Green Spa Hotel MalisGarten - the world’s first 5 star 5-storey hotel made entirely of solid wood
18 September 2020
David Rowlinson
Article first appeared on pefc.org
The vision to build a hotel entirely of wood has become a reality in the 5 star Green Spa Hotel MalisGarten. The hotel opened in June in the Zillertal valley in Austria, and is the world’s first 5 star, 5-storey hotel made entirely of solid wood.
PEFC-certified glue laminated timber and cross laminated timber supplied by Binderholz Bausysteme GmbH were used for the entire supporting structure. The inside of the building incorporates solid wood panels and profiled wood from native trees such as pine, nut, steamed spruce, larch and white fir.
The doors, furniture and parquet floors are made of walnut and oak wood from local producers. Wood was also used for the furniture and decoration in the hotel’s spacious lobby, and gives the rooms a warm atmosphere as well as a natural scent.
Not only the inside, also the building’s wooden exterior façade is eye-catching. The front of the hotel blends in with its garden, creating a natural oasis in the middle of the village. At the back of the hotel, there is a 2,000 square metre space with relaxation areas, a fruit and herb garden and a large pool. The wooden walls and ceilings give the impression of a wellness landscape in the middle of a forest.
It’s an example of sustainability at its finest. The use of solid wood and a sophisticated heating and cooling concept using geothermal energy and pellet heating make MalisGarten one of the most sustainable hotels in the area. Thanks to the use of wood, the hotel has a larger net usable area due to leaner construction, and lower energy costs due to the wood’s natural insulation properties.
David Rowlinson
David hails from Lancashire, England and has lived in Australia since 1994. He studied Architecture at Sheffield University and also has an MBA from Macquarie University and a Master of Marketing from UNSW. Prior to joining Planet Ark in 2016 David was Marketing Manager then CEO of a major Sydney-based manufacturer of modular carpets used in all commercial building applications. His proudest achievement was the development of an industry-leading environmental sustainability agenda, including the unique Earthplus product reuse program.