Seven surprises await
BUS:STOP Krumbach
The BUS:STOP Krumbach project is the realisation of an off-the-wall idea in the small community of Krumbach in the Bregenzerwald
We wanted to have more than your run of the mill bus shelters.
Two chairs invite you to linger in a glass shelter. A few steps away, you can make yourself comfortable between stacked wooden boards and just opposite you there’s a tent made of metal. If you have time, it’s not much further to the ascending white poles that support a winding staircase. Welcome to the world’s most interesting bus shelters.
A feel for design
A few years back, the time had come in Krumbach to build new bus shelters. But in the Bregenzerwald, where architecture, good design and public transport play an important role, these shelters had to be special. That’s where the kultur krumbach association came in. They asked architects from all over the world for design ideas. The rest is architectural history.
For their efforts, architects were rewarded with a week’s holiday in the Bregenzerwald. Architects and craftsmen from the region would provide the necessary local support.
Guests from far and wide
The project exceeded all expectations: In just a short time, seven renowned architectural firms were on board: Smiljan Radic from Chile, dvvt Architecten from Belgium, Rintala Eggertsson Architects from Norway, Alexander Brodsky from Russia, Amateur Architecture Studio with Wang Shu and Ly Wenyu from China, Ensamble Studio from Spain and Sou Fujimoto from Japan.
All architects cooperated closely with craftsmen and architects from the region and the exchange of ideas was intense. The design of some shelters emphasised the surrounding environment and the view from each respective shelter. Others underscored typical features of the Bregenzerwald, such as the local parlour, stacked wood, and the forest itself.
Watch and wait
All seven BUS:STOP Krumbach bus shelters have enjoyed immense popularity since May of 2014. Visitors are a mix of those actually waiting for the bus and others who have simply come to admire the shelters. The stops themselves are relatively spread out. Those keen to visit them all on foot will likely need between two to three hours. To visit the special shelters by bus, take lines 25 (Bregenz via Hittisau to Krumbach) and 29 (Krumbach via Lingenau to Egg).
Restaurant tips
The four Moorwirte inns, who use herbs and plants from the local moor in their kitchens and offer guided tours of the moor, are yet another special attraction in Krumbach. Two such Moorwirte innkeepers are located in the town centre, the Krumbacher Stuba and the Gasthof Adler inn. The other two establishments, the s’Schulhus restaurant and the Auszeithotel Rossbad wellness hotel, are just outside of the village centre, yet close to BUS:STOP Krumbach stations.
