Before/After: How We Revitalised the Roanerhof in Kals

Kals am Großglockner lies at the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park – one of the wildest and most beautiful landscapes in Austria. Building here is both a privilege and an obligation.

The starting point

The Roanerhof: an old Tyrolean farmhouse that had been used only sporadically for decades. The fabric was fundamentally sound – massive masonry, a solid roof structure – but the rooms no longer met contemporary living standards in any way. Low ceilings, dark chambers, outdated building services.

What the clients wanted: a primary residence with the option of letting parts of the farmstead as high-quality holiday apartments. It sounded simple – it was not.

The particular challenges

Hohe Tauern National Park means that every building measure is closely watched. The national park administration has a say in the design – rightly so, since the character of this landscape deserves protection. At the same time, the requirements of the Bundesdenkmalamt (the Austrian Federal Monuments Office) applied, as the farmstead plays a defining role in the townscape of Kals.

Added to this was the remoteness: all materials had to be transported over narrow mountain roads. Tradespeople from the region – indispensable for quality and local acceptance – had long journeys to the site.

The concept

Our approach: not to turn the farmstead into a museum, but to bring it to life. That meant preserving the historic volume and the defining façade. Carefully opening up the interiors, raising ceiling heights where possible, bringing light into the darkness. And all of this with materials that make sense in this landscape: larch, Swiss stone pine, limestone.

The layout: on the ground floor a generous holiday apartment for up to 8 people. On the upper floor the clients‘ private living quarters. Separate entrances, shared identity.

The result

Today the Roanerhof stands as proof that revitalisation and modernisation are not a contradiction. The clients have a home that reflects their love of this landscape. Holiday guests experience authentic Tyrol – with all the comfort expected today. And the national park has a farmstead that enriches the townscape rather than disturbing it.

What other clients can take away

• Enter into dialogue with the national park and the heritage authority early on – not just at the planning application stage
• Involve local tradespeople from the outset – their knowledge of materials and techniques is invaluable
• Define the use concept clearly before the first design is drawn up
• Budget for the unforeseen – in old buildings there are always surprises