The Stadtfischerhaus, located in the historic center of Hall in Tirol, dates back to the 13th century and originally served as the residence of the town’s official fisherman. After many years of decay, the townhouse was completely redesigned and restored in accordance with heritage conservation guidelines. Formerly home to four substandard apartments, the existing structure was revitalized through a series of carefully planned interventions. The roof was raised, and nine residential units were created - including two maisonettes with private rooftop terraces - all accessible via a newly installed elevator. The original small-scale room layout was adapted to contemporary living standards by partially removing non-load-bearing walls.
Archaeologists, building researchers, surveyors, and conservation specialists were able to extensively study the well-preserved Romanesque walls, vaults, latrines on the ground floor, the four bay windows, the Renaissance wooden ceilings from 1473, as well as the Baroque spiral staircase. Based on these findings, the façade, interior plaster, and wooden surfaces were restored by specialists to the highest quality. Valuable wooden beam ceilings were structurally reinforced and renovated according to conservation guidelines.
The existing roof construction was reused as the new floor for the extension in the spirit of 'urban mining'. Materials for the new roof structure and the elevator shaft were sourced from a nearby forest at Gramartboden, assembled using traditional joinery techniques, without the use of glue. All roof battens and formwork boards were salvaged from the original roof structure.
'Each of these units is different (...). The floor plans are extravagant, nothing is straight or conforms to the norm, and some details are quite unconventional. What makes these apartments so special is the way they showcase history from the Middle Ages to the present day,’ writes Edith Schlocker in the Tiroler Tageszeitung, ‘Gemäuer, das Geschichten erzählt’ on December 23, 2023. Each unit showcases one of the historic stove tiles discovered during the archaeological excavations, creating a visible link between the past and the present. The floor plans offer flexible living options for singles, couples, families, and shared housing arrangements. The units are complemented by a communal terrace with views of the historic old town of Hall in Tirol and the Alpine panorama.
Due to the tight spatial integration within the historic old town, some rear rooms cannot be naturally ventilated. A mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery provides a solution. Heating is supplied via district heating, the hot water is generated using fresh water modules. The renovation of the windows, roof, and ground-contacting components complies with the Tyrolean low-energy standard, as required by heritage protection regulations.
Various opportunities for site tours, such as those held on the Day of Monuments 2024 in Austria, allowed the public to experience the building up close. The collaboration and continuous exchange among various experts were crucial for the sensitive handling of the existing building structure and provided valuable perspectives which were integrated into the planning process. Moreover, the involvement of the previous owner and informal exchanges with local residents contributed to the project's acceptance and identification.
Team:
Architects: Architekt Daniel Fügenschuh GmbH
Other Participants: Maja Kenda, FS1 Fiedler Stöffler ZT GmbH
Materials Used:
Facade cladding: lime render
Flooring: oak boards, custom made by carpenter
Doors: custom made
Windows: traditional double sided wooden frame, custom made
Interior furniture (kitchen): sea pine, custom made
elevator: Otis
elevator shaft: binderholz Brettsperrholz BBS (cross laminated timber)
new roof: urban mining, wood from nearby Forest Gramartboden
