Doppelmayr Insights: Architecture and Design

The second edition of Doppelmayr Insights is all about architecture and design. In this varied TV format, Doppelmayr experts provide insights into the planning, design and function of ropeways. Distinguished architects who have created extraordinary station buildings talk about the ideas behind their designs and the inspiration they draw from nature and technology. Thomas Pichler, Managing Director of the Doppelmayr Group, once again invites viewers on a journey around the world: from Austria to Italy and Norway, to the USA, Mexico and the Netherlands. A look behind the scenes at Gassner Stahlbau, to see the assembly of a spectacular ropeway tower, and the Ropeway Training Center highlight the Doppelmayr Group's wide-ranging expertise.

Many considerations go into the creation of a ropeway – long before Doppelmayr starts to work. After all, a ropeway not only fulfills the function of transporting passengers, it is also an element embedded in its surroundings. It is part of the genesis of every ropeway whether this is achieved with a wow effect or with restraint. 

In the second edition of Doppelmayr Insights, the spotlight is on architecture and design of ropeways. In a varied program, resort operators talk about their requirements and the importance of the design of a ropeway for the guest experience. The architects talk about the ideas and thoughts behind the design.

In the Carezza Dolomites ski resort (ITA), Managing Director Florian Eisath and architect Werner Tscholl present the new König Laurin gondola lift with its "invisible" top station. The task was to realize a sustainable mobility concept inconspicuously in the picturesque mountains of the Rosengarten.  

Peter Marko, managing director of the Silvretta Montafon ski resort (AUT), provides insights into the new Valisera Bahn. The lift meets many of today's demands. It is designed as an AURO ropeway and is operated autonomously. The bottom station of the D-Line gondola lift is embedded in the Silvretta Park Montafon. Here, guests get everything they need for an enjoyable day on the mountain. Architect Hans Obermoser explains the influence of ropeway technology on the design of a station and the importance of architecture for nature and the passenger experience. 

At the Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta Resort (MEX), architectural integration also played an important role alongside modern ropeway technology. The SkyDream Parks Gondola connects various hotspots of the hotel resort with the VidantaWorld amusement park that is currently being built. Customized in terms of color and materiality, the ride blends harmoniously into its surroundings. For special occasions and guests, the cable car has elegant VIP cabins. Konstantinos Panagiotou, CEO of Doppelmayr Mexico, learns from Norma Suárez, Operations Manager of the hotel, why Latin America's first D-Line perfectly meets the demands of the resort operators in terms of comfort and luxury. 

A highlight regarding nature and design is the international flower and horticultural exhibition that is taking place in Almere (NED) this year. "Growing Green Cities" is the motto of Floriade Expo 2022, and the 60-hectare venue is focusing on creative and sustainable solutions for liveable cities. Sustainable mobility is provided by a Doppelmayr ropeway. Passengers float emission-free and quietly across the exhibition grounds, crossing obstacles like a highway and enjoying an extraordinary view of the Almere skyline. Designer Albert Schuster shares his insights into the design of the ropeway stations with frameless glass elements and the OMEGA V cabins, which have received the Red Dot Design Award "Best of the Best".

Gassner Stahlbau is the company in the Doppelmayr Group that manufactures the chairs and has many years of experience in the production of towers and other steel components for ropeways. CEO Gunther Lugauer talks about the competences that the company has acquired in recent years. In addition to the production portfolio, this also includes a wide variety of customization options for the design of the D-Line. This is confirmed by Stephen Kircher, CEO of Boyne Resorts (USA), whose chairs were also made in the Gassner workshops in Bürs (AUT).

In-depth expertise is also required for ropeway operation. This is why Doppelmayr has set up a Ropeway Training Center in Dornbirn (AUT) to train international ropeway employees. Everything from basic to expert courses is on offer. A fully equipped training container extends the training program to include the possibility of carrying out trainings with the team at the customer's site, directly at the installation.