Situated in the village of Hochkrimml in the Austrian Alps at 1700 meters above sea level, the Gerlos Youth Hostel embraces the integral role of skiing in Austrian culture and education. This project was designed to make school trips in an eco-friendly environment more accessible and affordable.
The hostel is constructed using locally sourced solid wood, heated by local biomass energy, and powered by photovoltaic panels. Instead of manual transport, building materials were delivered by long-distance buses. Leftover laminated wood from the walls was repurposed into furniture, emphasizing sustainability.
The hostel spans approximately 7,500 square meters of usable space and offers around 450 beds. For inclement weather, it features about 2,200 square meters of indoor sports facilities, including climbing walls and gyms. Through thoughtful space management and recreational amenities, the youth hostel serves as a vibrant community hub for the village.
The main structure features a longitudinal wooden frame design. Between the building and the street, the architects created a south-facing U-shaped ‘village square’ symbolizing community and place. This space also bridges the semi-public areas between the hostel and neighboring buildings, fostering connectivity.
The village square features two ground-floor wings that form undulating landscapes to the east and west, causing the square to blend into the terrain like a natural incision. These building wings extend into the landscape and are covered with greenery, harmonizing with the surrounding environment. Approaching the hostel, it presents as a simple, modern wooden structure.
Accessing the main building is possible through a glass-covered walkway along the village square. The height of this passage aligns with the sloping wing of the square, allowing the main structure to appear as if it floats above the square like a bridge. The spatial complexity unfolds gradually when entering the building. Moving deeper along the village square, you’ll discover lush landscapes nestled in lower areas throughout the main structure. The numerous elevated spaces between floors create a visually permeable environment on a micro scale.
The first floor, level with the village square, houses the entrance hall. From here, visitors can access all floors via a central ramp that runs along the entire long side of the building. A ventilation opening in the middle of the ramp enhances the vertical spaciousness of the lobby. The interplay of ramp inclines and floor heights creates a spatial symbiosis, enriching the horizontal perspective of the three-level climbing wall located on the second-floor podium in the sports area.
Project Drawings
△ General Layout Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Basement Floor Plan
△ Section Diagram
△ Section Diagram
△ Section Diagram
△ Partial Sectional View
△ Sketch
Project Information
Architectural Design: Lechner& lechner architects
Area: 7,560 m²
Project Year: 2021
Photographer: Julian Hoeck
Manufacturers: Binderholz, GraphiSOFT
Lead Architect: Christine Lechner
Design Planning: Lukas Ployer
Visualization: Paul Lechner
Architect of Record: Michael Trixl
Owners’ Representatives: Joerg Neumaier, Arne Tammen
Furniture Design: Stephan Keil
Structural Engineer: Thomas Forsthuber
Location: Hochkrimml, Austria
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up