Schöller Areal commercial and culture centre

In the late 19th century, the Swiss businessmen Rudolf and Arthur Schoeller established a wool yarn spinning works in Rieden-Vorkloster, which became a district of Bregenz in 1919. Located on what is now Mariahilfstrasse road, the facility comprised a neo-Tudor residential and administration building and a factory building with a saw-tooth roof.

After Schoeller reallocated much of its production to the Czech Republic in 1995, it ceased operations in Bregenz for good in 2003. Starting in 2010, the old factory buildings were repurposed as the “schoeller2welten” business park for a variety of commercial, social and cultural uses.

The former Schoeller facility has now become a public attraction catering to a range of different needs. In the former girls’ home for young textile workers, for example, we now find a gallery and a number of small enterprises. On top of this, the boiler house with its characteristic chimney has been turned into an eatery, the production hall now hosts the Kosmos Theatre plus various retail and service companies, and the site is even home to a crèche.

Located directly alongside the former Schoeller works, the multi-award-winning “Wohnpark Sandgrubenweg” residential centre is well worth a look. Comprising four organically designed structures and featuring a total of 76 flats, this is the result of a research project commissioned by the developer with the aim of translating the comfort of detached-home living to an apartment building.

schöller2welten

Design: Gerhard Hörburger, Helmut Kuëss, Norbert Schweitzer; 2003–2005

Wohnpark Sandgrubenweg

Design: Wolfgang Ritsch, Helmut Kuëss, Gerhard Hörburger, Norbert Schweitzer; 2006