the new face of the town hall. (Photo © Lukas Schaller)