The architects investigated settlement forms in the surrounding cultural landscape.

And they found such a form in an existing Alpine hamlet just 1,000 metres away. It is a 15-minute drive up the local road from Egg, the central town in the Bregenzerwald, to Schetteregg, at 1,060 metres above sea level. This is the location of the Fuchsegg Eco Lodge. In line with the basic decision to organise the spatial programme into individual buildings, Philip Lutz and Elmar Luedescher developed the roles of these individual buildings and the detailed plans of all the elements, including the concepts for the restaurant, seminar area, library and sauna building. The external appearance was particularly important. The relaxed self-evidence of the buildings should enable them to become part of the landscape. A timber facade system was developed that would allow the volumes to “age” uniformly into their context. The highlights include strip windows with pivoting timber slats that stretch across all the buildings, lending the entire ensemble a sense of rigor and calm.

The Fuchsegg Eco Lodge also has a guesthouse that acts as a meeting point and service facility. It stands at the corner of the plot, welcoming visitors at the point where the local road arrives at the location and acting as a hub for locals, day-trippers and hotel guests. The guests’ area with its two parlours and fireplace bar invites visitors to linger awhile. The sauna building, clad with local fir and sweet-smelling Swiss pine, offers a majestic view of the mountains.