Hagen-House Nendeln: Adaptive Reuse for Music Education in Liechtenstein

Historic Farmstead Transformed into Cultural & Educational Campus

In Nendeln, Liechtenstein, Cukrowicz Nachbaur Architekten revitalizes the historic Hagen-House — a landmark neo-classical farmstead — into an inspiring campus for the International Music Academy Liechtenstein. Completed in 2024, the 555-square-meter project represents a thoughtful blend of cultural heritage preservation, contemporary timber design, and adaptive reuse for performing arts education.

Originally built in 1837 by master builder Joseph Anton Seger, the semi-detached residence once included a stable, wash house, and shooting lodge. From 1864 to 1912, this ensemble on Feldkircher Strasse functioned as the imperial post station serving much of Liechtenstein. Today, the revitalized site welcomes young musicians from around the world, offering a space to live, practice, and perform.

Preserving History, Enabling the Arts

The design approach centers on maintaining the estate’s historical character while adapting it to support modern academic and cultural use. Key heritage elements — from the original residential rooms to the timber roof structure — are carefully restored.

Program & Spatial Transformation

• The former residential house becomes student housing and practice rooms • The attic transforms into a professor’s loft • The traditional pillar-barn stable is converted into a chamber music hall • A newly added courtyard house provides foyer, social, and service functions

This sensitive evolution honors the original spatial language while enabling new forms of artistic interaction, reimagining the rural landmark as a contemporary cultural hub.

Wood-Focused Architecture and Contemporary Craftsmanship

A defining material narrative runs through the project: timber as both history and future. The historic façade’s wooden cladding is reinterpreted through adjustable timber slats, balancing tradition with environmental responsiveness and visual warmth.

The new courtyard building takes the role of a communal lounge and gathering space, fostering social connection through soft natural materials, controlled light, and simple spatial volumes. Together, all structures form a unified ensemble organized around a central courtyard — a typology deeply rooted in regional rural architecture.

Landscape and Community Connection

The complex is anchored by a lush central courtyard, strengthened by native planting and layered greenery that connect the ensemble to its surrounding landscape. Green spaces soften circulation paths and provide quiet outdoor rooms for reflection, practice breaks, and informal performances, reinforcing the academy’s mission of nurturing creativity.

A Model for Heritage-Driven Cultural Architecture

Hagen-House Nendeln demonstrates how adaptive reuse can preserve architectural identity while catalyzing contemporary cultural life. Through thoughtful restoration, precise interventions, and a commitment to material authenticity, Cukrowicz Nachbaur Architekten delivers a campus that respects its past while empowering the next generation of musicians.