Escape to a Winter Fairytale at This Eco Retreat in the Italian Alps
Sustainable design, prefab construction, and warm hospitality combine at this winter retreat in a cinematic Alpine setting.
Celebrated for its outstanding mountain views and warm Italian hospitality, Zallinger Alpine Retreat’s charms have been recently elevated with an eco-friendly renovation and expansion by noa* network of architecture.
Zallinger is located on the ski slopes of the Alpe di Siusi mountain range, and it opens up its restaurant and lounge to visiting skiers.
Alex Filz
Bearing the region’s seal for sustainable lodgings, the newly certified ClimaHotel boutique getaway has added 24 rooms (to the original 13 rooms) in seven new mini-chalets—a reincarnation of the seven timber barns that once occupied the site.
Remotely tucked away in an alpine meadow in South Tyrol, Zallinger was once a historic Alpine village that has been reincarnated as a boutique hotel.
Alex Filz
"We discovered historic photographs from as early 1850 that revealed the evolution of the Zallinger during the last decades," architect & noa* network of architecture partner Andreas Profanter explains.
"Our research demonstrated impressively that an alpine village, consisting of different buildings for housing and farming, already existed in this area, but was later demolished. In that context, our design can be perceived as a return to the roots of this place, by both simultaneously looking back and forward in time."
The shingled wood roofs were inspired by South Tyrollean architecture.
Alex Filz
The architects’ sensitive approach to site history carries over to construction as well. To minimize landscape impact, the firm prefabricated the seven chalets off-site using certified materials, including locally sourced larch.
The paths between the chalet are deliberately unlit at night to avoid light pollution. Instead, guests are given lanterns.
Alex Filz
A pallet boiler powers heating and hot water in winter. It's stored in a buried silo in the summer.
Alex Filz
The four-room chalets are arranged in pairs and set on concrete bases. Each building's eye-catching facade is comprised of staggered solid wood blocks, evoking a modern log cabin that pays tribute to the traditional timber architecture in South Tyrol.
The four rooms in each chalet are not connected, but they can be accessed via a shared hallway to ensure privacy.
Alex Filz
"The walls are covered in wood, with the idea to recreate the atmosphere of a traditional "stube"—the classic alpine room where once the family gathered around the fireplace—but with the contemporary sign of the wooden boards that seamlessly rise from the walls and on to the ceiling, behind which, sound-absorbing panels have been positioned to create maximum acoustic comfort," the architects add.
Alex Filz
Shop the Look
Muuto Grain Pendant Light
A textural fusion of recyclable materials, the Muuto Grain Pendant Light is a lightweight shade composed of bamboo fibers and polypropylene, ideally formed for comforting down light. The delicacy of the shape is matched by the soft range of colors, bringing out with fibrous quality of the material and slightly resembling the appearance of cork. Suspended from a matching suspension cord, the Grain is a simple, yet comprehensive design enigmatic of Muuto’s signature Nordic aesthetic.
ShopKnoll Saarinen Executive Chair
The Saarinen Executive Chair (1946) was originally made of fiberglass but was later updated in polyurethane. The feel remains unchanged as the molded shell flexes slightly with the sitter. The contoured plywood seat is supported by metal or wood legs. This chair is Intertek Clean Air Certified for its use of low-emitting products. Manufactured by Knoll according to the original and exacting specifications of the designer. Backed by a five-year manufacturer’s warranty. Made in U.S.A.
ShopThe cozy, larch-lined interiors are dressed with knitted materials and open up to the spectacular outdoors through large windows.
The interiors were mostly designed by noa* network of architecture and constructed by local firm Tischlerei Rier.
Alex Filz
Some rooms have a small loft that can be used as a bedroom for children.
Alex Filz
The main building of the hotel, which dates back over 160 years, received a sensitive renovation—including the reception, lobby, lounge, and restaurant.
A gigantic fir tree trunk serves as the bar counter, providing a connection to the outdoors. The bar lights are by Spanish company Marset.
Alex Filz
A look inside the restaurant, which is open to outside guests.
Alex Filz
The architects also added a new wellness area housing a lounge and sauna with two stunning vantage points: One faces the valley, while the second looks out onto Mount Sassopiatto.
A peek inside the sauna.
Alex Filz
"Sustainability, respect for the mountains, and direct contact with nature are the principles that have guided all design choices," the firm says. "For example, in the design of the new rooms, careful use of the space was made to provide high levels of comfort in relatively small sizes." The Zallinger has been certified under ClimaHotel, a program under the Climate House Agency of the Province of Bolzano.
All built-in furnishings were designed by the architects. The height-adjustable tables are from Billiani.
Alex Filz
The new wine cellar references jagged mountain peaks with its geometric wooden shelving.
Alex Filz
Zallinger site plan
Zallinger Chalet floor plan
Zallinger chalet elevation
For booking enquiries, head to the Zallinger’s website.
Related Reading: 13 Epic Alpine Retreats We're Swooning Over
Project Credits:
Architect of Record: noa* network of architecture / @networkofarchitecture
Builder/General Contractor: Ramoserbau & Aster Holzbau
Structural Engineer: KTB
Lighting Design Company: Lichtstudio
Interior, Cabinetry Design: noa* network of architecture