„Austria. Composing the Future“. When thinking of Austria, Japanese associate it with classical music. Therefore the Expo theme ‘Designing Future Society for our Lives’ is reinterpreted: in Austria, future is not designed, it is composed.
In the forecourt of the pavilion an iconic spiral sculpture rises dramatically into the air, serving as the visual centrepiece. The 91m-long, 4.3m-wide “ribbon” consists of an upper and a lower edge that are interlaced with 265 diagonal struts. The double-looped form is supported by 5 steel pylons and rises to a height of 16m. The inner surface is designed as a musical staff featuring the opening bars of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. On the outside, the bare timber construction is on full display.
The spiral sends a strong message of optimism and joy – a symbol that speaks to movement, change and progress. Much like dynamics in music, it rises ever upward. As a material rooted in tradition yet firmly geared toward the future, wood stands for sustainable construction and the mindful use of resources. The spiral exemplifies Austria’s leading role in state-of-the-art timber construction.
Bio BWM Designers & Architects are an award-winning architecture office that operates throughout Europe. Their main areas of focus are architecture, interior design, narrative design and hospitality. Founded in 2004 and led by Erich Bernard, Daniela Walten, Johann Moser, Markus Kaplan and András Klopfer, the company and the multinational 70-member team stand for a personal approach and a cooperative development process whether designing interior spaces, residential and urban construction projects, or museum and exhibition concepts.
