The summit house

The refuge, which was built in 1810, is owned by the Villach section of the ÖAV. The groundbreaking ceremony for a new building took place on 10 July 2010. It was designed as a passive house so it is highly insulated against thermal losses. The large-scale south façade allows optimal use of passive and active solar energy. All wastewater is treated via a bio-wastewater treatment plant. Since 21 December 2010, the former Ludwig Walter House, now the Dobratsch summit house, has been back in operation.
The circular form, chosen with respect and care, and already applied to the radio tower, is a conscious human intervention in the all-dominating landscape. The consanguinity of the tower and the shelter was important to the architect Dietmar Kladen in order to calm and consolidate the architectural ensemble (tower – church – shelter) through continuity.
The house was built by Weissenseer with all the attributes one expects from a refuge. It is a reliable place of refuge, a place of inner warmth that provides haptic comfort and shelter from wind and weather.