The Klanghaus Toggenburg located in the northeast of Switzerland and host to musical
rehearsals courses and concerts alike is a place that enables visitors to experience a unique
interplay of architecture sound and nature. The Klanghaus in the Swiss Canton St. Gallen is
the result of an impressive twenty-year development process: based on a concept by the late
Marcel Meili which won the 2010 thesis competition for the building it was then realized by
architect Astrid Staufer with the office Staufer & Hasler and opens its doors to the public in
May of 2025. It is at its core a fundamentally social project comprised of the work of all
those involved in this process. Like the building itself this publication is best understood
as a research experiment intended to reveal new insights into sound and space. The book focuses
on architectural aspects and constructive solutions for extraordinary room acoustics as well
as the interactions between the alpine landscape and natural yodeling or between the soundscape
and the construction of the Klanghaus. It explores the many aspects of an extraordinary
building from the material vitality of shingles to the impressive proximity to the Ali Qapu
Palace in Isfahan to the way ornaments become a visible expression of the essence of space and
architecture itself. Combining various contributions from experienced and upcoming experts
from fields as diverse as architecture sound art acoustics ethnomusicology art history
philosophy history and tourism this publication creates a polyphonic image and uncovers
surprising connections. These texts are complemented by 3D architectural and construction
drawings documentary material photo series musical scores and lyrical fragments.
