The holiday house Alpenblicke is located in Kruen, a Bavarian mountain village near Mittenwald and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The house was built around 1936 and renovated in 2008/2009 radically. It now offers contemporary comfort for 6 to 7 people. Bavarian cosiness here is perfectly combined with modern design. The high-quality furnishing in combination with rustic elements creates a comfortable atmosphere. In fine weather you can enjoy the alpine panorama from the large terrace. The Upper Bavarian mountains attract visitors with a variety of activities: skiing in winter, and in summer the house is a good starting point for hikes and excursions.

Country/Region: DE-Germany, upper Bavaria, Kruen
Name: Alpenblicke
Scenery: situated in a village in the Alps, close to the lake Walchensee
Type of accommodation: house
Architecture: old&new
Completion: 2009
Architect: Wimmer Architekten, Duisburg
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Homepage: www.alpenblicke.de
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The Goms in the Swiss Valais is the uppermost valley of the Rhone. Surrounded by mountains between 3,000 and 4,000 meters lies the village of Geschinen. It’s a small village with old wooden houses. The Leerschir is one of these houses. Built in 1897 as a cow barn, the building was converted in 2011 in a house with three apartments. The apartments are bright and modern designed and offer contemporary comfort. Between the new white walls the old larch wood is still visible. A heat pump, on Swiss “Erdsondenheizung”, supplies the floor heating in all rooms. The Leerschir is in all seasons a good starting point for exploring the upper valley and to enjoy the surrounding mountains.

Country/Region: CH-Switzerland, Valais, Goms, Geschinen
Name: Leerschir
Scenery: Alps, high Rhone valley, close to Aletsch Glacier
Type of accommodation: apartment
Architecture: old&new
Completion: 2011
Architect: Weger AG, www.wegerag.ch
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Homepage: www.feriengoms.ch
Special Features: some of the apartments can be combined

The Explorer Hotel Fischen is a Budget-Hotel for people who love sports. The House is designed in a modern style with clear lines and functional rooms. Rough wood cites the regional architecture and is used inside and for the facade. The color green isn´t just a design element, but represents also the ecological concept of the Explorer Hotel. Using renewable energies like biogas and electricity from solar and hydro power makes it a climate-neutral building. Enjoy an environment friendly vacation !

Country/Region: DE-Germany, Bavaria, Oberstdorf/Fischen
Name: Explorer Hotel Fischen
Scenery: Alps of Algaeu
Type of accommodation: hotel
Architecture: old&new
Completion: 2010
Architect: architekten sieber-renn.de, Alfred Sieber, Hans-Martin Renn, Sonthofen
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Awards: artouro – Bayrischer Tourismus Architektur Preis 2011 (award for tourism architecture in Bavaria)
Homepage: www.explorer-hotel.de
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The Heustodlsuite at the Taxhof offers an unusual architectural experience. From the outside it looks like 3 barns were merged. Inside the guests find a spacious room which is divided into three levels. Each level is designed for a different use (living, eating, sleeping) and has its own individual outlook through the large windows.
From floor to ceiling, all surfaces is the Heustodlsuite are wood, interrupted only where functional aspects made it necessary. A special feature is the bathtub: It´s situated between double bed and panoramic window. This allows guests to take a relaxing bath and to enjoy the view of the Hohe Tauern.

Country/Region: AT-Austria, Salzburg, Zell am See – Kaprun
Name: Heustodlsuite (part of the Taxhof)
Scenery: on a mountainside in the National Park Hohe Tauern
Type of accommodation: house
Architecture: old&new
Completion: 2011
Architect: Prof. Andreas Meck, München
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Awards: ./.
Homepage: www.taxhof.at
Special Features: Taxhof includes a range of accommodation, including aufberg 1113, known from the cover of our 1st book.

Pictures: Felsch Fotodesign

A home away from home. That’s the impression which welcomes guests to the Brücke 49 in the Swiss mountain village of Vals. The house is located next to the new Rhine bridge, which explains the name (Brücke = bridge). The house was once built as a villa with a French influence: A local builder constructed the house, but the plans were drawn up in Paris. The building combines a typical local style with (for Vals) unusually large and high rooms.
Ruth Kramer and Thomas Schacht took over the house in 2010 and carefully restored it. For the interior, they chose an eclectic mix of old and new, period furniture and iconic designs and quality in the details. The result is a bed&breakfast address for people with a passion for design, architecture and originality – and those who are in search of a fresh mountain breeze.

Country/Region: Vals, Graubünden, Schwitzerland
Name: Brücke 49
Scenery: mountain village
Type of accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Architecture: old&new
Completion: 2011
Architect: Ruth Kramer / Thomas Schacht / Paul Furger
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Awards: ./.
Homepage: www.brucke49.ch
Special Features: The B&B is close to the Spa Therme Vals. Vals is also a good place for skiing.

The building where you find Freiraum Zentral, is a former print shop. Now it is converted into a townhouse with loft apartments. Each loft has a different size and an individual style, but all follow a straight and clear architectural and interior design. An important facet are the colors: Mostly you find black, white and different kinds of brown – and as a contrast loud and bright colors for accents.

Country/Region: DE-Germany, Bavaria, Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Name: Freiraum Zentral
Scenery: middle of the village, alpine panoramas, with Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze
Type of accommodation: apartment
Architecture: old&new
Completion: 2011
Architect: Planlust Architekten, Munich
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Homepage: www.freiraum-zentral.com
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Pictures: Marc Gilsdorf

Commeire is a a small mountain villages in Switzerland, 1450 meters about sea level. It is one of these remote places, where people lived self-sufficient for centuries. Each family owned several buildings, including a barn for the cattle. Times have changed and today no one works as a farmer anymore. So there was the need for a new use of these old barns. Several of them were carefully converted to modern holiday homes, but they kept a lot of their original character.
The barns are scattered throughout the small village, each has its own individual atmosphere. Depending on the size, four to ten people can stay in such a house.
The Montagne Alternative is a remarkable project, which is still growing. It brings new life to the old mountain village

Country/Region: Schwitzerland, Wallis, Commune of Orsières, Commeire
Name: Montagne Alternative
Scenery: in an old mountain village, with fantastic views
Type of accommodation: house / resort
Architecture: old&new
Completion: since 2009
Architect: dl-i, designlab-intérieurs, CH-Sàrl, Patrick Devanthéry
Press/Publication: several, e.g. Le Temps, Habiter, Wellness & Santé Magazine
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Homepage: www.montagne-alternative.com
Special Features: several buildings scattered throughout the village

Zumthor. It’s just this name and you start to think about spaces. Spaces with a surprising materiality and an outstanding atmosphere. These are the pictures you know about the spa Therme Vals. But there is more. The baths is just a part of a hotel complex with four other buildings.
The hotel was built in the late 1960s and is characterized by the style of this period. Parts of the houses were modernized. 60 rooms were redesigned by Peter Zumthor. 40 of them, called “Provisorien” (Temporaries) as a reference to the renewal process, can be found in the main building, where Zumthor also redesigned the restaurant and lounge. The other 20 rooms, named the “Stucco Rooms”, are situated in House Selva which is close by. But House Selva has not only rooms designed by Zumthor: Several were renovated in the 1980s and 1990s. And finally, there are rooms which are still in the original condition of the 1960s. These rooms have separated foldaway beds.
You can see that the Hotel Therme Vals is a place, which is successfully trying to renew itself without losing its origin. This makes a visit not only worth to experience contemporary architecture, but also to have a look back into architectural ideas of the last 40-50 years. But of course you can also simply enjoy the surrounding mountains.

Country/Region: Schwitzerland, Graubuenden, Vals
Name: Hotel Therme Vals
Scenery: alpine landscape, on the hillside overlooking the valley
Type of accommodation: hotel
Architecture: old&new
Completion: 2006
Architect: Atelier Peter Zumthor & Partner AG, Haldenstein
Press/Publication: many !
Awards: ./.
Homepage: www.therme-vals.ch
Special Features: Vals also is a nice (but hardly known) ski area.
Pictures: Therme Vals

In the eastern part of Tuscany, close to the umbrian border and not far away from the lake Trasimeno travellers can visit the Terzo di Danciano. It is an ancient fortified hamlet, consisting of the main house and a huge rural warehouse. Both have been carefully restored for several years until 2010. The main house with its massive stone walls is  called the villa and dates from the 18th century. It offers four rooms and a apartment for up to 16 guests.
The warehouse was constructed in the 19th century. In the beginning, it was used for sericulture. Today, there are two halls on the ground floor and a large, eight meters high hall in the first floor, which is called teatro del baco. It is a perfect place for study groups, art events, parties or seminars. Outside the buildings guests can enjoy the mediterranean garden or take a dip in a swimming pool which is perfectly positioned to get the sun until late evening.

Country/Region: IT-Italia, Tuscany, Cortona
Name: Terzo di Danciano
Scenery: country, in a gentle valley, surrounded by woods
Type of accommodation: house
Architecture: old&new
Completion: 2010
Architect: Luca Francia
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Homepage: www.terzodidanciano.it
Special Features: private swimming pool without chlorine

In the dry mountains of Andalusia, far away from lager villages and cities, you can find the Cortijada Los Gázquez, a creative retreat and eco-guesthouse. Once, these were five old farm houses, today they are converted into a modern guesthouse for travelers and artists. Still today you can feel the simplicity and minimalism of the old rooms. The Cortijada Los Gázquez lies in the natural park ‘Parque Natural Sierra Maria – Los Velez’, so an ecological concept is very important for the house. Electricity and hot water are produced by windpower and the sun, rainwater is collected from the roof. The rough landscape is a great inspiration for artists. Another big plus for the place: great sky at night – with the lack of lights from urban areas, it is full of stars !

Country/Region: ES-Spain, Andalucia, Almería, Vélez Blanco
Name: Cortijada Los Gázquez – creative retreat / eco-guesthouse
Scenery: Andalucia
Type of accommodation: Bed & Breakfast
Architecture: old&new
Completion: 2008
Architect: Simon & Donna Beckmann (owners)
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Homepage: www.losgazquez.com/en
Special Features: creative courses in art and photography, hiking in the mountains and visiting historical sights in the area