architek[tour] tirol – guide to architecture in tyrol

Just 150 metres from the Galzigbahn– also planned by the Driendl* architects – the new Rendlbahn connects the town centre with the other side of the valley for the first time. The lower level of the dynamic steel, glass and concrete building is used as a bus terminal, with guests being able to directly access the gondola’s boarding area via an escalator. A long sweeping footbridge connects the end of the ski slope with the valley station, which has been integrated into the surrounding area.

As a further development of the "Am Lohbach I” project completed in 2000, the Innsbruck Stadtbau GmbH constructed a further five residential buildings. Based on the original town planning concept, Baumschlager & Eberle and driendl*architects realised the two or rather three chessboard type blocks of flats, which although next to each other are slightly offset. Generous, light-flooded development zones characterise the inside of the buildings.

The Galzigbahn valley station presents itself as a very individual and at first sight, strange artificial design. However, the glass-steel-concrete building is by no means an architectural self-dramatisation, but a form developed directly from the innovative cable lift technology. A sweeping building with a glass roof rises above massive concrete head walls. This portrays the lifts sequence of motions and reveals the technical inner mechanism.

For many years the steep south slope next to the road leading to the Arlberg Pass was considered as being unsuitable for development. To realise the "Lux Alpinae” construction, the slope was dug out three storeys deep, a two-part building was constructed close to the slope. The rooms, accessible via a loggia landing, have room-high glass fronts and protruding balconies facing towards the south. Finally, a curved shell roof gives the glass, steel and exposed concrete hotel building a dynamic look.

Arising from a competition, the housing development set new standards in social housing at the time of its construction. Despite the high density, Georg Driendl succeeded in creating a permeable housing development with high atmospheric quality on a narrow parcel on the banks of the Inn. A total of 120 apartments are placed in three six-story structures, whose visual appearance is characterized by rear-ventilated glass façades and the colorful glass skin of the balconies.