Studio Franz Messner
Some great ideas appear when an architectural firm turns its eye on its own workshop. Such is the case with Studio Franz Messner. A renovated Italian studio that's home to Messner Architects, it respects the original structure while transforming it into a suitable workspace. Two walls running parallel to each other create a storage area in the center of the building, with two mirrored workspaces — with lofts — on either side. More interesting are the "light-catchers" that sit above the two new windows, extending through the roof to harness the alpine daylight and redirect it into the space.
Photos: Meraner Hauser