VIGILIUS MOUNTAIN RESORT

Matteo Thun has built a hotel which combines a desire for originality with respect for tradition, thus creating a new style: "alpine modernity". The architect selected switches from the Berker range to suit each individual area of the building, and also drew on the advantages of KNX/EIB technology.

The exterior elements of the building are almost exclusively of wood and glass; clay and clay brick were also used. The hotel weaves its way along a ridge above Merano, giving the impression of a giant tree lying on its side. When a guest enters the hotel, the first thing he sees is a traditional South Tyrolean alpine idyll – a 250 year old farmhouse that has been integrated into the new hotel. The hotel's restaurant is housed in the painstakingly restored wooden structure of the historical building. Its tiled stove helps make it a snuggery not only for hotel guests, but also for hikers and excursion-makers. Quite in contrast to this are the designs of the foyer, the lounge, the guest rooms and the spa area. There modernistic purism sets the tone – with lights and sitting furniture from Philippe Starck. The reception counter glows with a vibrant orange. Plexiglas has been enclosed in a wooden wall. Although a reduced form language dominates here, the selection of materials, together with the light (centrally controlled using a Berker EIB system) is such that excessive cooling of the atmosphere is completely avoided.

Each of the 35 guest rooms and six suites contains heated clay brick walls which combine nature and design. The clay brick dividing walls between the bedrooms and baths also contribute cosy warmth during the cold winter months. The resort has a heating system which burns wood chips. This system is carbon dioxide neutral and therefore particularly friendly to the environment.

Just as there is a mixture of styles here – purism and alpine tradition – a mixture of Berker switches was likewise used in the 17,300 square metres of enclosed space. To suit each specific atmosphere, Thun has employed either Evolution in Glass, the B.7 range, or the non-facetted variant of the TS system (under consideration for a red dot). Also used were switches from the unusual Serie 1930, whose black version brings history to life, as well as switches of the popular S.1 standard line, whose simple, square modern design is compatible with a wide range of architectural styles, and whose polar white, silk mat surface can be integrated into any surroundings.