Jonas, as the general contractor, you are ultimately responsible for the renovation at Appenberg. What is the biggest challenge in this project?

Jonas Marti: The biggest challenge in the planning process is to bring together the different building stock, the various priorities of the individual stakeholders, and current legislation into a coherent concept.

You have renovated residential, commercial, and art buildings. In the future, the Appenberg will feature clearly separated seminar and hotel sections. What unique challenges does this pose for the planning process?

One distinctive feature is the layout of the pathways and access routes on the grounds and within the buildings. These are designed logically so that visitors and staff can easily find their way around, and so that the various functions do not interfere with one another but rather complement each other.

Most of the individual buildings were already dismantled at their original locations and rebuilt on the Appenberg. To what extent does this complicate the renovation?

During the relocation, the existing building structure was, in most cases, adapted and placed on newly constructed basements. How the old structures were modified and the interfaces were formed often becomes apparent only when the underlying structures are exposed. Consequently, certain assumptions had to be made during the planning phase, while many details will not be definitively determined until construction begins.

The exterior appearance—especially that of the facades—should be preserved as much as possible. How did you combine modernity and tradition in your design concept?

The original architectural elements that give the Appenberg its distinctive appearance are of immense value to us as architects. They are linked to so many stories and traditions from times long past—ones that cannot be replicated with new architectural elements. As a general rule, alterations to the building envelopes are kept to a minimum. For newly constructed elements—such as the addition to the courtyard building, the exterior staircase of the Hubelhaus, or the new entrance doors—care was taken to ensure that their dimensions are consistent with the old building typologies. Through their simple design, they are intended to complement the existing structure, while new elements may be recognizable as such in terms of materials, construction methods, and color schemes; imitations of time-honored elements are avoided.

What do you find most appealing about this project?

Renovating a conference hotel in the Emmental is no ordinary task; it presents opportunities, but also some challenges. Part of the personal appeal lies in overcoming the challenges posed by the local conditions—the steep slope, the narrow access road, and the limited space.

The project is being carried out in collaboration with numerous partners. What characterizes this collaboration?

With a tight construction schedule involving many overlapping time frames, coordinating the wide variety of tasks requires very close cooperation and seamless communication among all partners involved.