design et al are delighted to announce that noa* – Network of Architecture have been shortlisted for Hotel Under 50 Rooms – Europe Award in The International Hotel and Property Awards 2018.
In the demolition and reconstruction of the Hotel Tofana in St. Kassian / S. Cassiano in Badia Valley, Italy, the surrounding mountain range served as inspiration for the new architecture and interior design. The concept of the new “Explorer’s Home” transfers the athletic spirit of the owner’s family to the entire building. The traditional family establishment was founded in 1933 and is now run by the third generation since 2011. Günther and Verena Frena’s enthusiasm for sport played a decisive role in the design of the new hotel. The dynamic personality of the two Yoga and Pilates instructors, mountain bikers, ski and snowboard instructors and mountaineers has led the new Tofana to adapt to these two athletic powerhouses: the “mountain” becomes an abstract conceptual inspiration for the entire architecture.
Various lounges and restaurants can be found on the ground floor, always following the alternating natural landscape of the Badia Valley: furniture and sofas in blue, green, and brown tones suggest alpine meadows, biotopes, moss forests or rock caves. From the “Base Station” – the reception with gondola – takes you up to the “hut cabins” (rooms & suites), further over the rocks to the summit of snow and ice creating the relaxation area with a view of the Dolomites. The natural experience becomes the main theme of the entire design. The furnishing is flexible, the details are thought through down to the smallest detail and made by local artisans. The harmonious materiality of the house is based on local sustainable elements such as larch wood, linen fabric, natural stone walls and large, light-flooded glazing. Hammocks, swings, poufs, couches, cushions, posters and words weave through the spaces, underlining the genuine character of the house.
The outer silhouette is aesthetically pleasing with its unique scenic entourage and reflects the shape of a tree-lined mountain peak. The hotel acts de facto as a “base camp” for the guest. Densely planted coniferous trees and plants that wind upwards characterize the appearance of the façade. The building becomes an integral part of the surrounding natural backdrops, whereby the compact building with its irregular, asymmetrically designed shape and the many edges acts like an upwards tapering rock formation. At the same time, the numerous trees on the terraces intensify the conceptual design ideas and seem to allow the outer space to merge with the interior.
The new Tofana should become a temporary home for the guest, but also a meeting point, a place for regeneration and a recreational centre as well as a base camp for adventurers, sportsmen and connoisseurs. Following the motto “never stop exploring”, the concept of movement and the infrastructure in the new Tofana Hotel, follows the principle of a climbing route, which can be traversed by the visitor. The nature and the mountain serve as a stage for various places to linger and relax.