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    • BUS:STOP Krumbach
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    Waiting in Style

    A glass pavilion, a jumbled wood pile, a forest of sticks with stairs: the bus stops in the 1000-person municipality of Krumbach are delightful surprises that lead once around the globe. Seven architects from seven countries designed the „Buswartehüsle“ (Vorarlberg dialect for a covered bus stop) and created architectural gems.

    The idea for the project was born when the culture association of Krumbach wanted more than the usual utilitarian bus stops. Architecture teams from Russia, Spain, Belgium, Norway, Japan, China, and Chile followed the invitation to participate in the project. They found inspiration for their designs in the beautiful landscape and local culture. As a reward, they spent a vacation in the verdant Bregenzerwald. Regional partner architects and craftsmen implemented their designs. If you want to see all seven stops, simply hop on the regional bus. Even better: take a walk from stop to stop.

    1. Bus Stop Bränden: The bus stop by Sou Fujimoto does not provide protection from the elements. His philosophy: architecture is better when it does not try to imitate nature, but communicate with it interactively. So the Japanese architect created a forest of white iron bars with a staircase in between, wending its way to the sky. Visitors can climb up to enjoy even better mountain views and check the timetable. Waiting for the bus turns into an exercise in contemplation. Just don’t forget your umbrella when it rains!

    2. Bus Stop Zwing: Smiljan Radic from Chile liked the laid back way of life of the Bregenzerwald locals. And because a bus stop in the countryside can sometimes make you feel a bit abandoned when you have to wait there all by yourself, he turned his bus stop into a kind of cozy living room, a “gute Stube” in the middle of the natural landscape. The pavilion is made entirely of glass, except for the black concrete ceiling. Inside, you’ll find wood chairs to relax on. The bus comes only every 30 min, after all.

    3. Bus Stop Unterkrumbach Nord: The Spanish architects Anton Garcia-Abril and Debora Mesa see themselves as researchers and like to test the limits of the materials they use. In the workshops of the Bregenzerwald, they were intrigued by the cut oak boards that were lying around in stacks everywhere to dry. That is what they wanted their bus stop to look like, just with enough space underneath to take shelter. The result is an exceptional piece of craftsmanship that looks a little like a playful workshop experiment.

    4. Bus Stop Oberkrumbach: Alexander Brodsky from Russia did not have much space to work with, so he decided to build skywards. The simple wooden tower is open in all directions, with glass walls at the bottom. When it is hot, the wind blows through the upper windows. A table and bench are perfect for a snack, should the bus arrive late.

    More about Krumbach and its design-bus stops

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    5. Haltestelle Unterkrumbach Süd: The bus stop by architects De Vylder Vinck Taillieu looks like a giant, triangular piece of paper. The Belgians got their idea during their trip across the Alpine passes and a stop in Krumbach on their way to the Milano furniture show. This is why their bus stop, made of white, painted metal and located in the centre of three converging streets, seems like a tiny version of a mountain summit. A touch unusual: a doorbell is affixed to the lower part.

    6. Bus Stop Kressbad: The design of architects Sami Rintala und Dagur Eggertsson from Norway has two functions: downstairs, you can wait for the bus, upstairs, a mini grandstand offers comfortable seats for watching the matches on the nearby tennis courts. Just don’t miss the bus!

    7. Haltestelle Glatzegg: Pritzker-Prize winners Wang Shu und Lu Wenyu from China wanted to keep the view of the landscape intact. So their wooden waiting area opens up to the back in a convex shape. The resulting frame highlights the best feature of the Bregenzerwald: its beautiful mountains.

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    by Katja Guttmann

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