Furtschellas, Switzerland

In Sils, close to St. Moritz, ingenhoven associates is planning an innovative hotel that synergizes with its surroundings. The two-story hotel snuggles up to the mountain slope and merges seamlessly with the landscape in terms of height, volume, structure and choice of materials.

The hotel’s design joins the local context and simultaneously uses the locale’s natural potential. The structure’s body is separate from the bottom station and respects the functional and appealing architecture of the existing structure. It also allows for a clear functional separation of the different traffic flows. The inviting ground floor is a connecting interface that constitutes a social center for the hotel’s visitors and commuters.

The lobby floor is structured by a protruding louvre façade. Similar to the trees of the neighboring forest, the differentially arranged louvres allow for views while offering protection from the elements. The orientation of the rooms is planned according to the solar intake and the modular façade components offer an ideal interplay with the landscape. A curved façade creates and governs wind-protected zones for the outer terraces, rest areas and access points.

The hotel has a high demand for heat all year round, which is covered by the bottom station’s excess engine heat in combination with a wood gasifier. To partially cover the structure’s water requirements, a rain- and grey water system is envisioned, which will supply flushing and usage water without any detriment to comfort. Moreover, greened roofs and rainwater retention will regulate the microclimate in the building’s direct vicinity.