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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination.

Bayreuth Youth Hostel in Germany by LAVA

 
September 26th, 2018 by Sumit Singhal

Article source: LAVA

It’s the new generation of youth hostels – innovative, integrative and international – and has recently opened in Bayreuth, Germany. The fluid structure is integrated into the landscape, with contemporary materials and holistic sustainability – a place for active people of all abilities.

Image Courtesy © Häfele, Studio Huber

  • Architects: LAVA (Laboratory for Visionary Architecture), Berlin with WENZEL + WENZEL, Frankfurt
  • Project: Bayreuth Youth Hostel
  • Location: Bayreuth, Germany
  • Photography: LAVA / Häfele, Studio Huber / DJH, Robert Pupeter
  • Client: Bavarian Youth Hostel Association
  • Team: Julian Fahrenkamp (PL), Angelika Hermann, Jan Kozerski, Mikolay Scibisz, Nicola Schunter, Paula Gonzalez, Güley Alagöz, Elise Elsacker, Myung Lee, Yuan Ma 
  • Competition Team: Sebastian Schott, Stephan Albrecht, Stefanie Pesel, Wenzel+Wenzel: Matias Wenzel, Sven Becker, Thilo von Wintzingerode, Erik Muth
  • Structural Planning: Engelsmann Peters, Stuttgart
  • Building Services: IBT.PAN, Berlin
  • Fire Protection: Bau.art, Munich
  • Wayfinding: Space Agency, London
  • Cost: 10m euro
  • Area: 3.800m2 BGF

Image Courtesy © Häfele, Studio Huber

LAVA’s concept for the sports hostel is:

1. Innovative – inventive new spatial configuration of the whole facility, including individual room modules, material use and design

2. Integrated – inclusive ‘barrier-free’ building, with sporting areas merging directly with the building, and accessible spaces, facilities and grounds

3. International – the design from creates a feeling of place and combines it with contemporary elements Bayreuth’s global partner cities

Tobias Wallisser, LAVA director, said: “LAVA chose a ‘Y’ shape for the 180-bed hostel because it cleverly generates a connective central space and interweaves the interior and exterior spaces, offering expansive views and multiple accessible openings to the sports fields and gardens.”

Image Courtesy © DJH, Robert Pupeter

Image Courtesy © Häfele, Studio Huber

“Our research showed that Gen Y travellers want funky design, a special identity, access to community and unique experiences. Not just a clean bed and shower! So our reinterpretation of a youth hostel features innovative spatial configurations that encourage interaction and accessibility; sustainability at functional, constructional and social levels; and integrated sporting facilities.”

The rooms, grounds and facilities are all fully accessible and especially equipped for active people of all abilities. A whole wheelchair basketball team can stay here. Fourteen rooms on the ground floor are wheelchair accessible by lift or ramps, and there are walk-in showers, wheelchair-accessible sinks, more space and technical aids. Doors, terraces, sports and parking areas are accessible and there are customised way-finding systems with strong graphics. Inclusion is also seen in the staffing with about one third of employees having disabilities.

Image Courtesy © Häfele, Studio Huber

Image Courtesy © Häfele, Studio Huber

The guest room typology is new – LAVA designed an intelligent wall system with modular contemporary custom built-in furniture – toilets, showers as well as bed niches. These three-dimensional wall modules facilitate different room configurations through partially rotatable beds creating two, four and six-bed rooms. They maximise room usage for a broad range of guests – from individuals to families to wheelchair teams.

The multipurpose central atrium is a surprising element with its play of materials and colours. It fulfills the youth hostel motto ‘Experience the Community’ serving as a hub for (digital) entertainment, interaction and communication. The amphitheatre in the middle is lit by a skylight above and connects to the different levels in a playful way, whilst giving horizontal and diagonal sightlines guiding visitors through the building. Reception, seminar rooms, bistro, kitchen, sports and game facilities are spread out over two floors and connected to each other via this central atrium. Each wing of the Y has access to the exterior at its end, and many ‘loops’ combining inside and outside come together at the central point of the Y.

Image Courtesy © Häfele, Studio Huber

Image Courtesy © Häfele, Studio Huber

Parts of the building double as grandstands for cultural events and encourage community interaction. Terraces allow direct access to the green fields and sports areas of the ground floor zone, all accessible.

Another feature is no fake surfaces, just authentic materials – wood looks like wood. Much of the structure, including wooden trusses, is exposed, giving a ‘raw’ space. The wood, concrete floors and ceilings create an industrial robustness with brightly coloured infills and strong graphics referencing sports activities or natural elements like tree canopies. Using local materials and techniques there is a focus on solidity and functionality rather than relying on the latest technology.

Image Courtesy © Häfele, Studio Huber

Image Courtesy © DJH, Robert Pupeter

Holistic sustainability includes environmental – local materials, highly insulated facades, renewable energy, pollution reduction etc. But it also includes social and structural sustainability. Universal design allows everyone to work and to stay and integration sees more potential users, resulting in optimum use of the facility. There are different utilisation cycles for various parts (construction, façade, technical development) – for example only along the corridors and the facades are there load-bearing components – room wings are freely dividable inside. So future reuse/change of use is possible – one day the youth hostel could become a kindergarten, a school or a retirement home.

Image Courtesy © DJH, Robert Pupeter

Image Courtesy © Häfele, Studio Huber

“This is a major built project by LAVA, a fully inclusive place, and we are pleased to see our designs, based on sustainable principles, coming to fruition.”

Alexander Rieck, LAVA director, added: “It’s all about intelligent organisation, making it easy to connect, socialise, creating a stage for individual and group activities.” LAVA Director Chris Bosse also said: “It shows that old typologies can be reimagined sustainably with careful research.”

Image Courtesy © Häfele, Studio Huber

Image Courtesy © LAVA

Image Courtesy © LAVA

Image Courtesy © LAVA

Image Courtesy © LAVA

Image Courtesy © LAVA

Image Courtesy © LAVA

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Categories: Hostel, Sports Centre, Youth Centre




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