InnHub La Punt is a new centre for innovation in the heart of the Engadin valley that seeks to bring new visitors together with the local community to increase prosperity, create new jobs, and revitalize local crafts and produce. It is based on the idea of the ‘third place’ – away from the workplace and home – to create a space for collaboration and creativity. The project will comprise work and seminar spaces, sports facilities, retail shops, a restaurant as well as an underground car park. It will act as a catalyst for transformation by bringing innovative people and ideas to the valley.

Located on a prominent site at the entrance to the village, the project offers locals, tourists, technology companies, start-ups and universities a place to exchange ideas. The design is inspired by the landscape and the local architecture with a protective wall that envelops the site, blocking the cold winds and enabling pockets of shelter and enhanced microclimate. This wall acts as a contemporary interpretation of the thick, insulating walls and deep windows of the Engadin valley where smaller openings are introduced to minimize heat loss.

The roof combines renewable energy generation systems, arranged on angled surfaces to avoid snow accumulation, while letting daylight reach the deepest parts of the building. These systems and the photovoltaic panels generate a third of the building’s total energy demand.

Shops and public functions are located along the main street, while the more private functions face the landscape, pulling greenery into the site through the courtyard. A public route draws life into the meeting and collaboration spaces, giving people a glimpse of the vitality of the hub.

The low-rise ensemble has a contoured roofscape with roof lights that bring in natural light. The building is made of local materials and covered in larch shingles. At the heart is the ‘village square’ – an amphitheater, a gathering space which will be the social focal point of La Punt. On top of it will be a distinctive rooftop café and terrace, set beautifully against the backdrop of the valley.