ALPINE has become a specialist: In 2010, not just one but two large Austrian wellness and health-related projects have been completed. And successfully too, as is evident already now – after all, on September 27, 2010, the Therme Wien (Thermal Spa Vienna) will open three months ahead of its planned completion date. The TAUERN SPA Zell am See – Kaprun will open as planned at the beginning of November.
Therme Wien
The modern city spa has been constructed on the area of the old Oberlaa hot springs; since the 1970’s, the sulfur-bearing water has provided recreation to the Viennese population. In the future, the Therme Wien will provide an even richer offering with approximately 4,000 m² water, 3,000 m² sauna and 4,500 m² wellness areas. With a total of 26 different-sized pools, the spa area will be subdivided into various thematic areas. Guests should be able to find tranquillity and relaxation or action and adventure, depending on their mood. Additionally, there are hair and cosmetics salons and an amply dimensioned sauna world, separated for ladies and gentlemen or mixed. The 6,000 m² health care centre “Therme Wien Med” is immediately connected to the spa and holds about 200 treatment and therapy stations for deficiencies in the musculoskeletal system. A fitness area is also directly connected with the spa and holds state-of-the-art power and endurance exercise apparatuses, three different exercise rooms for group training and a separate LadyFitness zone. The Therme Wien provides a unique offering to all sport and mobility enthusiasts.
With this comprehensive offering, Therme Wien intends to establish itself as a holistic health and wellness centre, covering prevention, wellness and rehabilitation under one roof.
The ALPINE project team would have earned some leisure time too – because the construction of the Therme Wien was quite a challenge. First, the event centre Kurhalle Oberlaa and the adjacent tennis courts had to be demolished. Subsequently, the soft ground required a pile foundation: The new pools have been constructed on top of approx. 450 ductile piles reaching up to 14 metres into the clayey ground. This required precision work: A slant of a few millimetres only would have adversely affected the water change-out in the overflow basins and consequently impaired water quality.
All civil engineering works for the mega-project Therme Wien have been performed during full operation of the public bath. There was only a limited decline in the number of visitors because of the efficient planning and coordination of logistics. There was only a single complaint: “One of the guests didn’t understand how come the crane operator was able to see into the sauna’s open air area from his working platform high up on the crane”, construction site manager Andreas Rauscher tells with a smile. However, even after September 27, 2010, his and his team’s job isn’t fully finished yet. Only once the new spa has been opened, the old spa will be demolished and a two-story underground car park constructed in its place.
TAUERN SPA Zell am See – Kaprun
The finish line is close in the Salzburg Pinzgau region too: On November 8, 2010, Austria’s largest spa operator VAMED Vitality World, will open the new spa on time for the beginning of the winter season. This is another location where the highest standards are a must: The 48,000 m² area provides sufficient space for a four-star resort hotel with its own panoramic spa and a water and sauna world of more than 20,000 m² for daily visitors. Visitors will find seven differently designed indoor and outdoor pools, 13 different saunas, 17 beauty and treatment rooms, and a special “Kidstein” spa for children and high-end gastronomy. All this comes with a spectacular Hohe Tauern mountain panorama.
ALPINE is involved as a partial general contractor and investor in this largest tourism project in Salzburg’s recent history and has superbly mastered all challenges posed by the Kaprun valley so far – e.g. underground with low bearing capacity and unfavourable ground water conditions. Additionally, important contributions were made to strengthen the regional economy during the construction period: Whenever possible, local companies were used for building works. 30% of contracts directly awarded by ALPINE have been assigned to Pinzgau companies, 46% to companies elsewhere in its federal state. The TAUERN SPA Zell am See – Kaprun also created 200 additional and all-season jobs and trainee spaces.
Picture gallery: Therme Wien / TAUERN SPA Zell am See – Kaprun
>> Therme Wien
>> TAUERN SPA Kaprun – Zell am See
>> VAMED Vitality World
The 1.2010 issue of our company magazine INSIDE provides more information on wellness and the power of water.
