JOHANN - Hotel und Restaurant Nevo

What was formerly the restaurant “Gasthaus Engel”, a meeting place for farmers en route from Wolfurt to the so called Ried area in the country side, is now the “Johann”: a bold design statement in the historic heart of Lauterach. The opening of this new combined hotel and restaurant represents the first step in the upgrading of Lauterach’s Alter Markt, which was once the very centre of the village. However, this district lost much of its significance within the community following the construction of a major thoroughfare in the 1960s.

It quickly became clear that a simple renovation of the old inn would not be enough to create a new establishment in line with modern quality standards. A project was therefore registered in the village centre by local company i+R as the new owner and developer and by the Lauterach authorities themselves. The proposed building was truly breathtaking in terms of both its design and function. Since December 2023 Natalie and Neven Krizman have been running the Hotel Johann with the Nevo restaurant.

The height and size of the timber-hybrid house has been tailored to match that of neighbouring structures. Even the colour of the facades, a warm rusty red, is also featured on other timber buildings nearby.

Inside the “Johann”, the guest area remains true to the classic inn design with a pair of parlours – one large, one small. The hotel boasts a total of 15 rooms, whose bright and airy nature contrasts perfectly with the deep rich hues of the parlours. All installations and decorations were meticulously chosen to maintain a subtle impression. Artworks by Marco Spitzar adorn the walls, even including a “Johann” itself. Despite these sober touches, the “Johann” remains a bold statement on account of its unmistakable design and the wonderful experience enjoyed by guests.

The “Johann” was honoured with the AIT-Award 2020 in the category “Gastronomy”.

Architecture: Ludescher + Lutz Architekten ZT GmbH, Bregenz