Bad Loretto Klagenfurt
Year 2004-2016
Category Public
Location Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
Photos Christian Brandstätter
Description
REDEVELOPMENT OF BAD LORETTO
together with architectural office Ernst Roth
The Maria Loretto peninsula represents one of the most striking focal points in the landscape of the eastern Lake Wörther basin. It is characterised by the factors of the boat harbour, Loretto Baths and the palace complex, with a chapel and restaurant on its craggy elevation. The bathing complex from the year 1970 no longer measured up to the demands of the builders and so had to be supplemented with new buildings.
Fig. 1
The project was based on the winning entry in an Austria-wide competition. In an ambitious schedule (start of planning December 2016, completion May 2017) the building owners demanded a snack bar, a diving world, a hire place for canoes and SUPs [Stand-Up Paddles] and a new sanitary block, all in a simple, low cost building style. The new buildings were supposed to be unobtrusive and in keeping with their location. Bad Loretto with new buildings in the left center of the picture and the existing main building in the bottom left of the picture, which was gutted and converted by the builders with new lockers and changing rooms.
Fig. 2
As the higher-level structure, two roofs on steel frames were chosen; these would also cover outdoor spaces, thus providing shaded and well-ventilated outside areas. The two basic structures of the roofs were to be positioned linear to each other, thus creating usable zones and vistas between the lake and the Lendkanal in the outside areas too.
Fig. 3
View to the lake. The newly created building structure has no rear side; it equally serves the swimming pool area and the Lorettoweg along the Lendkanal.
Fig. 4
The required buildings were constructed below these roof constructions, maintaining, through their distance from the roof (ventilation slats), a pleasant indoor climate. Left: The old cabins near to the Maria Loretto Palace were fitted with new access walkways.
Fig. 5
Bad Loretto, Bird‘s eye view