Page 3 - AIT0520_AuxLosagnes

SERIEN IKONEN BEWOHNEN • LIVING IN ICONS

Im ersten Obergeschoss liegen drei der fünf Gästezimmer. Sie sind spartanisch, aber hochwertig eingerichtet. • The three guest rooms on the first floor are spartan but exquisitely furnished.

sen Betreiber einen Nachfolger suchte. Von Anfang an war klar, dass das Haus in ein quired for this has been rejected for ecological and economic reasons. A connection
Feriendomizil verwandelt werden soll, das nicht nur Freunde und Gäste beherbergt, to the sophisticated neighbours Lenzerheide and Arosa is to be avoided in order to
sondern in dem auch kulturelle Events stattfinden sollten. „Wir wollten alles – außer preserve the area's soul. In the summer of 2012, the long-foreseeable bankruptcy of
Alpine Chic“, waren sich die beiden neuen Besitzer einig. Mit der Beauftragung der the Alpina Hotel, the traditional establishment built in 1897 and majestically over-
Londoner Architekten Adam Caruso und Peter St John, die in Zürich eine Dependance looking the village as the largest accommodation facility, became reality. In a final
besitzen, wurde dieses Konzept gemeinsam umgesetzt. Holz spiegeln, Geländer imi- stage, the former glamorous grand hotel had been used as a hostel with bunk beds,
tieren, Muster aufmalen – die Architekten haben mit dem Credo der Materialechtheit like so many comparable facilities in Switzerland, whose patina is reminiscent of
gebrochen, das sonst auf Schweizer Umbauprojekten lastet, und mit einfachen Mit- long-gone times.
teln – das Budget war begrenzt – ein großartiges Refugium geschaffen. Am oberen
Ende der gestreiften Treppe unterm Dachgiebel angekommen, trifft man auf einen ge- Tschiertschen is the most beautiful village in Grisons
mütlichen Salon mit Bibliothek. Eine umgekippte Kaffeetasse liegt im Bücherregal –
bei genauerem Hinsehen erkennt man das gekonnt in den Kaffeesatz skizzierte Por- "Tschiertschen deserves to be rediscovered as an authentic Swiss holiday resort,"
trait von Angela Merkel. Kunst überall! Mit Blick aus dem Giebelfenster auf die Ski- was the credo with which Malaysian-born Chinese entrepreneur Teo Ah Khing inve-
hänge, die sich bis in den verschneiten Ort mit seinen gleichförmigen Strickbauten sted in the expansion of the hotel in the historical style and to Minergie standards.
hinein ziehen, hofft man inständig, dass solche Orte, die sich einer bewundernswer- The Alpina Mountain Resort & Spa, reopened in 2015, is geared to guests who are
ten, nichtkommerziellen Initiative verdanken, keine Seltenheit bleiben werden. looking for the original and want to enjoy it with a clear conscience, says the inve-
stor, who is also the architect and chairman of the exclusive China Horse Club. The
T he most beautiful village in Grisons is... Tschiertschen. In February, locals, diametrically opposed model of an "idealistic investor" is active at Chalet Aux Lo-
sanges, a converted mountain chalet dating from 1869, which only stands out be-
guests and fans of Grisons voted on the ten most beautiful Grisons mountain
villages; Tschiertschen took first place in the poll, followed by such well-known can- cause of its slightly larger diamond-shaped painted ornamentation on the dark pa-
didates as Soglio, Bergün, Vals, Guarda or Poschiavo. Even though Tschiertschen is tinated wooden beams of the traditional timber building; and perhaps because of
only a stone's throw away from Chur, one feels like being in another world. In the the green, dog-shaped mailbox in which the key for newly arriving overnight guests
mountain village with 220 inhabitants, situated at 1,350 metres above the Schanfig- is deposited. (Unfortunately, this is now no longer a secret!) However, as soon as you
ger Valley, everyone knows everyone. The alleys are lined with sun-stained, dark enter the building, a completely non-alpine, fiery red epoxy resin floor comes into
Walser houses, whose beams are decorated with coloured proverbs. For the eyes view. Old acquaintances such as Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Herman Czech or Serge
there is the view to the Calanda massif, for the nose the fresh mountain air and for Mouille greet you with their designs. Furniture by Cassina, Horgenglarus, Thonet or
the palate the dried meat specialities from the alpine herdsman. The end of the ski Artek invites you in every room to linger. Vases from Lobmeyr, the exquisite Viennese
season is celebrated in the Eisbahnhüttli, a small alpine cabin, mainly by locals and purveyor to the court, souvenirs from journeys and above all the finest and most ca-
loyal regular guests. The actual problem of the place also starts with tourism. The refully collected artworks adorn the entire house. If you pass through the chalet's ty-
peace and seclusion, for which Tschiertschen is appreciated, make it difficult to pically low central hallway, you enter a two-storey high, bright room — now painted
maintain the mountain cableway operation. The Gürgaletsch ski lift, the heart of the on all sides with huge diamonds and furnished with Murano chandeliers and a
small, family-friendly ski area, is repeatedly supported by crowdfunding to rescue it grand piano. As the dining room, this room is the heart of the chalet. From here you
for the next season. The topic of artificial snowmaking is history; the storage lake re- have a view of the village and the valley. Cultural events are regularly held here, in

036 • AIT 5.2020