It seems as if an UFO has landed in the middle of Graz: An organic form, evoking a half shell or a snail shell, is floating on the Mur river as an artificial island, connected to both river banks with piers. The steel construction was designed by the American-born architect-artist Vito Acconci, based on the idea of Robert Punkenhofer, a native of Graz, and realised within the scope of Graz 2003: Kulturhauptstadt Europas. Acconci Island, consisting of various interlocking surfaces with flowing transitions, houses an amphitheatre, a café and a playground. Large parts of its outer stainless steel skin reflect the city; acrylic fibre, glass, steel grids and peepholes provide a view onto the water and the banks; the transparent materials make the building look weightless. The result is a breathtaking, technically sophisticated avant-garde piece of architecture that refuses categorization. The book documents the different stages of the design, places sketches and computer simulations next to remarkable photographs of models as well as shots of the finished island. An interview with Vito Acconci and a presentation of the diverse work by the Acconci Studio round off the book.
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