Silvretta Montafon: Opening of the ‘Alte Talstation’ Gaschurn

Schruns, Gaschurn. On Sunday 9 December, the ‘Alte Talstation’ in Gaschurn opened its doors. Just over a year after the ground-breaking ceremony, the former valley station of the Versettla single-seater chairlift has been replaced by a modern new building with an après-ski bar, sports shop and Sky Bar. Architect Monika Gogl focused on combining Montafon tradition with modern elements during the realisation.

After just one year of construction, the official opening of the new old valley station in Gaschurn took place on Sunday 9 December. The site where the Versettla cable car chairs used to arrive and depart is now home to a sports shop with ski hire, an après-ski bar and an eight-metre-long Sky Bar. The old valley station has been part of Montafon skiing history for 80 years: a T-bar lift was built on this site back in the 1940s, before the single chairlift transported winter sports enthusiasts up the mountain between 1966 and 1986. A new chapter for the old valley station began in October 2017 with the ground-breaking ceremony. ‘With the old valley station in Gaschurn, we have created a monument to the skiing tradition in the valley,’ says Martin Oberhammer, Managing Director of Silvretta Montafon, who is delighted with the opening. A ski hire and sports shop on the ground floor, as well as a modern après-ski arena with a Sky Bar, now invite guests and locals to shop, celebrate and enjoy themselves. Silvretta Montafon has invested around 4.9 million in the new construction of the old valley station and thus in the expansion of the Montafon's tourist infrastructure.

A meeting place for every season
The building was designed by Innsbruck architect Monika Gogl. ‘With its clear architectural language, the new building structure responds strongly to the striking topology of the location and presents itself with a black wooden façade typical of the Montafon,’ says Gogl, explaining her concept. ‘The unique architecture of the building allows us to flexibly separate interior and exterior spaces. This means that the Alte Talstation can be used by guests and locals all year round. A particular highlight is the eight-metre-long Sky Bar in the open dining room with a breathtaking view towards the Silvretta massif with the striking Vallüla peak,’ explains Silvretta Montafon Managing Director Peter Marko. At the opening on Sunday evening, managing directors Peter Marko and Martin Oberhammer and architect Monika Gogl were joined by pastor Joe Egle, Martin Netzer (mayor of Gaschurn), Jürgen Kuster (mayor of Schruns) and Thomas Zudrell (mayor of Silbertal), Manuel Bitschnau (Managing Director of Montafon Tourismus), site manager Heinz Fleisch (Fleisch Loser Bauprojektabwicklung), Tobias Stergiotis (Managing Director of Silvretta Montafon Sportshops) and Thomas Schmitz (Managing Director of Intersport Austria) as well as numerous Montafon hoteliers, partners and employees of Silvretta Montafon.