architecture . landscape . urbanism
National Park Center Hohe Tauern

Competition, 03 / 2005, Mittersill

3rd prize

The Tauernrocks in the Museum Park Mittersill

„Yesterday, my parents, my sister and I went to the Krimmler waterfalls. But then we something quite beautiful. As we drove out of the town Mittersil, I discovered right at the entrance of the town some wild rocks, that actually aren’t any. They are situated right along the street and were illuminated by the sun. I’ve already been bored with the unsavory Gerlos state street, so I was excited by the sight of the shining rocks. My mom also said she would like to visit the new national park center. The Tauernrocks are actually not very big, exactly as big as a house, and are embedded in a soft meadow. My dad told me there are quite a lot rooms hidden underneath those rocks and if you would have put those rooms in normal building at the entrance of the town Mittersill, they would have mutilated the beautiful sight of the town. From the parking lot, we walked to the entrance of the center, right through a gap between two rocks into the entrance hall. Some of the inside walls of the entrance hall are mirrored, so sometimes it’s possible to see the sun shining and the mountains. Explorers display their discoveries in the entrance hall. My sister went over to one of them and he told her what a national park constitutes and also a lot about the building process of the national park. I believe such people are called scientists. From the entrance hall it’s possible to look down and see a lot of people. Almost like a cave inside of the mountains and i could hardly wait to get down there and see it for myself. There were many children in the play area. In the attraction area I liked the eagle view and the movies best. Afterwards we ordered coffee and lemonade while sitting in the café and I got to eat a Kracherl. On the terrace it’s like sitting on a mountain pasture! We also went with a guided tour. The guide showed and explained to us what different grasses and flowers grow between the Tauernrocks. from the rocks we went further into the museums park around the pond and back up to the rocks. There we sat on the grass taking it all in, the sun set was very pretty to watch. Because of the great da we had, we totally forgot the time. It was already too late and to dark to go see them. But I’m looking forward to seeing them next time!“