There is no doubt that contemporary Austrian architecture has achieved a high international reputation in the last few decades.

But is there really a specifically Austrian architecture? And if so what are its characteristics? In the production of architecture the location and its identity have certainly always played an important role in providing the initial idea. Architecture critics Walter Chramosta, Manuela Hötzl, Bart Lootsma, Antje Mayer, Jan Tabor, and Ute Woltron have made a highly personal selection of recent projects in Austria, using them as a basis for an attempt to identify typical regional qualities. These projects do not represent the kind of star architecture that is hyped by the media but instead small, exquisite buildings.

This book is an attempt to leave for a moment the well-trodden paths of "glossy magazine architectural criticism". A humorous book that is deliberately incomplete, with views of architecture in Austria that at times show a likeable fascination with the details.

This book has been made possible by FSB as an expression of thanks to the many architects in Austria that regularly consult the latest handbook when selecting door handles for their buildings.

In answer to the question: "What constitutes the value of architecture?" Gernot Guth from Linz, a partner of FSB for many years, writes as follows: "It is the concentration on the essential, on simplicity. Which doesn't mean that this itself is simple. But: "Just! Architecture from Austria".