Interviews

Interview: Wolfgang Fiel
Camera and audio: Gerhard Klocker
Production: Denizhan Fiel
Watch: German (60 min, HD) | English (4 min, Voiceover)

In 1992, Dietrich/Untertrifaller won the competition to design the extension for the Bregenz Festspielhaus, which they carried out in stages up until 2006. It is the first in a series of large-scale projects that have originated in the offices of Dietrich/Untertrifaller Architekten since 1994. Their successful entry in the competition for the extension of the Wiener Stadthalle made it possible for them to open a second office in Vienna in 2004. After being commissioned to build the new university sports facilities for the ETH Zurich, a branch was set up in St Gallen in 2005, with projects there being carried out in partnership with Christof Stäheli. A long list of awards attests to Dietrich and Untertrifaller's successful collaboration.

Helmut Dietrich

Born in 1957 in Mellau, Vorarlberg. Studied architecture at the Vienna University of Technology under Ernst Hiesmayr. During his studies he regularly worked with Paolo Piva in Biella and – after gaining his diploma in 1985 – in Piva's studio in Venice. In 1986, he set up an architectural practice in Vorarlberg in partnership with the architects Hermann Kaufmann and Christian Lenz. During that period, he also started collaborating with Much Untertrifaller. Dietrich has been on the Vorarlberg competition committee for the Federal Chamber of Architects and Chartered Engineering Consultants; currently he is on the architectural advisory board for the city of Bludenz, the market town of Lustenau, and the municipalities of Widnau (CH), Mellau, Lech, and Schruns. Since 2011, he has been a visiting professor at the University of Art and Design Linz, where he is director of the überholz programme.

Much Untertrifaller

Born in 1959 in Bregenz, Vorarlberg. Studied architecture at the Vienna University of Technology under Ernst Hiesmayr. Since 1982, he has worked on architectural projects together with his father, Much Untertrifaller Senior, and signalled a turning point in Alpine construction in 1992 with his Silvrettahaus building on Bielerhöhe in Partenen. He was on the architectural advisory board for the city of Salzburg up until 2010 and is currently on the Graz advisory board and a member of the executive committee for the Austrian Architecture Foundation. He is a visiting professor at the Konstanz University of Applied Sciences and the Vienna University of Technology.