Harmony in contrast
The thematic concept of the guest house "Apfelhotel Torgglerhof" as a combination of hotel and farm in the mountain village Saltaus in the Passeier Valley was continued by noa* network of architecture for the conversion: The shed connected to the main house was completely gutted and extended for a further guest room and a farm manufactory. In addition, three independent buildings with gabled roofs were connected to the ensemble, whose facades are covered with curtain patterns of wooden rhombuses in anthracite - a transformation of classic wooden struts. These offer space for further rooms and suites, from which guests can always enjoy the wide panorama over the valley of Saltaus through floor-to-ceiling windows. For the top floor, the high gables were used to accommodate a bedroom gallery, which can be reached via an internal room staircase.
Wood and metal are leading materials in the conversion - thus, in the course of the restaurant extension, a metal strut was installed in front of the ceiling, in which both the lighting and plants can be moved flexibly. References to the traditional wood craftsmanship of the region can be found in every room: the custom-made furniture was made by a local joinery. New pavilions with a construction made of grey-brown powder-coated aluminium are used for the extension of the restaurant. These provide a strong contrast to the optically warm materials and the high level of fabrics used in the hotel's interior, which was implemented mainly with linen sheets.
In order to integrate the new wellness area as harmoniously as possible, the architects created a semi-curved fair-faced concrete shell which, with a green roof, ducks into the landscape. A wooden portal leads into the interior, which offers a natural stone drinking fountain and an open fireplace. For the interior design of the Finnish sauna, horizontally curved wooden slats were chosen, which dynamically cover the round main room, as well as generous windows, which open up a view of the green landscape. To the rear, the building opens up with a metal pergola in anthracite, which is based on the load-bearing structures of the apple orchard, while the rectangular outdoor pool stretches into the area.
