In Museum Bezau, two architectural styles converge to create a reimagined “Wälderhaus” (forest house). Located in the town of Bezau, within the Bregenzerwald region of Austria, the museum’s original listed house is seamlessly integrated with a contemporary extension. Designed by Bezau-based studio Innauer Matt Architekten, the updated museum building is an impressive exhibit in its own right.

The Wälderhaus

A local history museum, the Wälderhaus was founded by Anna Katharina Feuerstein who had recognised increasing threats to cultural heritage. Feuerstein and the local Heimatschutzverein, a heritage preservation society, purchased the historic property in Bezau. The museum opened its doors in 1920 and continues to tell the stories, customs, and traditions of Bezau and Bregenzerwald.

The original museum building exemplifies traditional wood-stained block construction, while the new extension, built in the typical proportions of a Wälderhaus, follows this technique. Wood-stained block construction is common in the Bregenzerwald region.

The extension has a usable above-ground floor area of 206 square metres and a basement area of 67 square metres.

Extension and renovation

Innauer Matt Architekten has expanded the museum’s exhibition capacity and upgraded the visitor experience, while preserving the building’s historic fabric. The original Wälderhaus is listed, but the rear had no limitations, allowing the studio to place the extension there.

Spanning three floors, the new extension respects the form and massing of the original building. It has been constructed using prefabricated solid timber panels clad in a rough-sawn local spruce. The facade is untreated, allowing it to weather naturally. The roof consists of fibre-cement shingles, reminiscent of the regional roofscape. 

The extension connects to the old house via a low linking structure. Experimenting with volume and light, Innauer Matt Architekten opened up the extension in several areas, providing a contrast to the original structure’s low ceilings. “The interior arrangement is characterised by horizontally and vertically interlocking spaces, interweaving old and new to create a refreshed whole that can be experienced spatially and conceptually,” explains the studio. The interior’s floors, walls, and ceilings are lined with untreated spruce panelling, coated in a permeable limewash.

Expanding the museums’s scope, the extension houses a reception, temporary exhibitions, events, and educational programming.

Local craftsmanship

The project’s planning and execution involved a close collaboration between architecture and craftsmanship. The newly revised Museum Bezau is a testament to the skill and dexterity of the area’s craftspeople.

The extension’s structural components, floors, walls, and ceilings are made from locally sourced spruce. Exhibition fittings and furniture are handcrafted from locally grown ash, blending sustainability with local craftsmanship.

In 2024, Museum Bezau was awarded a prestigious monument preservation medal by the Austrian Federal Monuments Office. The project was praised for its sensitive restoration and the integration of a thoughtful and complementary new extension.

In the heart of Bezau, a historic farmhouse has been reborn as a vibrant cultural hub. Innauer Matt Architects transformed the century-old local history museum into a contemporary meeting place that blends tradition, craftsmanship, and daylight-driven design.

Originally established by Anna-Katharina Feuerstein to preserve regional heritage, the museum tells the story of the Bregenzerwald’s Baroque master builders and the women who sustained the valley’s crafts. Through a careful renovation and a modest timber extension, it now connects past and present in a project realised almost entirely by local hands.

“We wanted to turn a sleepy museum into a lively village space, a piece of public life.”
Markus Innauer, Innauer Matt Architects

The architects’ design follows a low-tech and high-atmosphere philosophy that prioritises natural materials, craftsmanship, and daylight. The extension, built from local spruce, complements the historic farmhouse while clearly marking its new function. From the south it appears as a traditional house; from the village side, its refined wooden detailing signals a renewed identity.

Inside, contrasts come to life. The old house remains intimate and dark-toned, while the new volume opens up in light and height. VELUX roof windows draw soft, zenithal daylight deep into the exhibition rooms, reducing the need for artificial lighting and creating a natural rhythm that changes with the seasons.

The project stands as a model for sustainable regional architecture that merges cultural continuity with biophilic design. With a budget of just €1.4 million, much of it community-funded, the museum now hosts exhibitions, theatre performances, and public events, welcoming more than 10,000 visitors since reopening.

Recipient of the 2024 Monument Protection Medal, the 2025 Vorarlberg Wood Construction Award, and the 2024/25 VELUX Architecture Competition, the museum demonstrates how architecture rooted in place and illuminated by natural light can foster both identity and renewal.