Biomorphic Skins and Digital Pixels

Cross the Mur River to Lendkai 1 and stand before the 'Friendly Alien'—Kunsthaus Graz. Built for Graz's tenure as European Capital of Culture in 2003 by architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, this biomorphic structure is clad in iridescent blue acrylic glass panels. Look up at the roof to count the 16 projecting nozzles: 15 face north to draw in daylight, while one single nozzle points directly at the iconic Schlossberg Clock Tower, physically binding radical contemporary design to historic memory. Beneath the acrylic skin on the eastern facade lies the BIX media installation, designed by Berlin studio realities:united (Jan & Tim Edler). Here, an array of 930 ring-shaped 40-Watt fluorescent tubes functions as a low-resolution display screen where each ring's brightness is individually controlled. During daylight hours, you will observe the structural grid and translucent blue acrylic skin; come dusk or night, the building transforms into a glowing digital canvas, epitomising Graz's identity as a UNESCO City of Design.