NEWH - Fall 2024 - 80

PROJECT | OLYMPIC SPA HOTEL
Alpine Design
NOA's nature-fueled additions merge with their Dolomites backdrop
By Alia Akkam
Photography by Alex Filz
R
iveted by NOA's work on Hotel Hubertus in South Tyrol, Italy, the
Pellegrin family, owners of the Olympic Spa Hotel in nearby Trentino's
Val di Fassa, reached out to the Bolzano-based firm (which also
has offices in Milan, Turin, and Berlin) to craft equally striking additions to its
property. " However, we don't have a package of ready-made highlights, " points
out architect Michele Pascucci. " Each hotel has its own story and peculiarities
proportional to the architecture it is designed for. "
In the case of the Olympic Spa Hotel, a local institution since 1963, the
alpine landscape was the guiding force behind the new treetop sauna and 10
guestrooms tucked into a slope out back. " The concept was defined by the
connection with nature, " recalls Pascucci, who led the project.
Dubbed the theater sauna because of its idyllic forest backdrop, the larchclad
structure gives way to a black wax-treated spruce interior, including a
relaxation lounge filled with views of the surrounding greenery. Originally, it
was " meant to be even more exposed, but for geological reasons we decided
not to extend it too far, " says Pascucci. An aerial bridge that intentionally
keeps guests immersed in the outdoors is the sole way of accessing the
sauna from the hotel.
Another sustainable intervention that amplifies rather than disrupts the
environs is the reinforced concrete guestroom annex. Partially buried in the
land, the building leads to the hotel via an underground passage, its jagged
silhouette mimicking the Dolomite Mountains in the distance. On one end
is the gym, while on the other is the two-story suite-distinguished by a
soaring peaked roof that, like the façade, is shrouded in a rough-textured
gray plaster that recalls the hotel's rocky setting.
" It presented a technical challenge. There was a significant risk of abrasion
if the correct material wasn't used, " explains Pascucci, who opted for green
roofs on the flat sections instead of the plaster to mitigate " a risk of water
stagnation and potential damage during winter freezes. "
Done up with floor-to-ceiling windows and custom knotty oak furniture,
the nine Te Aga and Te Bosch accommodations rounding out the suite star
stone fountains or internal patios enlivened with birch trees that " exude
extreme calm and balance, " says Pascucci. " We went beyond enhancing
nature; we literally brought it inside. " ❙❘❚
This page: A newly added sauna at the Olympic Spa Hotel occupies an elevated
wooden building accessed via an aerial pathway
80 newh.org

http://www.newh.org

NEWH - Fall 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEWH - Fall 2024

President's Letter
News
Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity
Who's Who
Conference Roundup
Have You Seen?
Premium Business Members
Scholarships
Student Spotlight
Sustainability Point of View
Q&A: Mizuki Davis
Guest Perspective
International Spotlight: Eszter Radnóczy
Cover Story: American Leather
Project: Omni Austin Hotel Downtown
Project: Halidom Eatery
Project: Olympic Spa Hotel
Chapter Highlights
New Members
Partner Profiles
Sponsor Index
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Cover1
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Cover2
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 3
NEWH - Fall 2024 - President's Letter
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 5
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 6
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 7
NEWH - Fall 2024 - News
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 9
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 11
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Who's Who
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 13
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NEWH - Fall 2024 - Conference Roundup
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NEWH - Fall 2024 - Have You Seen?
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NEWH - Fall 2024 - Premium Business Members
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NEWH - Fall 2024 - Scholarships
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NEWH - Fall 2024 - Student Spotlight
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 55
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NEWH - Fall 2024 - Sustainability Point of View
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 61
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Q&A: Mizuki Davis
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 63
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Guest Perspective
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 65
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 66
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 67
NEWH - Fall 2024 - International Spotlight: Eszter Radnóczy
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 69
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Cover Story: American Leather
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 71
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Project: Omni Austin Hotel Downtown
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 73
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 74
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 75
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Project: Halidom Eatery
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 77
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 78
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 79
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Project: Olympic Spa Hotel
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 81
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 82
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 83
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 84
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 85
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Chapter Highlights
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 87
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 88
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NEWH - Fall 2024 - New Members
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NEWH - Fall 2024 - 110
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 111
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Partner Profiles
NEWH - Fall 2024 - 113
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Sponsor Index
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Cover3
NEWH - Fall 2024 - Cover4
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