Tyrol’s treasure trove

Millions of historical treasures from regional state museums are collected in this depot in Hall, Tyrol, against the magnificent backdrop of the Alpine mountains. The “treasure chest” exudes confidence and continuity on the exterior, while the interior provides a clear and coherent spatial structure, ideal conditions for the researchers and artifacts – with an astonishingly simple technical solution.

“The building won us over with its formal language and represents an engaging contribution to contemporary cultural architecture with hybrid and spatially stunning functions.”

Jury Statement, Austrian State Prize for Architecture 2018, special award

»We wanted the building to exude confidence and constancy and to feel like a fortress, secure and impregnable.«

Robert Diem, Franz&Sue-Partner

»I particularly like how the building does not vie for attention with the mountain panorama even though it contains so much space under its roof.«

Laura Resenberg, head of the conservation workshops

»The atrium conjures up the atmosphere of a cloister. We found it quite appealing to have such a stark contrast between the inside and the outside.«

Corinna Toell, project head Franz&Sue

A place to store, research, conserve

Two of the building’s three floors are completely embedded in the ground, ensuring an optimum climate of 19 degrees Celsius and 50 percent humidity in the storage area and eliminating the necessity for complex climate-control technology. The side elevation shows how the building is cut into the sloping site. Through airlocks, the circulation ring provides easy access to the items stored in the outer zone from all offices, workshops, packing, unloading and conservation rooms as well as the photo studio and the carpenters’ workshop. ‘For us conservators the working conditions have greatly improved,’ says Laura Resenberg, head of the conservation workshops. ‘Now, you can simply go and take a quick look at an exhibit. The studios are located directly across from the relevant storage zones. Being able to move on one level with our carts without any obstacles makes everything so much easier. Researching, thinking, reflecting, discussing questions with other experts – all in one place, focused, undisturbed, with the respective object close at hand. Human memory is short and preserving it is a lot of work, but it is certainly worth the effort.

»This is more than just a storage facility. Expertise is going to move in here. This is a sensational leap in quality!«

Wolfgang Meighörner, former director of the Tyrolean State Museums