Paneum – Wunderkammer des Brotes

If you happen to be in the Austrian village of Asten, you simply can’t help but notice the shiny, futuristic PANEUM building. The four-story building was commissioned by Backaldrin, a local flour and baking ingredients company, to house its information center, exhibition venue and even a museum on the history of bread.

Designed by Coop Himmelb(l)au, the building is comprised of two structures stacked on top of one another. The lower ‘box’ is made of bare concrete and houses the entrance and special event space.

This contrast strikingly with the metallic bubble that floats on top and houses the main exhibition galleries. Called the ‘Wunderkammer des Brotes’, this top level is comprised of a glue laminated timber structure cladded with Aperam Stainless Steel shingles (Aperam 316L bead blasted, 1mm thickness), which give the building its iconic shine.

Opened in 2017, the exhibition brings the history of bread to life through a collection of over 1,200 objects that date back 9,000 years.