Eco-tourism in its purest form

With the same naturalness with which the exceptional hotel 48° Nord blends into the landscape of the French region of Alsace, its guests merge with the surrounding nature. And this is despite the fact that they are located in one of the most modern projects of its kind in the world. However, you do not need to travel all the way to France to admire this unique timber construction. In April, you will be able to appreciate it during the Wood Building Salon.

The place where the charm of the French countryside meets the Scandinavian approach to life is the small town of Breitenbach. On a hillside with a beautiful view of the countryside, the hotel 48° Nord Landscape has emerged, significantly expanding the possibilities of ecotourism in Alsace.

Through its architectural concept and overall philosophy, the hotel connects with and reinterprets traditional Scandinavian "hytte" cabins. The project was designed in the heart of the protected Natura 2000 area to fit seamlessly into the pure natural environment without disrupting it in any way. The entire project is led by Norwegian architect Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter in collaboration with ASP Architecture. Additionally, the private owner of the hotel has a personal connection to Scandinavia due to his Franco-Danish heritage.

The hotel places emphasis not only on connecting with nature and providing a perfect environment for relaxation and wellness care, but, of course, excellent local cuisine cannot be missing in France. In this region, it is a completely unique and unprecedented project. Therefore, ecotourism here takes on a whole new dimension with this hotel.

In harmony with nature and sustainability

It is no surprise that it is not a large hotel complex, but rather a set of fourteen cleverly placed cabins on a hillside that, from certain angles, perfectly blend into the landscape. At the same time, they represent a precise architectural work with a clean design.

A clear goal of the creators was to utilize as many natural and sustainable materials as possible, with wood being the foremost. Wood is indeed one of the most modern materials of our time and is increasingly used not only in the construction of family housing but also in public function buildings, such as schools or hotels.

Therapeutic properties of wood

Wood is a very strong and high-quality material, and as one of the few building materials, it is also very easily renewable. Its extraction does not harm the landscape, just as its rapid and environmentally-friendly construction minimally limits the surroundings. Wooden buildings do not overheat in the summer, as they have lower thermal accumulation. Additionally, the use of wood has therapeutic functions – it brings a calming scent to every space, as well as a very pleasant soft acoustics that dampen surrounding noises.

Thanks to the overall concept of this project and exemplary use of wood, Czech experts have ranked the hotel 48° Nord Landscape among the most significant wooden constructions of the last two years, which will be showcased at this year's 18th edition of the Wood Building Salon festival. The exhibition of leading architectural achievements will take place at the piazza of the National Theatre from April 19 until May 17, 2023. Reiulf Ramstad will even attend in person to inaugurate the festival with his lecture at the Prague Center for Architecture.

Location: Breitenbach, France
Client: Private
Project Type: Landscape, Commercial
Function: A landscape-sensitive hotel with a main building (for reception, restaurant, wellness, and director's apartment) and 14 cabins for hotel guests.
Size: Total area of 20,000 m², individual cabins ranging from 20 m² to 60 m²
Type of Order: Direct order (2015)
Status: Completed (2020)
Authors: Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter in collaboration with ASP Architecture
Photography: Florent Michel @11h45, Yvan Moreau