Hotel Hirschen

The Hotel Hirschen, an ensemble itself, has grown through careful adaptation. North of the main house stands the “Wälderhaus,” a traditional timber building of the Bregenzerwald region. Through renovation, it was preserved outside and transformed inside into modern serviced apartments. The new wooden bathhouse with saunas, quiet zones, and an outdoor pool forms the contemporary heart of the complex. Its distinctive roof shape and movable wooden slats reinterpret tradition, creating a dialogue between past and present while enhancing the hotel’s wellness experience with lasting quality.

Due to its central location within the protected historic core, sensitive integration into the village structure was essential. This was achieved through a timber façade and a hipped roof – traditional elements reinterpreted in a contemporary way. The building embodies a deliberate contrast: it meets modern wellness standards by ensuring privacy while offering guests views of the surrounding landscape. The ground floor appears enclosed, while the upper level opens to panoramic views through large windows and external wooden slats. Light and visibility can be adjusted by the guests. The slats serve not only as a design feature but also enhance the functionality and atmosphere of the interior. The attic features precisely placed skylights that frame the landscape like a series of images. Minimizing construction time was crucial for hotel operations and achieved through resource-efficient methods, using timber as the main material and locally sourced components.

The project’s economic efficiency begins with a comprehensive planning phase in which not isolated structures but a holistic concept was developed. It forms the foundation for the sustainable continuation of the hotel’s operations. In the event of future expansion, the urban positioning of the bathhouse on the site provides sufficient space for possible extensions. By preserving and renovating the Wälderhaus, existing building fabric could be retained and revitalized. The hotel rooms within the Wälderhaus are conceived as self-contained apartments and could, if necessary, be repurposed as residential units in the absence of hotel use. Particular attention was given to involving regional craftsmen and using high-quality local materials. The structural components of the bathhouse are sourced from sustainably managed forests, partly from local woodland. Through time-efficient planning and resource-saving approaches, both building time and costs were significantly reduced.