Hotel Park und Seeallee

Heiden, Switzerland

Picture © Yoshihiro Nagamine 

Drawing © Antón Landschaft

Landscape Architects: Antón Landschaft

Location: Heiden, Switzerland
Year: 2021
Client: IG Avanti, Gemeinde Heiden, Park Heiden AG und Hotel Heiden AG
Open Competition: 2012, 1st prize
Architecture: Thomas K. Keller Architekten, St Gallen/Zürich

The aim of this architectural competition is was to implement with a hight qualitative open space the area around the Seeallee Street by suggesting a new hotel integrated with recreational areas in an existing Park. The project is partially located in a townscape protected zone of national importance.

Traditionally, the site has had distinctive open spaces since the 18th century, such as a tree alley on Seealle Street, a park and a church square, which cultural and heritage value can be enhanced through the articulation of all of them in a single sequence of spaces.

The characteristic linden alley defines the beginning and end of Seeallee Street. It becomes a strong promenade with additional north-south connections to access Dunant Square, the park and the church square. The choreography of this historical heritage site is precisely specified und articulated in the project.

The new Hotel Park and the existing Hotel Heiden form a hotel complex, which facilities include the spacious park and the elegant public hall. Within this ensemble, the park constitutes an important public space that holds the entire system and connects it to the different surrounding areas through its meandering paths, to provide a more flexible and generous use of the space. Children will find their own protected playground framed by a friendly oval hedge.

The Church square gets enhanced by redirecting the traffic only on one side, allowing the paved square to be extended until the church facade, emphasizing an creating a bigger meeting place for local people as well as a centre for trade on a market day.