Brenner Base Tunnel: Completion of the parking lot redesign for “Tunnel World” and the JUFA hotel

On September 7th, the JUFA Hotels and the Brenner Base Tunnel company (BBT SE) celebrated the redesign of the parking lot in front of the Brenner Base Tunnel Infocenter “Tunnel World” and the JUFA Hotel.

JUFA Marketing CEO Gernot Reitmaier and the BBT SE CEO Prof. Konrad Bergmeister welcomed the mayor of Steinach Mr. Josef Hautz, Mr. Erich Raffl, TVB chairman Mr. Kurt Hasenbacher and the planning architect Mr. Christian Bartl. 

JUFA marketing CEO Gernot Reitmaier: 

“We, the JUFA hotels, are very glad that, together with BBT SE and the local tourist association, we have been able to improve the Tunnel World forecourt. Now, our guests' adventure can start when they arrive at Tunnel World.

BBT SE CEO Prof. Konrad Bergmeister:

“For both the new configuration of the parking lot and the construction of St. Wendelin chapel at Steinach we used rock material from tunnel spoil.  It has been taken from nature and will be given back to nature - in form of buildings and works of art”.

For the parking lot, special material was used.  Gneiss from the Brenner Massif was used for planing, rolling, to fill the gabion baskets and for the curbstones. 

Architect Christian Bartl:  

“Our studio, Unizono, was entrusted with a very interesting task.  The parking lot lies in the intersection and hub point of the BBT museum, the JUFA guest house and the parking lot of the Bergeralm skilifts.  The main goal was to find a common denominator for all parties concerned. The main challenge was to show, as we were requested to do, the relationship between the tunnel and the materials we used (stones, graveletc.), to conduct the transports and to carry out the necessary installations. We succeeded in doing so - together with the contracting authorities and the executing companies, to the complete satisfaction of all involved parties and keeping to the available budget. 

A three-meter high stone gabion, illuminated at night, acts as a signpost and provides advertising information.  Large granite stones act as curbstones and guardrails.  Between the granite curbstones which border the parking lot, we placed pebbles of the same material.  The stone gabions are filled with granite gneiss. They also have wooden benches to give visitors the possibility to sit down.  The fence is made of larch wood.

BBT Tunnel World

Since spring 2016, the BBT Infocenter in Steinach am Brenner has offered an overview of the largest tunnel project in Europe. An adventure and a world of knowledge for young and old, for newcomers to the projects and experts alike. The increasingly famous Tunnel World is a special place for families and children. 

Since its opening, more than 34.000 visitors have been counted.  The 800 m² exhibition showcases, among others, topics such as tunnel construction, geology, the history of the Brenner Pass, natural resources and the environment . The Tunnel World is supervised by the BBT SE project society and the Wipptal tourist association.