RATHAUS GALLERY - THE PENZ Contemporary urban design Innsbruck‘s old town hall in the centre of the city used to be divided into two parts: behind the main building was an extension which was only accessible via an interior courtyard. It was decided to remedy this structural and administrative separation, doing away with the uncongenial backyard character and providing a new, central bureau to deal with all public services. At the same time the intention was to revitalize the inner city by means of a shopping mall with garaging and a four-star hotel. A real must for visitors with a head for heights are the restaurant “Lichtblick“ – a “bright spot“ indeed, as the name indicates – and the sophisticated panorama bar “360°“. Both are to be found on the top floor of the Rathaus (Town Hall) Gallery. An overview of Innsbruck is guaranteed. French architect Dominique Perrault developed the building upwards in order to ensure economic feasibility. Perrault is known as an architect who is concerned with the overall concept, not with material perfectionism. Entirely in the style of the classic 19th century shopping arcades, the gallery links major roads and the entrance to the new town hall provides the focal point of the site. Above it a glass tower extends to the heights, the top floor providing a protected viewing platform. The six-storey building of glass is located between both old sections, connecting them with each other. Transparency is not merely a formal gag of the architect‘s, it serves to remove any threshold fears that citizens might have when confronted with a public authority. The Penz Hotel concludes the gallery to the north-west. Its entirely glazed façade provides a superb panoramic view, no wonder that the fifth floor harbours a lounge, the „5th floor“. The Penz – Innsbruck‘s first and only design hotel hitherto – captivates with its modern and comfortable interior design which skilfully provides an atmospheric counterpoint to the cool vocabulary of the exterior. Further info Hotel The Penz | © Hotel The Penz 15
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