Bregenz lakeside promenade

The lakeside promenade is a local recreation area for the residents of Bregenz and a major attraction for countless tourists from all over the world. Whether sitting on the steps of Bregenz’s “flower pier” and cooling their feet in Lake Constance or taking a leisurely stroll along the promenade, this is where the whole city comes together. There are also a number of architectural highlights, starting with the “Die Welle”: this new curved structure featuring a transparent glass shell contains the harbour ticket office and information point. One of the most unusual sights is the mushroom-shaped “Milchpilz”, which was installed near the railway crossing in the 1950s by a dairy from the Allgäu region.

The Vorarlberg Museum is located on the corner opposite, with the extension atop the original building featuring a popular viewing lounge that offers panoramic views from its large window. Located directly to the left of this is the stage tower of the State Theatre, joined by the Kunsthaus Bregenz art gallery. The fishing pier is another widely renowned attraction: dating back to the early 20th century, it used to serve as a mooring point for the seaplanes that offered round trips above Lake Constance. Last but not least, we have the lakeside stage, Platz der Wiener Symphoniker square and the Festival Theatre. In this latter structure, the two rod-shaped building elements added during the renovation process certainly catch the eye. The first of these not only juts out as a canopy over the main entrance, but also serves as an additional event space and as a lakeside foyer on the other side of the building. In contrast, the second “rod” is located in an elevated position behind the stage tower and houses the administration facilities – this in turn freed up space in the side stages and enabled a direct connection to the new workshop stage.

“Die Welle”

Architecture: Nägele Waibel, Wolfgang Ritsch, Bruno Spagolla, 2010

Bregenz Festival and Congress Centre

Architecture: Willibald Braun jun.

Architecture Refurbishment:  Dietrich | Untertrifaller, 1997-2006