HUB OF HUTS: THE NEW WELLNESS AREA AT HOTEL HUBERTUS

Hub of Huts – Heaven & Hell Sky Spa, the upside-down village that defies gravity, by Italian architecture firm Noa* Network Of Architecture.

Noa* is an award-winning architecture and design studio founded in 2011 by Lukas Runger and Stefan Rier, based in Bolzano (Italy) and Berlin (Germany).

In 2016, Noa* designed the cantilevered swimming pool for the Alpin Panorama Hotel Hubertus in South Tyrol. The studio imagined it as a rock stranded between earth and sky.

In 2019 a new mission was entrusted to the architects of Noa*; the design of an extension of the hotel dedicated to well-being, a “zen refuge” for the Alpine hotel. This was not an easy task because the glass-bottomed swimming pool was already the symbol of the hotel.

The first phase of research was to observe the surrounding landscape which was reflected in the swimming pool. The design concept came to life: to make real what we see reflected on the surface of the water with the desire to recreate the architecture of a mountain village.

It’s a concept that plays with the horizon line, with the idea of the upside down, with perspectives. Lukas Rungger, lead architect of the project and founder of Noa*, explains, “If you think about it, however, changing perspectives is a common exercise in wellness areas, where, depending on whether you are lying in the sauna, sitting in the relaxation area, or diving headfirst into the pool, the views are constantly changing“.

This new structure named Hub of Huts – Heaven & Hell Sky Spa, is located on the southeast side of the building, parallel to the pool. It forms a detached natural continuation of the main part of the building, it is also a self-supporting platform suspended 15 meters above the ground. Hub of Huts – Heaven & Hell Sky Spa is supported by two steel columns clad in larch wood. The visitor accesses this space by a floating walkway. On two levels, the platform hosts small individual houses with gabled roofs. The lower level is surprising, the houses seem to be upside down.

The two levels are two very distinct spaces; the upper level is more open and the lower level is sheltered. As you descend, the temperature rises and the environment becomes more intimate, as if you were descending inside the earth. Upstairs are two hot tubs, two panoramic showers and a changing room. On the lower floor there is a soft sauna, a Finnish sauna, a shower cabin, a cold mist shower and a third outdoor pool, from where you can enjoy the 360° view of the surrounding landscape. , real protagonist of the project.

The choice of colors and materials is in harmony with the mountain landscape: an earthy material palette, including aluminum panels in natural brown tones, light beige ceramic and wooden details such as oiled white oak parquet . These materials create a soothing atmosphere while emphasizing the mountain views framed by the glass openings.

Nestled in the heart of the Italian Dolomites, between nature and luxury, discover the Alpin Panorama Hotel Hubertus.
Located in a 5000 sqm park, the Hubertus complex offers many luxurious services for an unforgettable stay.
With its new Heaven & Hell Sky Spa wellness area, the Alpin Panorama Hotel Hubertus is an unmissable wellness address.

Also discover our selection of the most beautiful hotels in the Dolomites and South Tyrol region.

Images Courtesy Alpin Panorama Hôtel Hubertus, Noa* Network Of Architecture, Alex Filz, Stay Some Days.

Article updated on October 1, 2022