Going out safely – is something that one was able to do at the Festival Headquarters of VIENNA DESIGN WEEK 2020, despite COVID-19. Because the former Amtshaus in Theresienbadgasse has its own courtyard, a courtyard that also hosted the exhibition installation for the Niederösterreichische Bergbahnen designed by Erwin Bauer. From the implementation of self-service spaces to the transformation of a traditional skiing region into a year-round destination – the Bergbahnen were particularly busy in 2020, ensuring that excursion tourism remained safe and sustainable: Within a very short period of time, a taskforce led by Isabella Hinterleitner developed a hygiene concept, templates for visitor communications, and electronically supported visitor guidance measures for more than 1,000 destinations around Vienna. At the same time, a prototype for a new, intuitive form of digital lift payment position was installed on Annaberg, in partnership with Skiwise – a company specially established together with Milan Schnorrer and Peter Krišťák. And the return to nature of the traditional skiing area in St. Corona am Wechsel in 2014 was followed by the creation of a family-friendly Erlebnisarena. All this could be visited in the specially designed courtyard exhibition, but also as part of an exclusive festival excursion on 4.10.. And visitors to the presentation of all these subjects could enjoy a glass of the verjuice drink SILVA from Reichenau an der Rax.

Wild downhill biking and pure relaxation were on offer to a group of adventurous design fans who took part in an excursion to Lower Austria during the festival. Following the return to nature of the traditional skiing area in St. Corona am Wechsel in 2014, a completely new, year-round attraction has been created: The Erlebnisarena St. Corona am Wechsel is primarily aimed at families from the region between Vienna and Graz and includes the Wexl Trails – mountain bike routes that are also particularly suitable for beginners due to their construction and gentle topography.

As part of VIENNA DESIGN WEEK 2020, the Niederösterreichische Bergbahnen invited visitors to take part in an all-day excursion during which they could ride on the trails and discuss these with the CEO Karl Morgenbesser and designer Philipp Wiedhofer. The trip was rounded off by a cocktail in Fernblick – a former guesthouse with rooms, which has been expanded by Andreas Wessely and Michael Niederer into a boutique hotel with vintage chic.

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