Peterhof Furx

The Peterhof on the Alpe Furx is an institution. The small hamlet at 1200 meters above sea level has no ten main residences, but all the more landscape. Horses stand next to the farm, the location on a sunny plateau is unique. From here, you have a panoramic view of the entire Rheintal (Rhine Valley), Alpstein, Säntis, Rätikon, a total of four countries and 48 church towers.

In 1954, Emma and Arthur Vith, two landlords from Laterns and great-grandparents of the owners, moved to Alpe Furx. They converted the farm above the small “Peter and Paul” chapel into an inn, which burned down in the 1970s. Rebuilt, the Peterhof flourished and grew into a hotel business with 50 beds in 20 rooms. In 2018, the siblings Anita and Karlheinz Schmid approached the guesthouse, however, only the next generation – Patrick Schmid and his sister Sarah dared the qualitative quantum leap: Architects Baumschlager Eberle Architekten planned the new ensemble of an inn and ten chalets, 62 handicraft businesses implemented it.

Orthogonal to the stratified lines of the site, the ten chalets are arranged around the inn. An unorthodox folded-up, copper-covered roof shields the inn and terrace. Wood creates a warm atmosphere: silver fir on the walls and ceiling, the heartwood ash on the floor can withstand ski boots and the furniture is maple. The shingle-clad chalets with their shingled gable roofs appear almost abstract, reminiscent of barns and open only at the front with almost wall-wide, floor-to-ceiling sliding window doors onto large terraces facing the landscape. For a relaxing vacation, the chalets offer the highest level of comfort; the sleeping level even has a sauna with an outdoor bathtub. In addition, each chalet has a kitchen-living room with clay oven and high-quality furniture.

Awards

• The chalet and main house ensemble received a special mention in the “Excellent Architecture” category at the German Design Award 2023.

Architecture: Baumschlager Eberle Architekten, Lustenau