Tubular troglodytes: Off-the-peg industrial grade concrete cylinders are appropriated to create the ultimate budget hotel.This is perhaps the ultimate boutique hotel Boutique hotel is a term originating in North America to describe intimate, usually luxurious or quirky hotel environments. Boutique hotels differentiate themselves from larger chain/branded hotels and motels by providing personalized level accommodation and services / facilities. , an individual concrete tube set in lush green surroundings, running water not included. Aimed principally at the young and hardy, Dasparkhotel makes a virtue of economy, streamlining both architectural form and the management/booking process. Weary of the tents and hostels that are the usual preserve of the budget-conscious traveller, Austrian architect Andreas Strauss wanted to develop a more contemporary notion of cheap, no-frills accommodation. His solution is a trio of chunky concrete cylinders each just large enough to accommodate a basic sleeping platform. Once anchored on site, the tubes are perfectly stable and secure, and the thermal mass Thermal mass, in the most general sense, is any mass that absorbs and holds heat. In the architectural sense, it is any mass that absorbs and stores heat during sunny periods when the heat is not desirable in the living space of a building, and then releases the heat during of the concrete keeps occupants cool in hot weather (Dasparkhotel is a seasonal summer gig). Internal surfaces are simply sealed with clear varnish varnish, homogeneous solution of gum or of natural or synthetic resins in oil (oil varnish) or in a volatile solvent (spirit varnish), which dries on exposure to air, forming a thin, hard, usually glossy film. and rear walls enlivened en·liv·en tr.v. en·liv·ened, en·liv·en·ing, en·liv·ens To make lively or spirited; animate. en·liv  en·er n. by artist Thomas Latzel-Ochoa's paintings. A circular timber door is accessed by a number code lock, so eliminating the fuss of keys and concierges. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Supplied by Austrian firm C. Bergmann, the concrete cylinders are standard off-the-peg industrial grade, each weighing 9.5 tons. The cost of buying, fitting and transporting the three cylinders was around [euro]5000. Initial funding came from KUPF-Innovationstopf, a regional cultural organisation for Upper Austria Upper Austria, Ger. Oberösterreich, province (1991 pop. 1,333,480), 4,625 sq mi (11,979 sq km), NW Austria. Linz is the capital. Bordering on Germany in the west and the Czech Republic in the north, the province is predominantly hilly. , but the project gained momentum through the generosity of suppliers, doubtless tickled by Strauss's off-the-wall vision of an encampment of temporary, tubular troglodytes Troglodytes race of uncivilized cave dwellers. [Gk. Hist.: Brewer Dictionary, 1103] See : Coarseness . [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Visitors book online and are mailed back an access code, together with details of the nearest and most congenial showers, WCs and cafes. There are no set rates; instead guests leave what they feel is appropriate in a pay-box inside each cylinder, the proceeds of which cover cleaning and maintenance costs for a season. This summer the tubes will be at Ottensheim, a village outside Linz, with plans to further expand the concept at Maribor in Slovenia. Though aimed at the youth market, the tubes have attracted all sorts of clientele, from bashful bash·ful adj. 1. Shy, self-conscious, and awkward in the presence of others. See Synonyms at shy1. 2. Characterized by, showing, or resulting from shyness, self-consciousness, or awkwardness. teenagers to elderly Dutch cyclists. Expect to see the compact, concrete compound featuring in the next volume of Hip Hotels. C.S. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] |
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