Switzerland's Kulm Hotel Expansion Draws Michelin-Starred Chefs and Sports Fanatics

The historic Ice Pavilion in St. Moritz gets an upgrade, courtesy of Pritzker Prize-winner Norman Foster, with new modern, cantilevered sports venues and a world-class restaurant.

Visitors to Switzerland’s Engadine Valley—home to high-end ski haven St. Moritz at 6,000 feet—have a new destination to consider, thanks to the opening of the Kulm Country Club at the storied Kulm Hotel. Following a £9 million (USD $11.3 million) renovation and expansion of the original Ice Pavilion—a two-story structure built in 1905 that figured prominently in the 1928 and 1948 Olympic Games—as well as a serene oak-paneled restaurant, lounge, and sprawling sun terrace, the new spaces will create a vibrant arts and events hub for the entire Alpine community.

“I have lived in St. Moritz for many years, so this project is very close to my heart,” says Lord Foster of the year-long project, inspired by “the sporting heritage of the region. "It connects with the history of the building, while adapting it for new uses.” Designed to enhance the flourishing arts and athletics scene in the perpetually chic ski resort, the Foster + Partners buildings have been reimagined using larch, ash, and oak—local timber in keeping with the tradition of the region. The results are spare, light-filled spaces that showcase the Kulm’s vintage sports memorabilia—bobsleighs, skis, photographs, and assorted artifacts—and capitalize on the breathtaking mountain views beyond.

One of the most exciting aspects of the Kulm project is the permanent pop-up restaurant concept that will kick-off with multi-Michelin-starred Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park, followed by inventive takes on bistro classics courtesy of 2016’s Gault Millau Chef of the Year, Nenad Mlinarevic, for the month of February. Next up in the rotating residency line-up will be chef Mauro Colagreco, of two Michelin-starred Mirazur in the south of France, who will prepare his signature South American-inflected, Mediterranean specialties that are vegetable-centric and focused on simple (yet striking) color and flavor combinations.

“Designed in the spirit of a mini stadium,” says Foster, of the multipurpose pavilion overlooking the expansive skating rink, “it is envisaged as the focus of the annual calendar of sporting and cultural events such as the medal ceremonies for the World Ski Championships in February (6–19), the Festival da Jazz, and the British Classic Car Meeting in summer.” The restaurant and lounge will complement these Kulm Park events, and, as Foster hopes, “become a new social space for the community, a place for everyone to come together and celebrate.”