The Architects that changed hotel design in South Tyrol

Despite being lovingly steeped in heritage, culture and a deep-rooted sense of the traditional, South Tyrol (Alto Adige/Südtirol) is far static when it comes to architecture and design, particularly when the topic is hotel concepts.  

Perhaps it is the innate connection to nature and traditions that fosters a radical shift in the architectural design of hotels in South Tyrol. Of course, a rich legacy of Austro-Italian culture, a fusion of Mediterranean and the Alpinist design heritage and a deep-rooted relationship to sustainability culminates in a creative hive of radical thinking. 

Dramatic natural beauty, dark dense forests, wild meadows and those jaw-dropping mountains, not least the Dolomites' theatrics frame the region and paint the creative canvas. 

Pioneers of a more eco-conscious and sustainable approach to hotel architecture, these architects share an infinite love of nature and the setting. From 1970's icon by Othmar Barth, The Seehotel Ambach, to the perhaps father of environmental construction, Matteo Thun, who created the Vigilus Mountain Resort. More recent champions of abstracting nature into a hotel concept is architect Peter Pichler, whose vernacular architecture is a signature clearly visible at the Schgaguler Hotel in South Tyrol and 2021 opened hotel: Milla Montis in Maranza.

South Tyrol is a fascinating corner of Italy, a region of needle-thin church spires, soaring peaks, arboured vineyards, medieval hamlets, castles, and strikingly modern architecture. Meet the pioneers of abstract interpretation that are shaping the hotels' sustainable design narrative.  

South Tyrol bound in a DNA of traditional creativity.

Pedevilla Architects’ Bühelwirt Hotel reaches for new heights

Design hotel Bühelwirt & Atto Suites in South Tyrol by architects Alexander & Armin Pedevilla, were projects that aligned with their modus operandi nicely.

Peter Pichler Architecture: a practice evoking mountainous grandeur

Even though it's not always easy to spot, the architectural designs of Milan based Peter Pichler Architecture can be considered traditional in many ways. Their sleek, pointed and stark lines may not look it, but they are deeply inspired by nature and by the surrounding vernacular architecture.

Architect Othmar Barth | A man ahead of his times

Professor, architect and designer with an intense love of concrete and the alps, architect Othmar Barth (1927-2010) was considered futuristic, often misunderstood and a bit of a silent hero of the rural monumental.

noa*, an architecture studio founded by Lukas Rungger & Stefan Rier

Conceiving of noa* as an ever-changing network of architects, interior designers, graphic talent to even psychologists and much more, noa* is able to incorporate a multitude of ideas and styles into its hotel projects.

Matteo Thun – simplicity, durability and lightness

Matteo Thun simultaneously designs and innovates within the medium of interiors, product design and architecture with an aesthetic that stays within the parameters of simplicity, durability and lightness.

Architecture practice Marx/Ladurner Architekten, a duo of heritage and design

Founded by Stephan Marx & Elke Ladurner, the studio's work is never shy of a making a statement in often built-up zones where space, views, legacy and approval rank high. Their mantra is to distil what you can and cannot build.

South Tyrol's Messner Mountain Museum

Changing the face of tourism in South Tyrol has to be Zaha Hadid's architectural masterpiece atop Kronplatz in South Tyrol, the Messner Mountain Museum, is a concrete designer ode to the history of mountaineering.

Discover South Tyrol with our 21 fabulous hotels - From its perch in northern Italy, South Tyrol, or Alto Adige as it is also known, is a jewel of ancient cultures set in the mighty crown of the Alps. Nestled among the Dolomite mountains (a UNESCO World Heritage site) a marriage of languages and cultures comes together in the area’s healing spa towns, medieval hamlets, fairytale castles, wine trails and foodie destinations.

Known primarily for skiing, South Tyrol is also a year-round home to hiking, mountain biking and strolling through the botanical gardens at the base of its snow-capped mountains. At the end of the day, cap it all off with a signature hay bath or a dip in the healing thermal waters. This hidden Alpine part of Italy is well worth travelling to.

This is the South Tyrol where Austria snugs up to Italy.