A good design can give us pleasure, although sometimes it goes too far and can lead to some danger, like this wonderful pool.
There is a good reason why the powerful views of the Alps draw us. The DNA of the human being is born from nature itself, and it is in it that we feel full, alive. However, the double helix structure that identifies us as a species does not limit us in this regard, but rather induces us to improve our habitat to the maximum level of comfort, something that is not necessarily at odds with environmental care.
The spectacular Alpin Panorama Hubertus hotel
In this way, enjoying a summer walk through the most famous mountain range in Europe, or skiing on its slopes in winter, makes more sense when at the end of the day we relax in a comfortable hotel, full of those wonderful culinary experiences or pampering that we deserve so much. And much more so if the architecture of said hotel reconciles us with our best expectations, adding a spectacular swimming pool, as is the case of the hotel that we present to you today: the Alpin Panorama Hubertus.
The hotel belongs to the Italian Alps, specifically it is located in Valdaora, a municipality of just over 3,000 inhabitants, famous for its skiing and hiking areas on the Kroonplatz mountain, at an altitude of about 1,350 metres. The owners urged a remodel of the building, adding space, and upgrading the hotel.
A hotel embedded in the landscape of the Alps
To do so, they hired an architecture studio called Noa* Network of Architecture, with offices in Italy and Germany. In fact, the Italian headquarters are in Bolzano, a city an hour’s drive from Valdaora. But, curiosities aside, the work of the architects consisted of increasing the capacity of the hotel with 16 new rooms, incorporating new restaurants, sports areas, a lobby, reception, a wine cellar, a gym and a relaxation room with panoramic views.
One of the most striking facets of the design was the homogenization of the new part of the hotel and the old, through the most natural aesthetic addition: native larch trunks. These trees can reach fifty meters in height and the trunk a diameter of one meter. In addition, they can withstand minus fifty degrees of temperature and an altitude of 2,000 meters. Of course, ideal to blend the hotel with the environment.
The spoiled princess of the property: the 25-meter pool
The façade of the building slopes down the slope and is stepped from the entrance, to curve following the whims of the mountain. The trunks, placed in pairs, rise from the base of the building to the third floor. However, the highlight of the facade is the spoiled princess of the property: a 25-meter swimming pool, which stands out abruptly from the central part, powerfully attracting attention.
25 meters long supported by four impressive pillars, which lean in the opposite direction to the façade to, in addition to supporting the watery volume, form an elegant contrast to the rest of the building. The pool has a different aesthetic treatment. Its grayish hue bursts forth as if it were a floating rock. Zero gravity, what a scientist would say.
The luxury of taking a dip in a pool 12 meters high
However, there is a catch, because not only does it look like a rock, but it can be said that it is, given that its vertical and horizontal walls are covered with anthracite-colored stone tiles. This eliminates the front and materializes it with a glass, so that the infinity pool becomes part of the visual spectacle of the mountain ranges. To emphasize such theatrical representation, they have placed a large transparent panel on the floor of the pool. Simply great.
The pool has a width of five meters, a length of 25, of which 17 protrude from the building, and a depth of 1.30 meters high. Another very important number that we haven’t talked about is the distance from the pool to the ground: about 12 meters at the far edge. In this way you can see the buildings if you look through the glass floor. An activity not suitable for non-cardiac.
Wood and nature, the protagonists of the Alpin Panorama Hubertus
From the rooms you can also enjoy the views, thanks to recently installed semi-circular balconies, finished in the form of perforated metal mesh. The rooms stand out for their pastel tones combined with wood. A lot of wood present in pavements, furniture and decorations that evoke the exterior pillars. Wood in the form of pillars that extend through the new entrance area, in the beams of the new relaxation room and in the gym. «More wood», as Groucho Marx would say.
In the images and videos that the hotel and users have uploaded to the networks, especially on Instagram, the inherent danger of its spectacular pool can be seen. The most brave and reckless are located on the edge of the structure, about twelve meters high, to dive into the heated pool. It doesn’t look like the outer edge is set up to prevent a slip the wrong way. So, if you go, first of all, be cautious, please.
*Images courtesy of the Alpin Panorama Hubertus Hotel