Extension of the Liaunig Museum by querkraft architekten

The private Liaunig Museum is situated on a gentle hillside in the Carinthian landscape near the South Austrian Neuhaus. The 160-meter bulk of the museum is 90 percent hidden underground. Both ends protrude above the terrain and thus act as an artistic object themselves. Although the museum was only completed seven years ago, it has already received several professional awards, has been featured in a series of Austrian postage stamps dedicated to modern architecture, and in December 2012 was added to the list of historic monuments.
At the time of completion, the collection of Herbert W. Liaunig consisted of approximately 2,200 works of art, but it soon became clear that the capacity would not be sufficient. The Vienna studio querkraft thus decided to expand the museum with several additional underground spaces in basic geometric shapes. The linear exhibition hall measuring 160 meters in length and a square storage room were complemented by a triangular and circular room used as storage for sculptures. The circular hall is vaulted with a spherical segment featuring a skylight at the highest point. The beam ceiling of the triangular room is equally impressive. Equally interesting is the connection of the new halls to the original parts of the gallery. Visitors will remain unaware of this spatial experience until the very last moment, as it too, like the original museum, is hidden underground. The expanded Liaunig collection was reopened to the public on April 26, 2015.

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