Kaufhaus Tyrol

One of the most prominent and prestigious shopping malls in Innsbruck is Kaufhaus Tyrol, located in the heart of the city on Maria-Theresien-Strasse. Kaufhaus Tyrol is a modern and elegant mall that was designed by the British star architect David Chipperfield. It has more than 50 attractive shops and many cafes and restaurants, offering a wide range of products and services. You can find clothes, shoes, accessories, beauty products, sports gear, and decorative items for the home from top brands such as Zara, H&M, Intersport, MediaMarkt, and Swarovski. Kaufhaus Tyrol also has exclusive service extras, such as free Wi-Fi, umbrella rental, and the WIKI-children’s world, a play area for kids. The mall is barrier-free and meets the latest environmental standards. In 2010, Kaufhaus Tyrol won the ICSC European Conference Award, making it the most beautiful and best shopping center in Europe.

Architecture

The new Kaufhaus Tyrol building is a rectangular volume that stretches from Maria-Theresien-Straße through the interior of the block to Erlerstraße, covering an area of about 7,000 square meters. It has six floors above ground and two underground levels, with a total gross floor area of about 40,000 square meters. The building houses 55 shops, as well as a restaurant, a café, and a supermarket. The main entrance is located in the center of the facade facing Maria-Theresien-Straße, and is marked by a higher section of the building that aligns with the axis of the Old Town. Another entrance is situated on the opposite side, on Erlerstraße, allowing shoppers to walk through the building from one street to another.

The facade of the building is composed of three sections that are slightly inclined to each other, following the irregular alignment of Maria-Theresien-Straße, which has grown organically since medieval times. The facade is made of precast concrete elements with natural stone aggregates, which have polished and sandblasted surfaces. The color and texture of the facade match the surrounding buildings, creating a harmonious contrast with the glass and metal elements. The facade is structured by colonnade-like columns with a large cross-section, which form the main architectural feature of the building. The columns create a rhythm and a play of light and shadow, echoing the protruding bays and projections of the neighboring buildings. The columns also frame the room-height window openings that are distributed over all floors, mediating between the interior and the exterior of the building. The windows offer views of the city and the mountains, as well as glimpses of the products and activities inside the store.

The interior of the building is organized around a five-story atrium that provides natural light and ventilation to the central spaces. The atrium is covered by a glass dome that filters the daylight and creates a pleasant atmosphere. The different levels of the store are connected by bridges and elevators that cross the open space, offering orientation and visual communication. The interior design is minimalist and elegant, with white walls, gray floors, and black ceilings. The furniture and fixtures are also simple and functional, allowing the products and the customers to be the protagonists of the space. The interior layout is flexible and adaptable, enabling the store to change and update its offer according to the market trends and customer preferences.

The new Kaufhaus Tyrol building also incorporates a historic structure that dates back to the 16th century: the Schindlerhaus, which is located on the corner of Maria-Theresien-Straße and Museumstraße. The Schindlerhaus was originally a residential building, but it was later converted into a café and a shop. It was also frequently modified and altered over the course of the centuries, losing some of its original features and character. The new Kaufhaus Tyrol project restored and renovated the Schindlerhaus, preserving its facade and adding a new floor. The Schindlerhaus now hosts offices and meeting rooms for the store management, as well as the former Schindler Café, which is a popular spot for locals and visitors alike.

Impact

The new Kaufhaus Tyrol building has had a significant impact on the city of Innsbruck, both economically and socially. It has revitalized the commercial activity and the attractiveness of the city center, attracting more customers and visitors from the region and beyond. It has also created new jobs and opportunities for the local businesses and suppliers, as well as for the cultural and creative sectors. The new Kaufhaus Tyrol has become a destination and a landmark in itself, offering not only a shopping experience, but also a place for social interaction, leisure, and entertainment. The store hosts regular events and activities, such as exhibitions, concerts, workshops, and fashion shows, that enrich the cultural life of the city and foster community engagement. The store also supports various social and environmental causes, such as charity campaigns, recycling initiatives, and energy-saving measures, demonstrating its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability.

The new Kaufhaus Tyrol building has also contributed to the architectural and urban quality of Innsbruck, enhancing its identity and diversity. It has shown how contemporary architecture can respect and dialogue with the historic context, without imitating or competing with it. It has also shown how a department store can be more than a functional building, but rather a spatial and aesthetic expression of the values and aspirations of the city and its people. The new Kaufhaus Tyrol building has received several awards and recognitions, such as the RIBA European Award in 2011, and the nomination for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture, the Mies van der Rohe Award, in the same year.

Innsbruck, Austria