Jižní Tyrolsko stojí za vidění

Five outstanding architecture sculptures were designed for the adventurous Alpine Road, which leads through the Timmelsjoch Pass to Austria and is closed in winter. Each of the sculptures represents a theme related to this connecting road. The stations are made up of a chapel of sorts on the Austrian side of the pass with a wide promenade jutting out into “nothing,” a square house for the smugglers, the Pass Museum projecting out in a virtually neck-breaking effect, the two gigantic windows of the “telescope” looking over the mountain landscape, which are held by concrete of different shades, and finally the steel construction Granat, an echo of geological formations, which contains a showroom. These sculptures impressively demonstrate how architecture can add value to its surroundings.

After recent renovations this dormitory offers places to 75 boys and girls, mostly students at the sports high school. The well-equipped building, with all features and a two-story house chapel building, initially met with strong local criticism because of its rigid shape and the building material – concrete, in accordance with the Swiss models of the time. Gradually, however, the insight prevailed that the architect struck upon an essential aspect of the feel of the Vinschgau Valley landscape with this design and that the cube-shaped building, which has a certain ascetic restraint, creates a dialogue with the towers of Malles/Mals. Over the course of nearly half a century, the building has proven itself functional and is also solid from a construction point of view, down to the last detail, even if much of its concrete has lost its original gray silky gloss with aging and has become darker.

Based on the urban concept of Dutch architect Frits van Dongen, this group of buildings nettled between orchards and vineyards was developed with farmsteads and castles in mind. In keeping with the “Living in the Park” concept, the three separate buildings comprising the polygonal residential block are centered around a spacious courtyard. Large free-form entrances connect it to the underground garage and form the well-lit main entrance to the complex. Sophisticated architectural design was created in order to conform to the restrictive guidelines for the sponsored residential complex. Four layout designs and three different window shapes were employed in creating flats for 92 families, all designed slightly differently. The exteriors are of a rough, beige concrete while the smooth, white-varnished facades of the courtyard optimize the open space of the private courtyard.

Even from far away, the bright white abbey perched on a hill above Burgeis catches the eye. Founded in 1000, it has been one of South Tyrol’s most important spiritual centers since the twelfth century. “Ora et labora” is the Benedictine motto and also the name of the museum housed within the former farm buildings. The old walls were cleaned and stabilized to this end, left largely in their original state and expanded by a second level of modern interior design. While the walls remained rough and  unplastered, new mountings of glass and dark steel were placed in front of them and at a distance − so that the changes between the late thirteenth century and today are easy to deduce. The artworks and exhibits shed light on the monastery’s development. Upstairs, guest areas and seminar spaces have been created as well.

The contemporary longing for nature and sports in the city influenced the thinking of the Fascist municipal government of Bolzano/Bozen and, as a result, had an outdoor swimming complex built on the banks of the Isarco/Eisack River. From a horticultural viewpoint, the site was designed as a striking landscape architecture within the urban area. The buildings show the influence of the Italian rationalist thought of those years, oriented towards the Bauhaus. Clear functionality and a design that is both reduced and concentrated on the essential, avoided Fascist monumentality of any kind. The plastered entrance building with its sweeping terrace section shows expressive motifs that do not deny the influence of the Gmunden outdoor pool by Franz Gessner, a student of Otto Wagner's. Although this architecture seemed strange to the South Tyroleans of the day, it is nevertheless of lasting quality.

The Fascist Youth GIL Buildings emerged in Merano/Meran, Bressanone/Brixen and Bolzano/Bozen in the 1930s according to designs by the architects Miozzo and Mansutti. Although in need of renovation, only the Bressanone structure has retained its original form. In Bolzano one of the most important buildings of Fascist Italy's rationalism period, a structure that had already been dilapidated, has been successfully repurposed. It was renovated and expanded through a competition. The fact that an Austrian architect achieved this, shows the overlap of cultures in Bolzano. The renovated, heritage-listed old building sections, painted in Tuscany red, were contrasted with a transparent building of glass and steel on a lightweight concrete structure, which also redefined the urban context with a vestibule, garden café and garden courtyard. The design of the interior spaces is just as light as that of the external appearance.

The listed Grünen Baum Guest House lies directly on the main square of South Tyrol's smallest city. The ground-floor guest rooms are not part of the renovated hotel, which is housed on the upper floors and are the focus of this text. Here you will find the stylishly paneled rooms of the restaurant, which have preserved everything of value and consciously integrated new elements. Historical rooms are furnished in a modern style and new rooms contain some antique furniture. In the individually designed guest rooms, interaction with history is key, and is displayed through a focus on style and sensitive taste in decor. Bathtubs and showers sometimes stand alone in a room and convey an informal, friendly atmosphere in a very traditional way.

The architects' aim with the primary school building in San Pietro/St. Peter in Funes/Villnöss was to start a new dialogue with the village. The building complex consists of several interconnected building parts of different heights, which are arranged in a kind of semicircle around an inner courtyard. The buildings encase and protect the inner courtyard, which is used by the children as a playground and rest area. The structural details of this project are child-friendly and simple in design: the school borders directly on the surrounding meadows, the walls of the building are plastered white, and the windows and doors on the fronts have different sizes and shapes. The surrounding landscape "infiltrates" into the interior of the school and is reinforced by the alignment and opening of the windows.

The school building forms part of the village-renewal concept, with public revolving around a new village square. The village center is consolidated onto this piazzetta, with the school, gym and the Schwarzer Adler tavern as the headquarters of the associations; the buildings are separated only by narrow passageways in the gardens and schoolyard. The scale of the new school building is oriented towards the existing volumes of the buildings in the village. It is a solid masonry construction with gabled roof, rough plaster facades, and finely smoothed window embrasures that, with their bevels, take on architectural elements of the nearby Engadine Valley. The construction avoids rigid blockiness through varying roof pitches and the soft inflection of the facade along the street space. The large window openings show interiors with fine woodwork and color accents, furnished in a way that is downright cozy.

This mountain hut, located at 2.096m next to the cable station Oberholz in Obereggen, Dolomites, contains a restaurant and is located with direct connection to the ski slope. The cantilevering structure grows out of the hill like a fallen tree with three main branches creating a symbiosis with the landscape. Each of them is facing towards the three most important surrounding mountains: Mendola, Corno Nero and Corno Bianco. At the end of the branches a large glass facade frames the surrounding mountains from the interior of the hut. The sloped roof shape of the glasses takes his inspiration from typical huts in the area, while the branching roof and complex structural interior expresses a new and contemporary interpretation of the classic mountain hut. The interior is defined by a complex curvilinear and visible wood structure that gradually fades into walls and creates so called “pockets” for intimacy. The entire hut is constructed with wood: structural elements and interior in spruce, the facade in larch, furniture in oak - all typical woods from the area.

Its successful scale, the distribution of its building volumes and its integration into the site unite the new building so harmoniously with the village structure that one would think it had been standing there since ever. Only upon second glance does one notice that the architecture is a reinterpretation of South Tyrolean residential construction forms ̶  without the Alpine decor. Pitched roofs atop solid plastered masonry with perforated facades and the construction raising from the ground, without a plinth, carry forward this architectural tradition. The building’s connecting components, made of glass and with carefully designed details, are thematic of our time; the woodwork, meanwhile, carries on the traditions of local carpenters and woodcarvers. All this results in a child-friendly environment, with an atmosphere that appears self-evident and a high comfort factor.

Loffererhof Farm and its greenhouses, located behind the old Gries church, were demolished shortly after 1900, and the elementary school and kindergarten were built in 1908. The school was renovated in 1998. A gymnasium was added to this building group in 2002, an independent fourth building that encloses the intermediate schoolyard space. The transparent construction, a steel-and-glass structure, is reminiscent of the Orangerie that was formerly located here. The ball-proof suspended construction of the glass façade makes the building appear transparent and affords views of the old chestnut tree. The cafeteria, a final addition, was completed in 2008, inserted into the narrow space between the street and the old school building underground with a skylight in such a way that the historical building still appears detached.

Funes/Villnöß has managed to save itself from modern urban sprawl up until now. The rigorously modern architecture of the nature park visitor's center and elementary school, a design that had been set via an international competition, was initially very controversial. The result, however, has silenced all criticism. The cubic appearance of the two new buildings, with a flat roof above the Villnösser Stream, is well integrated into the village of St. Magdalena − this is true not only in terms of their size but also their color and the materials chosen. From the car park, you cross the stream along a very elegant, lightweight bridge and ascend between works of art to the two buildings, which have been set next to each other in a spatially sensible way. With a lively school and quiet nature park, this is a functionally differentiated place. Velvety wood and meticulous details await the visitor inside − all of the very best quality!

Together with the pre-existing buildings, summit station of the cable car and pizza pavilion, the new mountain restaurant forms a courtyard situation sheltered from the wind in the very exposed, protected landscape site.  The new building, however, crouches down, an elongated single-story building, and appears almost as if part of the site. The architecture goes against the usual style of a mountain hut: a wide, cantilevered platform roof protects the underlying perimetric floor-to-ceiling glass façade, which makes the building appear more transparent and lighter. Familiar materials, though, were used: wood terraces, wood furniture, as well as natural stone masonry for the kitchen and adjoining room area. Three timber-clad cubes divide the otherwise completely open floor plan of the spacious guest area, which feels more like a lounge than a mountain hut.

Tyrol Castle, the long-neglected seat of the Counts of Tyrol, gave the province of South Tyrol its name. In 2003 this historical symbol was finally converted into a province museum. The existing castle was thus secured, and its structure clearly highlighted. Excavations in front of the castle yielded Romanesque building components, which were added to the exhibition circuit in a separate building. In addition to specific interventions in the interior spaces, the contemporary structural elements made of Corten steel and glass are visible, especially in the outer bailey and castle keep, which deals with the history of the twentieth century. The existing and the insertions were clearly separated one from the other. Alongside its architecture, the artistic insertions play a predominant role in reflecting the new spirit of the historical building.

Although the clear architecture language of the new building in the middle of St. Lorenzen does not attempt to hide when it was built, it fits well into the historical image of the place as a building representing the modern. It was placed near the church plaza, and closes the space. This has created two independent square areas which are however still in communication one with the other. The sheer volume of the town hall, which also houses the public library, corresponds with the size of the surrounding buildings. The design reflects our times through the materials used and the structure of the facade. Variously sized windows are found in the concrete construction, varying according to the function of the room, which creates a refined and lively variation of the building's ratios.

The former Ifinger cable car of the 1960s was replaced in 2010. Construction works lasted a mere ten months and ran between Naif (750 m), near Merano, and the ski resort Merano 2000, at 1960 m above sea level. Two cabins for 120 people now ascend to the mountain station in only six minutes. There the cable car technology, by the company Doppelmayr, is housed in a large cube, a recognizable landmark from afar with its red, light perforated exterior, which seems to sway over the white terraces of the reception area. Few materials are used here − steel, glass and light colored concrete − to create a transparent lightness which optimizes the views of the superb mountain landscape. The valley and mountain stations are multiple award-winning alternatives to the usual technology. They combine technology, functionality and design to create a timeless architectural structure.

Visitor Center Nature Park Schlern-Rosengarten: The area of the nature park Schlern-Rosengarten has a diversified history, not only in its prehistoric formation. The resulting flora and fauna as well as the management by the people, along with their customs and myths, have left their mark. The exhibition in the Visitor Center Nature Park tries to show all aspects of this area’s unique geology, which was the main reason leading to being named as a Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the flora and fauna, which has always been a source of attraction and inspiration for scientists and nature lovers. In laborious detail work, the inhabitants of this area contributed significantly to the preservation of this valuable cultural and natural landscape. In addition to the exhibitions of the Visitor Center Nature Park department, the tourist office Seis am Schlern and the village library complete the offer for guests and locals.

The school is located in the immediate vicinity of the parish church and the Deutschordenshaus (House of the Teutonic Order), which were built outside of the old part of town in what used to be marshland. The groundwater table lies a mere 1 meter underneath the site’s surface. In order to prevent a dangerous rise in groundwater levels that could compromise the historic buildings while the school was being built, the new structure was constructed on top of a “raft” positioned 80 centimeters above the terrain. In due consideration of the historic neighboring buildings, the school was designed as an elongated, single-story structure that – while it is not meant to compete with its surroundings – has its own special character. In front of the façades, between the large cantilevered roof and the floor slabs encircling the building, the architects incorporated a “forest” of tree trunks that lets in enough natural light, but becomes more dense when viewed from an angle. As a result, the building can appear either more or less conspicuous, depending on the observer’s point of view and the amount of daylight available.

The history of the Grauer Bär Hotel goes back half a millennium. It has, in fact, been  in the hands of the same family for nine generations now. The reconstruction and renovation of the bar, reception area, lobby, rooms, and restaurant extension were thus carried out by a variety of different architects over the course of many years and with great sensitivity. The spatial and historical qualities of the old building were developed in this way; at the same time, though, a new and contemporary atmosphere was created. The existing historical structure served as the starting point for the architectural changes, which were integrated in such a way that creates the feeling it has always been so. The bar in particular, which was done in light wood, white plaster and hanging lamps, with clean lines, has become one of the village's main meeting places.

The town hall and neighboring extension of the church were conceived for a town building competition focused on restructuring the town center. The town hall is distinctly recognizable, with its tower and spacious square in front − identifiable features of the public building. The angular building has a north facing glass facade in front of which stands a row of pillars. These support the large overhang of the roof and are as high as the four-story building. The stone materials used for covering the facade were sourced locally from Europe's largest porphyritic stone deposit in Bolzano. Dark metal constructions for the window frames and exposed copper for the roof complete the selection of materials. Behind the main entrance the visitor is welcomed into a three-story high spacious atrium, which leads onto light rooms without a hint of claustrophobia.

In the industrial area of Glorenza/Glurns, the 13-meter-high cubed Puni Distillery stands out like a kasbah from an alien world − a symbolic landmark. It was the architect's ingenious idea to house all the technical equipment, as well as the sales area, and service rooms inside a brick cube, which was designed according to the system of the old, air-permeable brick walls of a rural barn. The stonework thus has a transparent effect, from the exterior and interior alike, and continues down into the basement, where the sparkling-clean fermenting vat and alembics can be found, a massive vault construction. A convincing uniformity in the choice of materials alludes to the clarity of this distillery’s products – the first to distill whisky in Italy. All the glass-and-steel details have been developed with as much as focus on quality as was the brick construction.

Together with planners, the inhabitants of St. Martin have developed the center of the village within the context of a participative program, in order to strengthen the unity of the community. A good reason to accept a style of architecture which has village elements to it, such as the shape of the roof and house as well as the natural stone and untreated pinewood, yet which incorporates a non-regional specific design which is in keeping with the times. Modern details, touches of color and scale changes in the proportion were very consciously incorporated into the new shapes of the village center, in order to document the new community life with contemporary architecture. The structural mass is mainly underground, skillfully built into the sloping plot of land, and the stage areas, suitable for various uses, open up so broadly onto the village that no one can feel any claustrophobia or fear at entering this building.

This pool complex with its sweeping views connects nicely to the surrounding mountain landscape, creating an added attraction for visitors. At first glance the entrance façade looks closed as the result of the masonry curtain on the upper level, but the prominent glazed entrance area and long horizontal bands of windows on the ground floor also allow for a welcoming peek into the pool from outside. Apart from that, floor-to-ceiling glass facades girdle the structure, opening generously onto the outdoor swimming pool and the views. Through a recess in the roof, a shielded roof terrace for the sauna was created on the first floor, which also affords views into the distance. Light-flooded during the daytime, the wooden ceilings inside also lend the spaces a warm light and nice atmosphere when artificially lit at nighttime.

This unusual house is situated amongst a quite standard new village architecture. It consists of two sections: one constructed from parts of a 300-year-old farmhouse in which the farmer's and architect's family have been living for centuries, and another new building that crouches under the large tree trunks. The idea to live under mounted tree trunks came to the architect when he was a child playing in the woods, and he subsequently made it a reality. The stacked, untreated tree trunks do not hide a dingy living space beneath, but rather glass walls and openings that create an artful play of light when inside. In addition many other materials were used, from rough concrete mixed with glass shards to the extremely shiny stainless steel kitchen. A highly imaginative design here from the architect.

The Messner Mountain Museum Ortles in Solda/Sulden is dedicated to ice and glaciers. The exhibition focuses on South Tyrol's most important mountain massif: the Ortler. In collaboration with architect Arnold Gapp, Reinhold Messner has created a unique museum, MMM Ortles is housed in a specially designed new building. The architect from Vinschgau managed to fit most of the museum into a small hill. Uniquely, the entrance was integrated into a natural stone wall and the folded walls of exposed concrete are modelled on ice crystals and ice caves. Inside, visitors can admire the world's largest collection of Ortler mountain paintings and ice tools from two centuries. The light is cast through a jagged band of windows onto the exhibits and will remind guests of a glacial crevasse. Ingeniously, the snow-covered peak of the Ortler mountain can be glimpsed at one point of the museum. The window acts as a picture frame so that the mountain is effectively "hung" in the exhibition.

The Province Technical College for the Health Professions was built in close proximity to Bolzano Hospital. The two-story reinforced concrete structure, surrounded by a glass facade, towers on an L-shaped plan. With steel supports for the balconies in front of the facade and the broad, cantilevered canopy construction, which goes around the whole building. The structure is light, almost floating, an interesting contrast to the monumental staircases built in front. The interior design, with floors made of pale natural stone, partition walls made from maple, glass and aluminum as well as its warm colors, lend Claudiana Province Technical College a pleasant atmosphere. There is a broad, square tiled plaza in front of the building, which conveys a very spacious feel.

The school is situated in the immediate vicinity of the parish church and the House of the Teutonic Order, and was built outside the old town in what was formerly a bog. Here the water table is only about one meter below the surface of the ground. In order to avoid a dangerous rise of groundwater in the area and thus circumvent repercussions in the historical buildings as a result of building the school, the structure was built on a “raft” 80 inches above the ground. Likewise because of the historical neighboring building, a long, single-story structure was planned that would not create competition from a design viewpoint but would, however. have its own distinct character. Under the wide, projecting flat roof and on the perimetric base plate a “forest” of tree trunks was placed in front of the façades, which allows for enough illumination but creates a solid impression in the oblique view. Depending on the viewing angle and light, the building differs distinctly in appearance.

The residential complex is almost cube shaped with a low, pitched roof. It is situated on a through-road, next to a hotel. Due to the noise of the traffic and the lack of privacy a different design was called for: the concrete frame shields the south side from the road, the west facing side is mainly closed due to the proximity to the hotel and only the most necessary windows can be found on the north side. It is on the east facade that large, regularly spaced windows look out over an open space, as do the terrace areas of the roof top flats. These different, rhythmically placed windows leave a lively impression of the house.

The Monte Corno visitor centre is located in the building of the “old mill” in the centre of Trodena. Under the theme “Make visible the hidden” it gives information on the biodiversity of the Nature Park Monte Corno. Furthermore, the visitor also gets information about the geological structure, the flora and fauna of the nature park as well as on the culture and history of the place. Centrepiece of the house is certainly the electricity-powered elevator mill buildt 1948-49. It's three stories high and the only one in South Tyrol which works today. The flour, which is being grinded in the summer season on the mill grinding days, is used for baking bread.

In the year 2020 we enjoy 40 years Nature Park.

The Visit centre is open also on Sunday during the months July, August and September.