What makes some regional architecture more famous than others? The Making of Alpine Architecture investigates the cultural construction behind contemporary Alpine architecture, exploring the events, publications, and buildings that have shaped architectural discourse on an international scale. With a particular focus on the Austrian Vorarlberg and the Swiss Grisons, the book examines the underlying dynamics and traces how shifts in architectural criticism from the late 1980s onward have fostered a new cultural image of the Alps. By weaving together historiography and detailed case studies, it reveals how strategic cultural interventions not only shaped regional identity but also influenced the quality and reception of architecture far beyond the mountains.

• Examines Alpine architecture and its global reception
• Merges cultural theory with case studies including works by Peter Zumthor, Valerio Olgiati, Gion A. Caminada, and others
• Identifies strategies to strengthen regional architectural identity and quality