marte marte architects presents dramatic exhibition hall in red and black

in the mid-1970s the construction of a fairgrounds project began in the western austrian city of dornbirn. as the development took place in several stages, the resulting trade fair center has since been renovated step by step. famous architecture firms had been responsible for certain elements of the 14 exhibition halls. the latest addition to the complex is the winning design by marte marte architects of a 2014 competition. the project, comprised of four expansive exhibition halls, is fundamentally characterized by ‘power and restraint.’

images by faruk pinjo

the backbone of marte marte architects’ building is the interior circulatory axis –- ceiling height glazing guides visitors through the series of exhibition halls. hyperbolic, elliptical incisions in the two longitudinal sides of the buildings for messe dornbirn introduce sculptural apertures which compliment the powerful and vivid color scheme of solid red and black. the spanning halls combine into a single encapsulating structure measuring 170 meters long and 16.5 meters high. the massive proportions of the space, together with the bold use of color work to increase the power of the interior.

the interior of one hall is clad in a black grid of acoustic panels to prevent echo and ensure high-quality sound. within the an adjacent foyer, painted entirely in red, five elliptical arches form arcades and separate the stream of visitors from those relaxing in the bistro. in terms of lighting, the different sequences of the building cover the entire spectrum: tunable white bathes the exhibition and event spaces in the appropriate ambiance.