Timber Architecture with PEOPLE. PLACE. HOUSE. COMMON SENSE.
Exhibition
Timber Architecture with PEOPLE. PLACE. HOUSE. COMMON SENSE.
Opening: 16 September 2026, 7:00 pm, HDA, Mariahilferstraße 2, 8020 Graz Exhibition: 17 September – 20 November 2026, Tue–Sun, 11:00 am–5:00 pm Curator's Tour (as part of the steirischer herbst exhibition tour): 3 October 2026, 11:00 am, HDA world_wide_wisdom: Lecture by Helen & Hard, 4 November 2026, 7:00 pm, HDA Finissage: 20 November 2026, 7:00 pm, HDA Guided Tours: Saturdays at 3:00 pm, Sundays at 11:00 am, and by appointment
Timber construction is at the forefront of efforts to make architecture and the construction industry more sustainable. Yet simply building with timber does not, in itself, make a building sustainable. Through a selection of exemplary projects, the exhibition Timber Architecture: PEOPLE. PLACE. HOME. COMMON SENSE. explores the social, cultural, spatial and constructive qualities that make timber architecture fit for the future.
Following its first presentation at kunsthaus muerz, the exhibition is now shown at HDA – House of Architecture, where it places a stronger emphasis on international projects and is complemented by current research from Graz University of Technology. In doing so, it opens up diverse perspectives on building with timber and serves as a starting point for a broader discussion on the future of construction.
Timber construction is widely regarded as a key driver in the transition towards a more sustainable built environment. As a renewable material capable of storing carbon, timber is often presented as the great hope for transforming the construction sector. However, genuine sustainability requires far more than simply using timber as a building material. Through a carefully selected range of projects, Timber Architecture: PEOPLE. PLACE. HOME. COMMON SENSE. investigates the social, cultural, spatial and constructive conditions needed to achieve truly ecological, economic and socially sustainable architecture.
In its second edition at HDA, the exhibition focuses more strongly on international projects that offer diverse responses to the challenges of building with timber. These are complemented by research projects from Graz University of Technology, highlighting current developments at the intersection of material research, structural innovation and construction practice. In this way, the exhibition acknowledges Graz and the region of Styria as an important centre for timber architecture, timber research and the timber industry, connecting regional expertise with international perspectives.
At HDA, the exhibition is accompanied by a public programme that expands the discussion on sustainable construction through contemporary approaches to timber architecture. As part of the world_wide_wisdom lecture series, the internationally acclaimed architectural practice Helen & Hard offers insights into its work. The exhibition therefore presents not only outstanding examples of architecture but also provides a platform for dialogue about the future of building.
Featured Projects NEW IN THE VILLAGE CENTRE. Teufenbach, Lendarchitektur (Klagenfurt) and Scheiberlammer Architekten (Wolfsberg) INHAUSER, Salzburg, Austria – cs-architektur and stijn nagels architecture atelier (Salzburg) AGRICULTURAL CENTRE – Salez, Switzerland, Andy Senn (St. Gallen) MATADOR – Vaduz, Liechtenstein, Studio Saal (Feldkirch) MACHINE HALL – Irschenhausen, Germany, Florian Nagler (Munich)
The exhibition was first presented in 2024 at kunsthaus muerz.
Commissioned by Province of Styria, Department 16 – Transport and State Building Construction, and kunsthaus muerz.
Exhibition Design Studio Magic together with students from the Faculty of Architecture, Graz University of Technology: Frederik Baldasty, Marius Birnbreier, Jonas Flache, Maximilian Huß-Galli and Melina Sehn.
Exhibition by NOW Architektur, the Chair of Architecture and Timber Construction at the Institute of Architecture Technology (IAT), Graz University of Technology, and HDA – House of Architecture.
Curated by Eva Hierzer (NOW Architektur), Tom Kaden (IAT) and Zerina Džubur (HDA).
This project was submitted to the HDA Open Call 2025 and further developed in collaboration with HDA
Timber construction is at the forefront of efforts to make architecture and the construction industry more sustainable. Yet simply building with timber does not, in itself, make a building sustainable. Through a selection of exemplary projects, the exhibition Timber Architecture: PEOPLE. PLACE. HOME. COMMON SENSE. explores the social, cultural, spatial and constructive qualities that make timber architecture fit for the future.
Helen & Hard was founded in Stavanger in 1996 by Norwegian Siv Helene Stangeland and Austrian Reinhard Kropf. Today, 26 employees from 10 nations work for the architecture firm based in Stavanger and Oslo. In recent years, Helen & Hard have become particularly known for sustainable timber architecture, much of which was created in collaboration with Swiss engineer Hermann Blumer.
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