....designing with exposed concrete...
In the role of associate architect to Steven Holl Architects we have jointly completed 4 stages of the Loisium consisting of a Wine Centre and a Hotel complex in Langenlois 80km NE of Vienna/Austria.
Our work included overall project steering, permission shop- and detail drawings as well as supervision on the site for the collaboration with SHA and design, as well as all office works & supervision for a smaller extension 2017.
The Loisium Hotel (opened 2005) and Wine Center (opened 2003) celebrate the rich local heritage of an ancient wine vault system.
The historic subterranean network, which includes stone passages that are 900 years old, underlies the urban plan of the town.
The first two buildings of the Loisium campus sought to create an analogical relation to the geometry of the cellars, with the wine center embedded within the vineyards and the hotel referencing the branching morphology of the vaults above.
Together these three elements represented three basic types of architecture: under, in, and over the ground. The concept for the new extension, “out of the ground,” connects to the original vaults via precast vaulted rooms.
A reflecting pool at the entry reflects the curved geometry.
"Architecture, always a collaboration, is especially a joy when the team is made of true friends and great clients who deeply appreciate the spirit and love of detail, light, and space that architecture communicates.” - Steven Holl, May 24, 2021
The roofs and walls of the expansion building completed 2021 are clad in Rheinzink. The matte natural material is pre-weathered to blend with the landscape and sky. Glass walls at the hotel rooms provide views to the surrounding hills, vineyards and existing Loisium Hotel and Wine Center.
Board form exposed concrete walls compliment custom natural wood millwork. The high performance building envelope and extensive use of natural materials exemplify the sustainable aspirations of the project.
The Loisium Wine and Spa Resort have reopened after refurbishment in May 2021.
Fotos: Herta Hurnaus, Vienna