Noa* designs a new wellness area and guest rooms for a farm-and-hotel concept tucked among the apple orchards of South Tyrol, Italy.
By Lauren Mang
Photographed by Alex Filz
The Apfelhotel Torgglerhof, designed by Noa*.
Located in the apple-growing region of South Tyrol, Italy, the Apfelhotel Torgglerhof treats its guests to a taste of the bucolic life.
The farm-meets-hotel concept has been in operation since 1978, but in 2016, its new owners were looking to expand with additional guest suites and wellness offerings. They brought in Bolzano, Italy-based architecture and interior design firm Noa* to develop the new structures—three standalone buildings with 18 guest rooms, a restaurant expansion, and a partially subterranean wellness facility that blends into the lush landscape while complementing the historic hotel’s charm. Situated on the farm’s east-facing side, the three separate, pitched-roof buildings are constructed from dark wood and feature a modern, overlapping-rhombus façade detail. Room interiors are neutral with country-inspired elements including wood wall cladding and linen curtains. A swinging daybed on each terrace affords guests a spot to relax and take in the scenic surroundings. Entering the new spa and wellness facility is to arrive through an otherworldly portal: A curved concrete shell with a wooden door is embedded in a mound of earth covered in greenery. On the other side of the mound, a steel-and-glass structure emerges and opens to the pool, which is framed with gneiss, a type of metamorphic rock. The spa’s tranquil lounge area features woven lamps, a natural-stone drinking fountain, and an open fireplace. On the top floor, a dramatic Finnish sauna with curved wooden slats overlooks the apple fields.