2_0_DiscoverGermany_Sept2014_Issue18:Scan Magazine 1
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Manufacturing a place Appropriate architecture hits the right tone with its gesture. Architecturally expressive buildings participate in resonance with their surroundings. Through their communicative character, they act as a catalyst for daily life and have the ability to strengthen the power of a place. TEXT: MERYEM HAUER | PHOTOS: LUDESCHER & LUTZ
We learn from the circumstances of a place, its qualities are intensified and we carry them with us. Construction is inextricably linked with the location itself; even a socalled new building is just a modification of an already existing place. It changes the place, reinterprets it and continues the place’s history. At the same time it is rooted there without any chance to escape. Conversely, the building has to be shaped by its place; otherwise it could never be authentic or comprehensible. The Umbrückler Alm, a tourist destination characterised by gastronomy in Innsbruck, Austria, is a striking example of a building’s involvement with its
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place. Among high towering spruces and steep slopes, hikers and skiers are warmly welcomed by the forest glades. This place invites visitors to linger, providing a beautiful place for the sunset. Alongside the
Elmar Ludescher and Philip Lutz
building it is possible to find a place, sheltered from the wind, from where you can enjoy a unique view over the landscape of the Inntal. The terrace of the restaurant opens its gates and a larch-shingled roof provides protection from the rain and the sun. The chimney, an distinct characteristic of the restaurant is visible from a distance. The project is integrated within the landscape smoothly; the sculptural roof stretches out over the organic floor plan with varying roof pitches. As the years go by, it will turn grey. This is part of the plan to integrate the building into the silhouettes of the spruces. The people A building characterises the human beings who choose to live and work in an unobtrusive but sustainable way. It forms an identity and turns into a meeting point. The best case scenario would be the creation of a place that people love to visit. Over time, certain buildings form the ba-