Snøhetta transforms alpine ski tower in Austria using modern + reinvented Tyrolean design

Tucking away in the impassive mountains of Alpbachtal, Austria, and perched 2030 meters above sea level is a panorama room and tower built by Snøhetta. The project was commissioned by the Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau ski resort to celebrate its tenth anniversary. They commissioned Snøhetta to replace an old, out-of-style ski lift with a new chairlift.

Designer: Snøhetta

Snøhetta drew inspiration from the beautiful snow-capped surroundings and alpine building traditions for constructing the tower. Called, ‘Top of Alpbachtal’, the tower is located near the Wiedersberger Horn peak, and the Hornbahn 2000 cable car mountain station. It was designed to function as a landmark that uplifts and elevates the mountain experience of skiers and visitors as well. The imposing tower is connected to a narrow volume that rises thirteen meters above the ground and is clad in locally-crafted shingles.

A panoramic viewing room has been inserted into the tower, and it provides stunning views to not only skiers but summer hikers, snowshoe walkers, and ski tourers. The concrete base of the tower holds a lift control room, which is followed by a public lounge. The viewing room is located on the first floor of the structure. This format was inspired by the traditional parlors of Tyrolean farmhouses, wherein the lower sections would have a wooden wall paneling finish and an open roof similar to agricultural buildings.

The lounge in the tower has been designed in a modern Tyrolean style. It functions as an informal seating area for skiers and visitors to meet up and relax in. The room is marked by wooden seating platforms, giving visitors their own space to unwind in after a long day of skiing. The lounge is sheltered and protected from the wind, and visitors aren’t required to consume anything if they don’t feel like it. Massive panoramic windows provide surreal views of the stunning alpine landscape. The particular structural style was picked as it was suitable for both winters and summers. The peak of the viewing tower provides visitors with 360-degree views of the exquisite alpine scenery. The shingles on the valley station allow the structure to harmoniously merge with the landscape.

The post Snøhetta transforms alpine ski tower in Austria using modern + reinvented Tyrolean design first appeared on Yanko Design.

These modular tiny homes have been grouped together to make a sustainable ski resort!





I have an obsession with tiny houses because they let you be a proud homeowner without having to spend the rest of your life paying mortgages while optimizing every inch of space to work for your needs. Sustainably designed architecture projects like this one from Ark Shelter top my list – they are modern, flexible, modular, and help you do your bit for the environment without compromising on your lifestyle. This cluster of prefab cabins is located in a Slovakian forest for Hotel Björnson but can also be stand-alone homes. The minimalist shelters have a Scandinavian aesthetic and give you an eco-friendly getaway with minimal environmental impact. Ark Shelter has also won a Cezaar award in the category Architectural Fenomena – a recognition for the most exceptional architectural achievements of the year.

The modern retreat is made of 11 cabins and four wellness units that include saunas and relaxation rooms. The shelters are built in one piece, which gives the incredible mobility to reach your dream location. Every cabin rests on stilts to minimize site impact and has been carefully placed in between the trees to give you maximum privacy and maximum views! These units have two independent modules that can function as separate apartments or can be connected to create one shared space that can host up to eight people. There is a sliding wall partition that helps split or combine the cabin into two units and each comes with a living room, bedroom, children’s room, entry hall, and a bathroom.

Ark Shelter’s team used blackened spruce to clad the exteriors to blend the structure with the landscape. The cabins also have green roofs to visually tie the structures with the forest. The interiors were lined with large format spruce panels and oak parquet floors for a minimalist and spacious feel that was aligned with the Scandinavian aesthetic. The large insulated glazing blurs the boundaries between the interior and outdoor landscape. They are also fitted with an intelligent control system for heating and lighting so you can actually spend the whole day in bed or at the coffee table just staring out those huge windows. The skylight is one of my favorite details!

“We consider the concept of placing the modules between the trees ecological, not only for the tree preservation but also for the minimum contact of the modules with the ground due to raising them on stilts instead of laying on the classic concrete plate foundations. This allows the landscape to continuously flow under the building and breathe, while the green roof of the module doubles the biotope that lays beneath it,” explained the architects.

Ark Shelter aims to provide a shelter that helps you reconnect with nature while protecting both you and nature. These durable homes are oriented with our biological rhythms and have been designed to be adaptable to different stages of our lives. Each Ark Shelter cabin is built to expand, contract, move and keep up with the changing times, technology, and most importantly your needs – all without putting any burden on the planet. Now have I convinced you to be a tiny homeowner too?

Designers: Martin Mikovčák and Michiel De Backer of Ark Shelter













This GPS enabled Salomon ski goggle ensure safety is a button away

Backcountry skiing is adrenaline packed, snow-oriented frenzy that certainly isn’t for the faint hearted! As with all adrenaline-fueled activities, there is an underlying element of danger that keeps participators on their toes but is ready to catch them off guard at any moment… with backcountry skiing, this threat is avalanches.

The Salomon Vector offers a heightened level of safety over your standard pair of ski goggle; packed into the striking design is GPS module that, when activated, communicates with the paired mobile app that your family and friends will have installed on their phones.

Activating the alert is nothing short of an intuitive fuss-free method of interaction; a single, large button is positioned on the top face of the goggles, when the user feels as they are in danger they simply hold the button down for five seconds… and wait.

This pair of sleek, stylish and safety-focused goggles have the skiers safety at the forefront of their design!

Designer: Sebastian Halin for Salomon

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