The Kunsthaus Graz opened its doors in 2003, the architectural pièce de résistance of Graz’s year as European Capital of Culture. The biomorphous building designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier—known locally as the Friendly Alien—has since become an attraction for art lovers and the culturally minded from all over the world. And it has also become an essential landmark in the urban identity of the city of Graz.

As an exhibition centre for contemporary art, the Kunsthaus exhibits Austrian and international art from 1960 onwards. Its BIX media façade—designed by Berlin designers realities:united—constitutes a unique fusion of architecture and media technology. Effectively a large screen in the middle of the city, it acts as an instrument of art communication.