Peter Zumthor's Glass Cube on Lake Constance

At a Glance

Kunsthaus Bregenz (KUB) on Lake Constance in Austria is a contemporary kunsthalle—no collection, four solo shows a year. Completed in 1997, it draws architecture travellers from around the world because of the building itself.

Peter Zumthor's Box of Light

Designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, the cube is wrapped in overlapping etched-glass shingles. Inside, four identical square floors of about 500 m² each use diffused daylight pulled in through the glass skin and the ceiling plenums—the rooms glow without direct lighting. It is Zumthor's cleanest statement of "material and light as the subject."

Programme

• Four solo shows a year, with one artist occupying all four floors.
• Highlights include Anselm Kiefer (2022), Franz West (2020), Antony Gormley (2015), and Olafur Eliasson (2007).
• Underground KUB library for exhibition catalogues and Zumthor theory.
• Kornmarkt pavilion for education and artist talks.

Tips

Two hours by train from Zurich or Munich. From Germany, a 40-minute ferry from Friedrichshafen. Allow 1.5–2 hours. Pair with the Bregenzer Festspiele (July–Aug) and a look at the lakeside Seebühne.