New Village Center Arriach – Timber Construction Creates a Vibrant Community Hub

In the heart of Arriach, located above the Carinthian Gegend Valley in Austria, a model project for sustainable building has emerged through the redesign of the village center. The municipality used the restructuring of the town hall and the establishment of a local grocery store to create a car-free public square – a lively meeting place in what was previously a purely functional transit area.

Together with two carefully renovated existing buildings – including a historic administrative building from the 19th century – a modern supermarket forms the center of a new architectural ensemble. The new building was constructed using timber construction with a spacious, front-facing pergola and blends harmoniously into the village landscape thanks to its clear horizontal design, without imitating the existing structures.

HASSLACHER Group contributes to high-quality execution

The roof structure of the new building was delivered with 10.2 m³ of solid structural timber and 5.6 m³ of glued laminated timber, including precise joinery, from the plants in Preding (HASSLACHER PREDING Holzindustrie) and Sachsenburg (NORITEC Sachsenburg). The visible wooden surfaces inside and outside, made of untreated solid wood, significantly contribute to the building’s natural, warm atmosphere. The new building meets low-energy standards, making it future-proof in terms of energy efficiency.

Special attention was given to the connection between old and new: a car-free square stretches between the renovated buildings and the new supermarket, offering not only a pleasant place to stay but also space for events. The project demonstrates how sensitive handling of existing structures, architectural clarity, and the targeted use of wood as a building material can lead to high-quality village development.

For this outstanding example of municipal building culture, the "New Village Center Arriach" was awarded the Carinthian Timber Construction Prize in the Public Buildings category in 2021.