„Walter Klasz is the perfect partner for innovative prototype design. It is a pleassure to collaborate with such an experienced expert from the first sketch up to the final assembly."
Photo left side: Michael Bacher during a workshop in the Design Studio Klasz
The concept
In February 2014, I have called my old friend Walter - We have once shared a flat in Vienna together - to design a cloud for me. He was instantly interested in the challange. The sketch of Walter explains the basic idea of the first outdoor research lab for sustainable powder-snow production: The outer shell was designed to protect and to resist against strong wind. The inner cloud provides the boundary condition for the self-formed snow-flakes.
Image left: Sketch by Walter Klasz, March 2014
Production and Assembly
We have had a certain time pressure and a tight budget to realize the lab. Thanks to Walter´s connections to the industry and to third party funding, we could realize the lab in view months. The assembly of the structure was finally done by ourselves personally.
Photo left side dony by myself: Walter Klasz working in 10m hight during the Assembly
Ongoing Collaboration
For the public launch, we have decided to keep on side of the lab open, so that people could look inside (see publications). Later on, we finished the construction and we started our research. We did gain important results in the first season. This season we have worked mainly on the snow-physics and on technical parts, but in parallel we are discussing the even more advanced version of the snow-cloud: We are aiming at extreme lightness and the most effective assembly possible.
Photo Michael Bacher: Walter Klasz walking into the research lab at night
Architekt Walter Klasz | +43 699 167 666 54 | walter@klasz.at | Rathausplatz 7, 4550 Kremsmünster (seit 1. Sept. 2022) Imprint