Cultural Pavilion

The Cultural Pavilion is a new mobile concert hall located in Semmering, Austria, designed by Mostlikely Architecture and built entirely from regional wood. The pavilion will serve as a concert hall for the Kultur.Sommer.Semmering festival, a two-month cultural festival in the mountains. With panoramic views of the picturesque Semmering mountain scenery, the pavilion blends playfully into the surrounding forest landscape. Constructed in just four months by the renowned timber construction company Obermayr, the Cultural Pavilion was designed according to high sustainability standards. Mostlikely set high sustainability criteria for the project, using only local, certified wood and working with regional companies. A total of around 75 tons of spruce and larch were processed, and the climate-damaging building materials of concrete and steel were dispensed with. Sustainability was also a priority in the air-conditioning system, with natural ventilation optimized by using the chimney effect to avoid the energy-intensive use of technical systems as far as possible. The Cultural Pavilion is based on a modular design that can be erected in only three weeks, and can also be dismantled and reassembled at another location in just three weeks. At the same time, the pavilion can be adapted and expanded to meet the needs of future festival seasons.
The pavilion was designed according to high sound-aesthetic standards. From the stage, the space opens up and, together with the wooden surfaces, allows for harmonious acoustics and sound propagation. Large panoramic windows offer a view over the forests almost as far as Vienna. Adjacent to the concert hall is the entrance foyer with a covered terrace, providing festival guests with an impressive view of the surrounding landscape.
The silhouette of the minimalist Cultural Pavilion is characterized by gently sloping lines and inclines. The power of reduction continues in the interior, with light curtains, reduced technology, and lighting that puts the focus on the spatial qualities, the picturesque view of the mountain scenery, and, above all, the artistic performances.
In its first season, the Cultural Pavilion welcomed up to 380 guests. The pavilion represents a fast and sustainable solution for the new venue, providing a unique cultural experience while also considering the impact on the environment.