A new concept for family-friendly hospitality. The new 5 star Falkensteiner Hotel Montafon, which will open on 16 December 2022, was designed by the Norwegian firm Snøhetta for the structures and the exterior architecture, while the interior design and design concept was interpreted by Milan-based firm Vudafieri-Saverino Partners.
Located in a protected area of Montafon, an Alpine valley in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg gently nestled between forests and mountains, the Falkensteiner Group’s new family hotel converses with its surroundings, and is based on a concept of restrained luxury.
The structure is built on four levels, taking advantage of the slope of the mountain, and comprises two buildings connected by a central portion, where the communal areas are located.
The reception, fitness and SPA areas, and the skyroom are accessed from street level, while the rooms are reached by going upwards. Descending the large central staircase leads to the lobby/bar, restaurant and swimming pool. From here you can also reach the charming outdoor terrace, open to the landscape. To emphasise the family hotel concept, core to this project, there is no lack of spectacular areas dedicated to children and young people, such as Babyland and Falkyland.
Untreated wood and white-plastered walls pay homage to the building tradition of the valley, where the Montafoner Häus, a stone and wood construction, has been the local architectural archetype for centuries.
The intervention respects the tradition and its genius loci by choosing vernacular materials, but above all a natural colour palette, which draws inspiration from the peculiarities of the Alpine landscape and, in particular, from three-phase farming, an agricultural technique that for centuries has shaped the life and culture of the rural population.
If in the common areas the nuances are taken from spring and summer, alternating lively and energetic meadow green with relaxing and delicate blue tones of the water, and the larch wood of the boiserie, in the rooms the colours become autumnal and wintery with warm reds, oranges and yellows, always in combination with wood.
“To reflect the beauty of the Montafon, in the 123 rooms of the hotel we selected a colour palette reminiscent of a unique phenomenon: the Montafoner Indian summer, which usually only occurs in the north-east of the United States. It is a brief autumn period when the weather becomes warm, like summer, and the trees take on fiery shades of yellow, red and orange – a truly fascinating landscape”, architects Vudafier and Saverino explain, underlining the special bond with nature.
