AT Thurnerbau is on of the leading construction companies of West Tirol and with about 260 female employees represents one of the largest employer in the Imst district. In the new building of the restaurant at the Rettenach Glacier, AT Thurnerbau takes care of the shell construction in concrete, screed work, plasterwork and also the timber ceiling construction by the Pfeifer company.
19.07.2017
We bring the mountain gastronomy of Sölden “under the umbrella”
The new restaurant at the Rettenbach Glacier on op of Sölden in the Tyrolean Ötztal back valley sets standards in mountain gastronomy. AT Thurnerbau from Imst builds also the roof construction. For the new architecture and culinary lighthouse of the cable railway Sölden in the glacier ski area, Pfeifer glue laminated timber have been employed.
Order and solution
The order of the architecture office to AT Thurnerbau: On the shell construction in concrete, the construction company from Imst has to create a roof construction from timber for the ceiling surface of about 1.100 m² (only timber construction) and large spans from 9 to 17 metres. At least 600 kg up to a tonne of snow load per square metre should be borne by a ceiling at this height. The solution: purlin and rafter Glue-laminated timber of Pfeifer in corresponding dimensions. They are impressive: 200 mm (thickness) x 1,200 mm (height) in case of purlin, respectively two times in thickness in case of larger spans. Also rafter have the most solid quality with 160 x 280 mm “In total we installed 150 cubic metres construction timber products by the Pfeifer house, for a total of about 1,800 linear metres of glue-laminated timber”, says the planner and construction director carpenter Hermann Gstrein Impressive figures.
150 cubic metres or 1,800 linear metres of Pfeifer glue-laminated timber
represent the solid ceiling construction for a ceiling surface of about 1,100 m² (only timber construction) of the new Rettenbach Glacier restaurant.
After a short construction period: “Tight roof!”
Also the time limit was strict due to the short construction time. It was good that with AT Thurnerbau and Pfeifer two long time partner with high impact have met. “A construction time: of only five months requires a perfect planning, coordination and procedures. “After the plan authorization we ordered immediately the glue-laminated timber – on consignment. This possibility to assign to Pfeifer project related lengths and dimensions is for us of huge benefit”. Not even 14 days brought the Pfeifer articulated lorry from the neighbourhood in the industrial park of Imst to the courtyard of the carpentry: “This short supply time is sensational in the framework of such a special order. For “bar commodities, things go even faster”, says enthusiastically Hermann Gstrein. After five days of timber framing at the company own CNC timber framing plant and 14 days of assembly with four men at the glacier, the completion toke place in August 2017: “Tight roof!”.
Hermann Gstrein has been for 31 years master carpenter and construction manager at AT Thurnerbau, Imst. Since the first day of the carpentry, Pfeifer has been supply partner of the traditional construction company.
Reliable partner since 1985
Since the first day of carpentry in 1985 of AT Thurnerbau Pfeifer Group is supplier of high quality timber construction products such as Glue-laminated timber (BSH), single and three-ply panels and in the future also solid structural timber (KVH) and cross-laminated timber (BSP). The reasons of the long-time successful cooperation are very clear for Hermann Gstrein: “The local closeness, the high quality of products, the permanent deliver capability, flexibility and short supply times give comprehensively an extraordinary cost-effectiveness. Pfeifer Holz is our neighbour in Imst and for decades it has been an absolutely reliable supply partner of timber construction products of the highest quality”.
Just in the last three months, AT Thurnerbau has managed seven construction sites with Pfeifer timber construction productions. Among them the Innsbruck airport, big hotels in leading tourism regions of Tirol, municipal buildings and housing buildings. “There is no alternative to construction with timber today nor in the future”, says the expert Hermann Gstrein.
New standards at the glacier
The cable railway of Sölden with its new self-service and served restaurant at the Rettenbach Glacier sets new benchmarks. The project represents a completely new gastronomic and facility concept in a attentive, but also remarkable architecture in the glacier arena (2,675 m above see level). The core is the Rettenbach restaurant with a wider self-service area, the new served restaurant “Glacier table” with visible kitchen, lounge bar and the “Glacier area” bar. Internally there is a hosting surface of 2,900 m² with a total of 620 places for guests and on the 675 m² large sun deck there is place for 450 guests. Almost every seat has a free sight over the actual star: the glacier. And on the powerful glue-laminated wood purlin by Pfeifer.
The new restaurant at the Rettenbach Glacier in figures
- Planning Architecture office Wimreiter & Partner, Saalbach
- Construction time: just 5 months
- completion: 30th of September 2017
- Investment volume: 8.4 millions Euro
- Useful area: 5,850 m²
- Enclosed space: 28,910 m³
- Catering surface: 2,900 m²
- 2 lifts, 2 escalators
Hermann Gstrein
Carpenter and construction supervisor
“Pfeifer Holz is our neighbour in Imst and for decades has been an absolutely reliable supply partner of timber construction products of the highest quality”.
