Vorarlberg School

The Vorarlberg School of Architecture (German: Vorarlberger Schule) refers to a group of architects and builders founded in 1657 by Johann Michael Beer in the Austrian town of Au im Bregenzerwald. The school remained active in southern Germany and Switzerland until the end of the 18th century. Its most important members came from the Beer, Moosbrugger and Thumb families. The Vorarlberg School developed a distinct design for churches known as Vorarlberger Münsterschema. The school is notable for its skillful blending of buildings (most of which are abbeys) with the surrounding landscape.