The Murinsel (German, literally Mur island) in Graz, Austria, is an artificial floating "island" in the middle of the river Mur and links the two banks on both sides. At night the blue navigation lights that surround the structure light up. This landmark of Graz was designed by New York City artist Vito Acconci on the occasion of Graz becoming the 2003 European Capital of Culture.[1][2]

Described by the artist as "A bowl that morphs into a dome that morphs into a bowl…"[3] Mur Island is in the form of a giant sea shell and measures 47 m (154 ft) in length. Two footbridges connect it with both banks of the Mur. The center of the platform forms an amphitheatre. Below a twisted round dome there is a café and a playground

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Graz Austria

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Graz Art Museum, Austria - spacelab UK Peter Cook, Colin Fournier - 2003
The Kunsthaus Graz was built as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2003 and has since become an architectural landmark in Graz, Austria. Its exhibition program specializes in contemporary art of the last four decades. Its unusual form differs radically from conventional exhibition contexts, many of which maintain the traditions of the modernist "White Cube". The team of architects used an innovative stylistic idiom, known as blob architecture within the historical ambiance of Graz along the river Mur. Thus, the gigantic building affectionately called the "Friendly Alien" by its creators Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, in form and material, stands out consciously against the surrounding baroque roof landscape with its red clay roofing tiles, but nevertheless integrates the facade of the 1847 iron house.
Architecture, design, new media, internet art, film, and photography are united under one roof. Kunsthaus Graz was developed as an institution to stage international exhibitions of multidisciplinary, modern and contemporary art from the 1960s to the present day. It doesn't collect new pieces, it maintains no permanent exhibitions and has no research establishments. Its exclusive purpose is to present and procure contemporary art productions. Kunsthaus Graz implements an innovative concept, which offers various possibilities in its galleries to fulfil the high curatorial requirements of contemporary exhibitions.
The BIX Facade of the museum represents a singular fusion from architecture and New Media and is based on a concept of the Berliner architects realities:united. BIX, a name which consists of the words "Big" and "pixels" is the acrylic glass skin of the eastern side of the building toward the Mur and city center and represents an oversize urban screen, which serves as an instrument for artistic productions. BIX projects accompany different exhibitions and are not transported into the public area, also the direct environment is defined and shaped. Beyond that the "communicating outer skin" offers a possible drilling platform for art projects, which brings up for discussion the dialogue between media and area. 930 40Watt fluorescent rings are embedded in the 900 m2 outer skin, with the illumination level of each one being variable between 0 and 100%. Each light ring functions as a pixel, which can be served by a central computer. In this way they can be developed as roughly screened indications, texts and film sequences, which radiate far into the urban area and thus, the blue blister of Graz with a screen of immense size makes an art gallery.

Tags:   Graz Art Museum Austria spacelab UK Peter Cook Colin Fournier blob acrylic glass skin Mur river exhibition space modern architecture

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Graz Art Museum, Austria - spacelab UK Peter Cook, Colin Fournier - 2003
The Kunsthaus Graz was built as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2003 and has since become an architectural landmark in Graz, Austria. Its exhibition program specializes in contemporary art of the last four decades. Its unusual form differs radically from conventional exhibition contexts, many of which maintain the traditions of the modernist "White Cube". The team of architects used an innovative stylistic idiom, known as blob architecture within the historical ambiance of Graz along the river Mur. Thus, the gigantic building affectionately called the "Friendly Alien" by its creators Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, in form and material, stands out consciously against the surrounding baroque roof landscape with its red clay roofing tiles, but nevertheless integrates the facade of the 1847 iron house.
Architecture, design, new media, internet art, film, and photography are united under one roof. Kunsthaus Graz was developed as an institution to stage international exhibitions of multidisciplinary, modern and contemporary art from the 1960s to the present day. It doesn't collect new pieces, it maintains no permanent exhibitions and has no research establishments. Its exclusive purpose is to present and procure contemporary art productions. Kunsthaus Graz implements an innovative concept, which offers various possibilities in its galleries to fulfil the high curatorial requirements of contemporary exhibitions.
The BIX Facade of the museum represents a singular fusion from architecture and New Media and is based on a concept of the Berliner architects realities:united. BIX, a name which consists of the words "Big" and "pixels" is the acrylic glass skin of the eastern side of the building toward the Mur and city center and represents an oversize urban screen, which serves as an instrument for artistic productions. BIX projects accompany different exhibitions and are not transported into the public area, also the direct environment is defined and shaped. Beyond that the "communicating outer skin" offers a possible drilling platform for art projects, which brings up for discussion the dialogue between media and area. 930 40Watt fluorescent rings are embedded in the 900 m2 outer skin, with the illumination level of each one being variable between 0 and 100%. Each light ring functions as a pixel, which can be served by a central computer. In this way they can be developed as roughly screened indications, texts and film sequences, which radiate far into the urban area and thus, the blue blister of Graz with a screen of immense size makes an art gallery.

Tags:   Graz Art Museum Austria spacelab UK Peter Cook Colin Fournier blob acrylic glass skin Mur river exhibition space modern architecture

© All Rights Reserved

Graz Art Museum, Austria - spacelab UK Peter Cook, Colin Fournier - 2003
The Kunsthaus Graz was built as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2003 and has since become an architectural landmark in Graz, Austria. Its exhibition program specializes in contemporary art of the last four decades. Its unusual form differs radically from conventional exhibition contexts, many of which maintain the traditions of the modernist "White Cube". The team of architects used an innovative stylistic idiom, known as blob architecture within the historical ambiance of Graz along the river Mur. Thus, the gigantic building affectionately called the "Friendly Alien" by its creators Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, in form and material, stands out consciously against the surrounding baroque roof landscape with its red clay roofing tiles, but nevertheless integrates the facade of the 1847 iron house.
Architecture, design, new media, internet art, film, and photography are united under one roof. Kunsthaus Graz was developed as an institution to stage international exhibitions of multidisciplinary, modern and contemporary art from the 1960s to the present day. It doesn't collect new pieces, it maintains no permanent exhibitions and has no research establishments. Its exclusive purpose is to present and procure contemporary art productions. Kunsthaus Graz implements an innovative concept, which offers various possibilities in its galleries to fulfil the high curatorial requirements of contemporary exhibitions.
The BIX Facade of the museum represents a singular fusion from architecture and New Media and is based on a concept of the Berliner architects realities:united. BIX, a name which consists of the words "Big" and "pixels" is the acrylic glass skin of the eastern side of the building toward the Mur and city center and represents an oversize urban screen, which serves as an instrument for artistic productions. BIX projects accompany different exhibitions and are not transported into the public area, also the direct environment is defined and shaped. Beyond that the "communicating outer skin" offers a possible drilling platform for art projects, which brings up for discussion the dialogue between media and area. 930 40Watt fluorescent rings are embedded in the 900 m2 outer skin, with the illumination level of each one being variable between 0 and 100%. Each light ring functions as a pixel, which can be served by a central computer. In this way they can be developed as roughly screened indications, texts and film sequences, which radiate far into the urban area and thus, the blue blister of Graz with a screen of immense size makes an art gallery.

Tags:   Graz Art Museum Austria spacelab UK Peter Cook Colin Fournier blob acrylic glass skin Mur river exhibition space modern architecture

© All Rights Reserved