HBLFA Rotholz

Center for Agricultural Education and Research

In 2018, the construction of the Higher Federal Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition, Food and Biotechnology Tyrol, HBLFA, began in Rotholz, Tyrol. The general planning was carried out by the consortium of Adamer Ramsauer/Kufstein and BME Architektur/Vienna, which won the competition. Vasko+Partner, in cooperation with Baumanagement Forstner, took on the role of project management for the client. The project management services included project control, tendering, and construction supervision. The biggest challenge, according to V+P project manager Fabian Schütz, was the short planning phase for the various units, including school/dormitory, a highly technical "Research and Service" section with a dairy, and a food retail area: "It was impressive to see that throughout the entire project duration, everyone was aware of their responsibilities and pursued a common goal - many obstacles were overcome."

Deputy Governor Josef Geisler: "The HBLFA Tyrol is a clear commitment from the federal government to agriculture in mountainous regions and to the educational location of Tyrol." The new school provides space for 13 classes and up to 400 students, covering approximately 24,500 square meters of net usable area. The boarding school accommodates 200 students as their second home. The client is the Agricultural Federal Experimental Farms GmbH. The campus is also a symbol of regional and sustainable construction. In total, 25 companies were commissioned, 22 of which are from Tyrol. The timber construction is made from PEFC-certified wood, with exclusively local larch used for the façade. The concrete comes from Jenbach, the wood-aluminum windows are manufactured in the Zillertal, and the aluminum windows in the Wipptal. The Rotholz biomass heating plant provides heat. A dedicated grocery store in cooperation with Braunegger ensures regional supply. The majority of the building complex, except for the production area, is built to the "klimaaktiv Gold" standard.

New School Focus on Food and Biotechnology

In September 2020, the students of HBLFA Tyrol moved from Kematen to Rotholz. At the same time, the new course "Food and Biotechnology" was launched. The students benefit from the unique cooperation between a higher school and a research institution, made possible by the redesign of HBLFA Tyrol, especially in Western Austria. HBLFA Tyrol has departments for Chemistry, Microbiology and Hygiene, Technology and Consulting, and Crop Production, and is connected with higher education institutions such as the University of Innsbruck or the Management Center Innsbruck.

The complex, designed by the architects, is divided into three interconnected buildings. "The buildings blend into the landscape, bringing nature inside and creating a connection to the existing buildings of LLA Rotholz," explains architect Klaus Adamer from Kufstein.