The hotel is located in the village of Kastelruth next to the well-known Seiser Alm at approx. 1200 meters above sealevel. The family establishment was enhanced and enlarged with a new wellness area and a new lobby with attached bar and restaurant. 14 spacious suites were added to complement the new hotel, increased by 1100 square meters. Hotel Valentiner Hof is a winner of the 2012 European Hotel Design Award in the category “conversion and extension of an existing hotel”!

The aim of the architectural concept was to underline and reinforce the impressive surrounding alpine scenery by inserting thoroughly conceived built volumes into the natural landscape. In doing so the intermediation with the local tradition and the accordance with the omnipresent nature was always crucial to the conceptual approach. The new hotel extension is divided into two smaller volumes that form an arena oriented to the Southern Valley and opens up to the close rock massif of the nearby Schlern Mountain.

The contrast between the wideness of Bolzano’s basin and the imposing presence of the Schlern Mountain is brought back into both fragments of the building in order to create a formal and functional dialogue. At the same time the view, the panorama and the mountain silhouette remain the main focal point. The hotel achieves a significant attribute to its new identity through the establishment of the new wellness area; the element of water becomes integrative part of the concept of architecture, interior design as well as all products and furniture.

In between the soft silhouettes of the mountainous landscape, the earth becomes a main habitat that is softly indicated by discrete wooden elements that are complementing the solid building by attaching themselves onto the main façade. The natural stone cladding and wooden frames get reflected inside the full height glass elements and sink into pool, lake and seascape.

Inspiration for the form-finding of the façade has been drawn from local building traditions of Kastelruth such as the “Heuharpfen”, the Futterhaus, the double-paired farm (Paarhof) and the ancient wooden fences. The irregular wooden frameworks abut with different lengths into the surrounding landscape and enclose it. As a consequence, spaces that stand between internal (earth) and external (landscape) are created and become part of the landscape.

The rhythm of melting two spaces shall evoke the feeling of security in the visitor’s sensation. Room-high glass panels and wide terraces accentuate the interaction of the inside and the outside – of the building and the landscape. Another fascinating element of the exterior and interior design are the typical “Heutücher” – 50 year old linen cloth that communicates warmth and forms the subtle separation of the room’s terraces. Moreover, the connection of several terraces is facilitated by simply removing several rags.

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