Anyone who chooses to look beyond the food that’s served at the Werkraum Wirtschaft will find that there’s much to discover. That’s because this is where carpenters, electricians and plumbers may be found sitting next to the guests at the long wooden tables. The Werkraumhaus in Andelsbuch is a regional trades hub and a social venue at the same time. That’s because the steel-and-glass exhibition hall – which was designed by star architect Peter Zumthor in 2013 – is open to everyone. The Werkraum Wirtschaft has made a significant contribution to this project’s success because it’s such a great place for visitors to fall into conversation with the people who’ve made the Bregenzerwald famous.

The association that is the Werkraum Bregenzerwald counts around 100 trades companies as its members – an innovative platform for contemporary trades. The unmistakable architecture, the innovative design concepts, modern but rooted in tradition – they’ve long since found appreciation across the globe. Visitors are able to chat with the creators of these simple and beautiful things over regional delicacies – vegetables and fruit sourced from local farmers, meat from farmers from the surrounding areas. The Werkraumhaus also functions as a joint showcase for the products and work produced by the region’s trades. It has long been a place of encounter. The Werkraum Bregenzerwald was also included in UNESCO’s ‘Register of Good Safeguarding Practices for the Preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage’ in 2016.

The Werkraumhaus makes the unique quality for which the region’s tradespeople are famous tangible, serves as a shop window and a place for meetings and encounters. It is also the venue for changing exhibitions.

• Werkraum