“Die Welle” is the centrepiece of the redesigned Bregenz harbour: based on a concept that won a regional architecture competition, it was ultimately endowed with its swooping, open design following intensive discussions involving local residents. This facility now houses the ticket office and information centre of Vorarlberg Lines Bodenseeschifffahrt, a company offering boat tours on Lake Constance, as well as a cafe. Its striking yet light structure makes it an appealing destination while ensuring that approaching vessels continue to have a clear view of the city. The visual protection and impact protection featured on the glass surfaces is the brainchild of renowned graphic designer Reinhard Gassner, with a seemingly random arrangement of light and dark triangles underlaid by a coded text from Otto Kapfinger on the topic of transparency.

Architecture: Nägele Waibel, Wolfgang Ritsch, Bruno Spagolla, 2010