Virgolo Cable Car | Snøhetta

The steep Virgolo/Virgl mountain in Bolzano, Italy has been practically inaccessible to visitors for almost forty years, following the close of the city’s historic funicular in 1976. This is about to change - The SIGNA Group hosted an international design competition for a new cable car transit system, allowing visitors to experience the beauty of the surrounding landscape and city below with only a minute ride on a cable car. Snøhetta was awarded first prize in the competition and the commission.

A JOURNEY OUT OF TOWN
Two rings - one as the base station, the other as a top station - form the framework of the cable car that connects the rings tangentially. Travel time will be a mere 1 minute and 11 seconds, making the Virgolo/Virgl just 5 minutes from the historic centre of Bolzano, the Piazza Walther/Walterplatz.
The landscape design at the base station will bring a piece of nature to the city, thanks to the green topography that marks the end of the Südtirolerstraße. The top station will serve as an urban interface with nature, housing a restaurant, café, infinity pool and meeting rooms. The development will provide a new view of the city from above, along with and possibilities for exploration, recreation and relaxation. The new ‘Mountain Square’ atop the Virgolo/Virgl will offer a flexible space for events - from open-air markets to concerts.