Bayreuth Youth Hostel, Bavarian Accommodation Development, South Germany Architecture

Bayreuth Youth Hostel, Germany

German Accommodation Building in Bavaria design by LAVA Architects

page updated 29 Jan 2018 and 27 Dec 2016 with new images ; 22 Jul 2015

Youth Hostel in Bayreuth

Design: LAVA Architects

Location: Bayreuth, Bavaria, southern Germany

LAVA’s Y–shaped Sports Youth Hostel opens

Photos: Häfele, Studio Huber

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.

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.”

“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.

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.

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.

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.

Photography: 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.”

A ground breaking ceremony was held to mark the start of construction on LAVA’s new ‘Y’ shaped

youth hostel in Bayreuth, Germany.

Australian/German firm LAVA unveiled new visuals of the interior spaces and displayed mock ups of the rooms at the event:

Building the hostel of the future

Construction work on LAVA’s “Y” shaped youth hostel in Bayreuth, Germany has started!

LAVA unveiled new visuals of the interiors and showcased a mock up of rooms at the official construction and groundbreaking ceremony.

“International, innovative and integral” is how the Bavarian Youth Hostel Association describes their new 3,400 sq m facility for active and sports guests. The 180-bed Youth Hostel will be the first to be fully integrative, especially equipped for disabled guests and employees. Rooms, grounds and sports fields will be all wheelchair accessible.
Tobias Wallisser, LAVA director, said: “We are very excited to be involved in such a forward thinking and inclusive project.”

“We know that travellers today want funky design, a special identity, online access, community and unique experiences, not just a clean bed and shower. And so our design features spatial configurations that encourage interaction and accessibility. Sustainability occurs at environmental, and also structural and social levels. And whole wheelchair basketball teams can be accommodated in the flexible rooms!”

“Intelligent organisation means it’s easy to find things, get in contact, spend time together, and connect inside to outside activities.”

The room typology is new – LAVA designed a modular wall system with modular contemporary custom built-in furniture accommodating washrooms and bed niches. The highly flexible walls between the rooms can be replaced and are fabricated as modular ‘furniture’ elements. The prototype was fabricated to test features like beds that can be used in different configurations.

“Mockups of the ‘barrier-free’ rooms were showcased at the ceremony. The rooms are all accessible by lift or ramps, whilst two thirds of the rooms on the ground floor have special bathrooms suitable for wheelchairs.”

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.

LAVA chose the ‘Y’ shape because it generates a connective and beautiful central space offering expansive views and multiple openings to the sports fields and gardens. And a happy coincidence its also the letter ‘Y’!

The central atrium is a hub for offline and online entertainment, interaction and communication. Here, a skylight provides natural daylight to a central amphitheatre that connects the different levels, whilst horizontal and diagonal sightlines direct guests to different building functions. Reception, seminar rooms, bistro, kitchen, sports and game facilities are spread out over two floors and connected to each other via the multipurpose central atrium.

The hostel will open early in 2017.

The Lord Mayor of Bayreuth, the president and the directors of the Bavarian chapter of the German Youth Hostel Association and members of the Bavarian Parliament attended the ceremony.

PRACTICE CREDITS
LAVA – Tobias Wallisser, Alexander Rieck, Chris Bosse
Julian Fahrenkamp(PL), Angelika Hermann, Jan Kozerski, Nicola Schunter, Paula Gonzalez, Elvira Perfetto, Elise Elsacker, Myung Lee
PARTNERS
Architects (cost, tendering, site supervision): Wenzel+Wenzel
Structure: Engelsmann Peters, Stuttgart/Graz
Mechanical engineering: IBT PAN, Berlin
Fire and Building Physics: Bauart, München
Landscape: IB Riede, Nürnberg
Kitchen: b.o.b.

24 Sep 2014

Bavarian Youth Hostel Association Development

Design: LAVA Architects

Location: Bayreuth, Germany

BACKGROUND

LAVA won the international competition to design the new 180-bed youth hostel in Bayreuth, Germany. This followed the development of new architectural guidelines by the Bavarian Youth Hostel Association to redefine their hostels to meet contemporary expectations. Germany’s first ‘designer youth hostel’, designed by LAVA, was the renovation of the youth hostel in Berchtesgaden completed in 2011. The Association’s hostels each have a different focus and Bayreuth caters for physically active guests. Construction starts in early 2015.

DESIGN CONCEPT

LAVA chose the letter ‘Y’ shape because the geometry creates a building shape that interweaves interior and exterior space. It offers views to three directions, creates natural openings to the sport fields, terraces and gardens, which find their place in between the longer parts of the building. Inside and outside merge.

The designer age of the 21st century means young travellers and backpackers want funky design, a special identity, community and unique experiences, not just a clean bed and shower.

Bayreuth provides a stunning location and a unique opportunity to develop a prototype of a new sports hostel, a benchmark, that further develops the traditional hostel through innovative spatial configurations, sustainability at environmental, structural and social levels and integrated sporting facilities directly adjacent to the building: a place that invites active use and relaxation.

The Y shape also creates a central atrium, a hub for offline as well as online interaction, a meeting space that provides entertainment, interaction, comfort and communication. An amphitheatre in the middle connects the different levels in a playful way. A skylight provides natural daylight whilst horizontal and diagonal sightlines direct guests to different functions in the building such as reception, seminar rooms, dining, kitchen, 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 the end, and many ‘loops’ combining inside and outside come together at the central point of the Y. The wider arm houses public functions: kitchen and canteen on ground level, seminar rooms on first floor; and both are connected via the hall and stairs and have direct access to outside.

The visionary design is marked by intelligent organisation (easy to find things, get in contact, spend time together, connect inside to outside activities, rooms become viewing spots for sport activities). This integrated concept fulfils the hostel motto: ‘experience community’ and goes beyond it: ‘experience the unexpected’ – not the youth hostel as people know it. It’s this organisation – creating a stage for activities – separating individual from group spaces but bringing people together in an open internal landscape that is unique. This is budget accommodation, but it offers spatial fluidity and other spatial experiences not available even in expensive hotels.

Sports fields, adventure playgrounds and volleyball terraces are complemented by local vegetation. A grand staircase doubling as an amphitheatre is used for cultural events such as outdoor movie screenings and theatre performances.

The fluid structure is integrated into the landscape, with contemporary materials and a ‘no frills’ interior – a powerful place for active people.

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is environmental, as well as social and structural.

The innovative structural and social organisation creates a stage for activities, separating individual from group spaces, but bringing together people in an open internal landscape.

The room typology is new – LAVA designed a highly flexible modular wooden wall system with modular contemporary custom built-in furniture accommodating washrooms and bed niches. Individual rooms feature concrete floors and ceilings, niches with beds on either side, integration of furniture in the walls. Highly flexible walls between the rooms in the wings can be replaced. These separation walls are fabricated as modular ‘furniture’ elements.

Environmental sustainability includes the application of local materials, highly insulated facades and the use of renewable energy.

MATERIALS

Wood, concrete floors and ceilings create an industrial robustness with bright infills of yellow and green on ceilings and floors, black and white neutral areas and strong graphics. It is an unusual mix of concrete slabs and wooden supports.

The geometry of the wooden roof is unique as the upper beams follow the curves of the roof and the lower ones follow the straight spacing of the rooms resulting in a three-dimensional truss system visible in the central part of the building.

Colour patterns on ceilings and floors make reference to sports activities or natural elements like tree canopies.

ACCESSIBILITY

This is a prototype of a ‘barrier-free’ building, a hostel suitable for disabled sports teams – where else could a wheelchair basketball team find accommodation? All rooms are accessible by lift or ramps, ‘universal’ bathroom sinks and the grounds and sports fields are wheelchair accessible. Two thirds of the rooms on the ground floor have special bathrooms suitable for wheelchairs.

Bayreuth Youth Hostel – Building Information

PRACTICE CREDITS
LAVA – Chris Bosse, Tobias Wallisser, Alexander Rieck
Julian Fahrenkamp, Nicola Schunter, Paula Gonzalez, Jan Kozerski, Elise
Elsacker, Myung Lee; Competition team: Sebastian Schott, Stephan
Albrecht, Stefanie Pesel

PARTNERS
Architects (cost, planning): Wenzel+Wenzel
Structure: Engelsmann Peters, Stuttgart/Graz
Mechanical engineering: IBT PAN, Berlin
Fire and Building Physics: Bauart, München
Landscape: IB Riede, Nürnberg
Kitchen: b.o.b.

IMAGE CREDITS: LAVA