The NOA studio has completed an interior design project for the renovation of the 13 apartments in the dependance building of Hotel Nutzhof in Lagundo – Merano, South Tyrol. The hotel, managed by the Obkircher family, also operates as a farm.
The core inspiration for the project was the unexpected 4,000 m² Mediterranean garden on the property, located at the foot of the Tessa Group (Gruppo di Tessa). Rich in palms, olive trees, and cypresses, this terraced landscape embodies the essence of South Tyrol, balancing alpine sobriety and Mediterranean warmth.
NOA’s primary objective was not a standard layout, but transforming every room into a private wellness area for the guest. The interior designers brought the quiet atmosphere of the park inside, overcoming the traditional conception of a room with separate compartments. As Christian Rottensteiner, NOA partner and project architect, explains, the threshold between the bathroom, sleeping area, and living area dissolves into a fluid continuity, where the furnishings develop in a continuum free from boundaries. The bathroom itself receives special attention, becoming an open space dedicated to self-care, designed to maintain strong visual connections with the exterior. The classic room concept was also expanded by integrating a fully equipped kitchen module.
This subtle dialogue between north and south—alpine calm and Mediterranean lightness—was translated into materials and colors: warm, earthy tones, material surfaces, and coarse-grained plastered surfaces. Custom-made furnishings feature organic lines that recall the contour lines (curve di livello) of the surrounding territory.
A distinctive recurring element is the wooden structure that extends above the beds. Defined by the interior designers as “the sky” (“il cielo”), this feature evokes the vine pergolas traversed to reach the Nutzhof. It is covered with leaf-patterned wallpaper, suggesting the sleeping area without enclosing it, while integrating lighting and bedside tables. To ensure cohesion, metal rods become multifunctional components. Like branches of a climbing plant, they traverse the room, transforming into coat hangers, lamps, or perforated dividing panels.
Attention to detail is crucial: a bouclé armchair invites reading, and a perforated metal screen offers privacy without closing the space. The entire experience is designed to ensure sensory continuity. Mara Jungmann, interior designer, concludes that the internal atmosphere is one of “absolute reconnection with the environment,” believing this experience of true relaxation constitutes the project’s true luxury. The works, covering a gross area of 720 m², took place between January 2025 and April 2025. The thirteen units range from 35 to 65 m².
