The letter ‘Y’ is the shape of a new youth hostel in Bayreuth, Germany, designed by award-winning international architects LAVA for the Bavarian Youth Hostel Association.

When international architecture firm LAVA set out to design a new youth hostel in Germany’s Bayreuth, they turned to an interesting idea for inspiration, the letter Y, as in, Gen Y.

The letter Y is the shape of the very hostel, designed for the Bavarian Youth Hostel Association. LAVA director Tobias Wallisser says that we live in the designer age where “Gen Y travellers want funky design, a special identity, access to online and community and unique experiences, not just a clean bed and shower”

LAVA’s design is a yardstick for the sports hostel of the future. Through innovative spatial configurations, sustainability at environmental, and structural and social levels, and integrated sporting facilities, the hotel is a beacon of forward thinking accommodation for youth travellers.

“LAVA chose the ‘Y’ shape because it generates a connective and beautiful central space offering expansive views and multiple openings to the sports fields and gardens,” reports Wallisser, “And a happy coincidence its also the letter ‘Y’!”

The meeting point in the Y shape, the central atrium, serves as a hub for both off and online entertainment, interaction and communication. Here, a skylight provides natural daylight to a central amphitheatre that connects the different levels, whilst horizontal and diagonal sightlines direct guests to different building functions.

The reception, seminar rooms, bistro, kitchen, sports and game facilities are spread out over two floors, connected to each other through the multipurpose central atrium.

Features of the hostel include highly flexible rooms with contemporary modular furniture elements. These, combined with the wood and concrete floors and ceilings, create an industrial robustness that stands strong without alienating.

Construction on this innovative new hostel carries on throughout 2015.

LAVA
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