«Our profession requires great sensitivity for social needs and changes.»
«Our profession requires great sensitivity for social needs and changes.»
«Our profession requires great sensitivity for social needs and changes.»
Messner Architects was founded in 2013 by siblings David and Verena Messner. The studio is located at 1.200 m.a.sl. near Bolzano in Northern Italy. The practice is working on a contemporary approach in any scale, ranging from furniture and brand-design to housing and functional buildings up to landscape projects. The primary aim of developing user- and site-specific concepts is to think and build high quality architecture. A largely regional context defines the studio’s field of action characterizing the architects’ view on the delicate relationship “the built” and “the grown”. A critical perspective at something given and the use of transdisciplinary strategies lead to a creative dialogue between architecture, landscape, art and design.
Portrait – David & Verena Messner © Davide Perbellini
Portrait – David & Verena Messner © Davide Perbellini
David: I liked building things since I was a kid, a classic…Lego, motorcycles, whatever. During the summers I worked on my uncle’s farm. I got a professional education as a metalworker later on. My father was an artist who would build larger scale objects. That’s how I got introduced into the world of architecture.
Verena: After finishing highschool I moved to Vienna for studying languages and literature. But very soon I decided to start architectural studies at the University of Innsbruck, which my brother was already attending. The very open degree program with a lot of possibilities to find your individual also artistic approach attracted me. The nearness to the arts actually made me feel comfortable.
David: Prior to my thesis project I worked on a hydroplane prototype, a watercraft with a very distinctive hull design. This was the starting point for my diploma project, a shipyard in Lazise on Lake Garda for small inland vessels. I still dream of building my own boat one day.
Verena: My diploma project was the design of a coffee roastery, mentored by the lecturer Verena Rauch from the Austrian architecture collective “columbosnext”. The artistic approach made me see architecture differently, free, experimental, which I try to preserve as a take.
During schooling and university and after graduating we both gathered diverse working experiences. At home our parents let us occupy a space where we could work so teaming up came quite naturally. We saw the opportunity of some small commissions, which let us start building at a very young age.
Bureaucracy, long-winding processes, payment issues, etc. did cause unease in a period of general uncertainty when starting the business. Since our Dad passed away two years ago, we are mostly in two working our asses off. But the atmosphere of professional independence and entrepreneurship we grew up with encourages us. Whether familiar or not, running your own business means absolute engagement, furthermore complete support and confidence on a personal level.
Between siblings the inhibition to speak out is low, which lets you get to the point quickly, plus there is a strong team spirit.
The mainly rural context defines our field of action, as well as a rich variety of buildings of different eras and various social environments, you can find everywhere in Italy. The importance of maintaining this rich fund leads to a strong tendency towards refurbishment, redesign and conversion.
Lately we are working in and around our hometown Klobenstein, a small village on the Renon plateau, not far from Bolzano. This seems a great thing, because you know the places, you know the people…it really gets personal.
Despite that landscape projects have always been playing a crucial role in our work.
Stone carving project, Vöran © Oliver Jaist
Stone carving project, Vöran © Oliver Jaist
In 2012/2013 we refurbished a part of our Dad’s workshop. Since he’s gone, we are all over his place, too. It has a small art collection with works from:
Julia Bornefeld, Arnold Mario Dall’O, Peter Fellin, Heinz Gappmayr, Hermann Nitsch, Ottmar Hörl, Angelika Kathrein, Franz Messner, Josef Adam Moser, Ingo Nussbaumer, Raymond Pettibon, Walter Pichler, Arnulf Rainer, Peter Senoner, Günther Uecker, Michael Fliri and Walter Blaas.
(hand) drawings, 3d-modeling, model making, words, hands
All the things surrounding us, all the spaces wherein we move, affect our perception and sensation of the world. Therefor our profession requires great sensitivity for social needs and changes.
Project