It’s November, which means it’s time to start planning some awesome winter getaways! Of course, South Tyrol was already near the top of our list, but a new climbing center, Vertikale, located in the famous ski resort of Bressanone (Brixen), has made the Northern Italian region extra enticing for us architecture-loving snow bunnies. Designed by Vahrn-based studio Wolfgang Meraner Architekt and architect Martin Mutschlechner of StadtLABOR, this giant cube (which looks a lot like a big block of ice) lets climbers enjoy panoramic views of views of the Dolomite mountains, without the frostbite! Read more!

The half transparent, half opaque cube has an intelligent façade developed in collaboration with Transsolar of Stuttgart.  The multilayered surface embeds a sophisticated climate-control system that combines climate protection, ventilation, and anti-glare filters. This, combined with a geothermal system, eliminates the need for mechanical cooling.

Besides offering sweeping views of the surroundings, the glass façade also allows full visibility of the  climbing wall, which varies between 4 and 15 meters.  Built at the southern edge of a great park, the building connects to the city through a square, providing the climbers a unique mix of urban and natural surroundings.

Photos: courtesy of Günter Richard Wett and Wolfgang Merano

by Silvia Gugu

posted in New Projects

tagged curtain wall, glass, intelligent facade, Martin Mutschlechner, South Tyrol, StadtLABOR, Wolfgang Meraner Architekt

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