See you again, Graz!

ARCHITECT@WORK made a spectacular debut in the Styrian capital.

It’s no secret that autumn in Graz has a very special charm. As summer fades, students gradually return, and the fresh energy after the holidays fuels a hunger for new inspiration. ARCHITECT@WORK captured exactly that spirit when it premiered in Graz in 2025. Even beforehand, there was great interest and curiosity about the unique trade fair format – combined with excitement that, in addition to Vienna, a new location had now been chosen to showcase itself.

The concept proved a complete success: nearly 1,400 visitors accepted the invitation to get inspired and informed on-site – an impressive result for a debut edition. It was also clear to the organizers that Graz is home to a tightly knit, professional community capable of sparking interest among architects, interior designers, developers, and creatives alike. Renowned partners such as BÖIA, ig architektur, Haus der Architektur, Creative Industries Styria, ZT Kammer Steiermark & Kärnten, and ZV Architekten supported the event from the very beginning. With Graz having been European Capital of Culture in 2003 and a designated UNESCO City of Design since 2011, ARCHITECT@WORK is deepening its connection with Austria. Plenty of good reasons made Graz the perfect choice – and now, for the first time, those reasons have been turned into reality.

With regard to the overarching theme of “Transformation,” which runs like a red thread through all ARCHITECT@WORK editions in 2025, the format proved its worth. On one hand, the high-profile speakers were pleased to present to a full auditorium; on the other hand, the accompanying program—including the exhibition by artist Clemens Hollerer, who showcased his work “Blessed Burden”, exploring transformation through processes of destruction and overlapping phases—was met with deep appreciation and great interest.

The ARCHITECT@WORK team was on the ground once again, capturing some voices from the event.
“One of the strengths of this fair is that it takes place in many different cities—whether Paris, Munich, Vienna, or this time, for the first time, Graz, where many architects are based and where there’s great potential for realizing architectural projects,” sums up exhibitor Ewald Apperle from Jaga Climate Designers. “They all come here to this meeting point as a hotspot. And if you use your time well, this is a top platform for future projects.” Christian Höfner from Artweger is also very satisfied: “We chose this fair based on recommendations from companies who have attended multiple times, and we’ve found that gathering contacts and the subsequent follow-up work is very efficient.”

The atmosphere among visitors was also excellent. One attendee, who has visited several similar events in recent years, expressed her enthusiasm: “You get inspiration for current projects, but also ideas to offer things you might never have imagined before—and you discover special materials here.” She particularly appreciated the strong presence of local products. Another visitor, also experienced with similar events, said: “I think this year’s setting is especially nice because it’s a bit more spacious and not so cramped. The exhibitors are of high quality, we had some truly interesting conversations, and personally, I found the presentations very engaging—they showed even an older person like me many new things about what the future will look like, how younger colleagues work, and the fresh impulses they bring.”

Despite all the positive reflections, it’s now time to look ahead. While the 2025 editions in Germany are still scheduled for November 12–13 in Stuttgart and December 3–4 in Düsseldorf, ARCHITECT@WORK will welcome visitors again in Austria for its next edition on September 16–17, 2026, in Vienna. The date is set, with details to follow.