Projects

Aeon Hotel - Bolzano

Between earth and sky

In their project to convert an old South Tyrolean farmhouse into the luxury Aeon Hotel, the architects from Studio Noa* created an imposing complex that is nonetheless respectful of the surrounding landscape. The exterior of the new wooden building stands out for its ultra-modern volumes and large windows that allow for splendid views from the fifteen private suites
Author
Donatella Bollani
Architect
Noa* Network of Architecture
Surfaces
MARCA CORONA
Year of completion
2021

The ground floor of the historic South Tyrolean farmhouse or “maso” consists of a multifunctional space. On arrival, guests encounter the reception desk, followed by the bar, the bistro, the panoramic dining hall and the lounge area with its open fireplace and reading corner with hanging sofas. The large windows maintain a sense of visual continuity between the interior and the surrounding natural environment.
On the first floor there is a large relaxation area overlooking the terrace, while a spectacular semi-covered outdoor swimming pool with infinity edge juts out from the south-west side of the building. The pool is accessed via a platform that appears to merge with the surface of the water in a sequence of blue and beige.
Patrik Gürtler, a partner at noa*, commented: “Visitors experience a profound sense of dissociation and find themselves in a future-like dimension, an experience further heightened by the two-tone horizontal colour scheme: everywhere a delicate, natural, sensual and familiar beige tone encounters a mystical blue, which represents the future, mystery and uncertainty. This clearly defined and distinctive dividing line is reproduced consistently throughout both the old farmhouse and the newly constructed building. The past is clearly defined, like stone, wood and nature, whereas the future is veiled, mysterious and as intangible as the sky, the night or the ocean. In between lies the present: a clear and unconditional line of demarcation, but also a meeting point.”
In the Wellness area, the heart of this family-run luxury resort, the colour contrast is created by the Stonecloud Beige and Blue porcelain floor and wall tiles from Marca Corona. Chosen in the elegant Trama finish with its pleasantly timeworn linear reliefs, the ceramic surfaces deliver outstanding chemical resistance, hygiene and non-slip properties, even in these constantly wet areas. The same Stonecloud Dark series was used for the panoramic outdoor swimming pool and the wellness terrace, but in a textured version with high resistance to stress and weathering.
A few steps higher up there is a separate relaxation area that can be used for meditation or yoga or simply as a place for chilling out. Directly opposite, on a roof terrace overlooking the Dolomites, stands a Jacuzzi. Immediately below, to the south-east, are the Turkish and Finnish saunas which can be reached via an entrance area equipped with a large fountain and shower.
The second building is three storeys high and houses the fifteen suites of the new hotel. “The layout of the individual buildings was determined by the gently undulating terrain and the open yet sheltered nature of the outdoor spaces,” says partner architect Christian Rottensteiner. “At first glance, the structures appear to be independent and together create a kind of permeable courtyard, but in reality they are interconnected by an ingenious corridor which disappears elegantly from view into an artificial hill.”

Tiles
Marca Corona, Stonecloud
Type
porcelain stoneware
Sizes
30x60, 60x60 cm
Colours
Blue, Ivory, Dark
Technical characteristics
Water absorpion (ISO 10545-3): Ev ≤ 0,1%
Chemical resistance (ISO 10545-13): LA
Resistance to deep abrasion (ISO 10545-6): <150 mm3
Stain resistance (ISO 10545-14): conforme
Frost resistance (ISO 10545-12): conforme
Modulus of rupture and breaking strength (ISO 10545-4): >40 N/mm2
Slip resistance (DIN 51130): R10
Thermal shock resistance (ISO 10545-9): conforme
Crazing resistance (ISO 10545-11): conforme
Linear thermal expansion (ISO 10545-8): conforme
Certifications and awards
LEED
ISO 14001
NF UPEC
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