This stunning lookout point leaves nothing between you and the Austrian Alps

FastCompany: The Austrian Alps are breathtaking on their own. A new rooftop lookout at an Austrian ski destination now doubles the view. Lech Mountain Mirror is a landscape installation on top of the Zugerbergbahn mountain station in Lech, Austria, just east of Liechtenstein and near the German border. The building used to have a simple flat roof that would be covered in snow during the winter when the resort’s cable car operated. It’s now a shallow, rock-bottomed water basin that reflects the mountains in the water and invites visitors to take in the view as a full sensory experience.

[Photo: Christian Flatscher/courtesy Snøhetta] The architecture firm Snøhetta designed the installation because Lech Bergbahnen AG, which operates the Zugerbergbahn cable car and lift, wanted to extend its season to the summer too. That created a need to make the mountain station more attractive to guests and diners at Balmalp, the nearby restaurant which is connected to the resort by cable car, says Patrick Lüth, managing director of Snøhetta Studio Innsbruck. Lech is located in Austria’s Arlberg region, which is known for its skiing in the winter, and the Zugerbergbahn is a former chairlift that was rebuilt in 2021.

The area does draw mountain bikers in the summer, but the warm weather months are typically slower, and the revamped roof is meant to entice visitors to the destination year-round. [Photo: Christian Flatscher/courtesy Snøhetta] Snøhetta’s team was inspired during the project’s research phase and concept development by a piece of promotional material that showed an image of a single hiker admiring the mountain landscape. It reminded them of Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog , a well-known 1818 painting by the German Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich showing a lonely hiker staring into a craggy, foggy landscape ahead.

[Photo: Christian Flatscher/courtesy Snøhetta] Their concept was a shallow water basin without any railing to spoil the view. There’s a bench near the water to sit and look from, and a rough, uneven stone path that leads out to a viewing rock that’s angled as if to blend in with the mountains. It’s designed to look natural and complement the view; a bit of biophilic landscape design to not distract from nature. “We wanted to create this kind of experience, a viewpoint where people can admire the landscape and [be] at one with themselves,” Lüth tells Fast Company .

“That’s why we decided to surround the viewing rock with a water table with dual effect. It enhances the mountain experience by creating reflections of the scenery, the sky and the people. And at the same time, it guides the flow of visitors.” [Photo: Christian Flatscher/courtesy Snøhetta] Lüth says after the right design inspiration and concept were found, the Snøhetta team’s idea was quickly approved. From there, they worked to answer questions about technical issues like structural engineering, fall protection, and water treatment. “The art installation works so well precisely because we don’t have a railing along the edge,” he says.

“Implementing this from both a technical and legal standpoint was quite a challenge.” Snøhetta has designed other mountain lookouts and viewing towers before, but Lech Mountain Mirror proves that sometimes it’s best to do more with less and just let nature take center stage.

The article highlights a unique installation that enhances visitor experience and offers actionable insights for brand strategists, particularly in the context of experiential marketing and sustainability.