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Hugo Demetz and Bioarchitecture

By 28 January 2019 November 10th, 2023 No Comments

They had no idea what they were getting into. Architect Hugo Demetz also says today: “At first we did not know how strict the regulations really are.” The Rabansers, however, stuck to their decision: if they were going to do it, then they were going to do it right, they told each other. They did not care that the craftsmen sometimes went on the crazy.

The Austrian building biologist Alfred Ruhdorfer became the supervisory authority. He initiated all kinds of measurements: magnetic fields, electrosmog, pollutants, gas leaks, noise. And he made no compromises. So one thing led to another. Construction, materials, transportation. “More and more we came back to the way things used to be built in the past” says Hannes Rabanser.

Massive iron girders in the building structure were taboo, the electrical wiring throughout the building is shielded, and each room has its own main power switch, which can be used to cut the power. The zone in front of the room or to the neighboring room is electric-free; not a single cable runs under the beds: “The sleeping area is sacred to the building biologist,” Hannes Rabanser now knows. So you now sleep in a cocoon of fragrant Swiss pine wood that has been proven to be soothing. The indoor climate is regulated by clay and limestone walls. It is cleaned with water and soft soap.

Stone, wood and clay are the materials that make up the Tirler. Ambition started everything. Hannes Rabanser and architect Hugo Demetz looked for “twisted trees” in the forest for the sauna. They had stones brought in from the creek bed. Even the elevator is paneled with wood. 50,000 wooden shingles were laid on the roof. Part of the roof is planted with greenery. “You do not see it until you are in front of the hotel,” says the hotelier.

All materials were presented. Every craftsman had to seek the blessing of Alfred Ruhdorfer, the building biologist. Conventional adhesive foam, synthetic paints, oils for wood treatment: Ruhdorfer shook his head all the time. The craftsmen – exclusively South Tyrolean companies – rebelled. In vain. “Retrofitting is not possible in biological construction,” explains architect Demetz. It has to be right from the start. So the craftsmen went in search of alternatives. And they saw that you can build differently. More precisely: according to the specifications of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and thus holistically sustainable.

Healthy living follows strict rules in order to give people maximum well-being. The Tyrolean hoteliers are convinced of that. They want you to be able to move around as you wish. With your body and in your head. Some rooms are therefore also accessible from the outside, and you can get to the restaurant both underground and aboveground. Guests discover some paths through the hotel by accident.

That’s the luxury we offer at the Tirler: being free. In the room, in the hotel, on the menu, in nature. As a guest, the choice is yours. We have received many awards, including the first hotel in Italy with the ECARF seal of approval (European Center of Allergy Research Foundation).

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