Excursion: Timetable

Stop 1: Ludesch

The newly erected community centre in Ludesch is an example of how architecture, ecological construction, energy efficiency and regional resources were used wisely.  While here, we want to present two LEADER projects and also take the participants on a tour of the building.

Project „Timber Construction Art“

Simone Kochhafen with young craftsmen.

Maintaining the hand-craft culture starts with education.  The LEADER project is running an innovative training programme for young wood workers, which was developed by the participating businesses themselves.  Winner project in the contest „Future in the Alps“ from CIPRA

Sightseeing Tour

Gebhard Bertsch: The excursion participants will have the opportunity to see regional resource utilization, ecology and timber construction directly during the tour.  The community centre in Ludesch was built to Passive House Standards.  It is an exemple in Europe and is visited regularly by experts from all over.

Project „Mountain Timber“

Gottlieb Kaufmann, Andreas Neuhauser

This LEADER project shows a change in parochial, regional brands. There is valley wide co-operation between businesses in the Biosphere Park in the Great Walser Valley linked to the development of the brand - Mountain Timber.  The project, that was started in 2001, can already report an increase in turnover and employment in remote areas.  Co-operation is a learning process that must be nurtured. 

Note:

Each presentation, including questions at the end will take at least 30 minutes.  We think the stopover will be about 2 hours.  The four groups, of 50 people each, will arrive in Ludesch in 30 minute intervals and begin with the first presentation upon arrival.

2nd Stop: Blons

After driving through the winding roads of the Biosphere Park in the Great Walser Valley, there will be a rest stop.  The participants can get something to eat and drink in the centre of Blons.  At the same time, they can take a look at the Winner Project, Vorarlberg Timber construction prize, 2005.  This building is in close connection to the LEADER + Project, Mountain Timber.  The village of Blons, known because of the avalanche catastrophe demonstrates how timber from the protection forests can be used continuously.  During the break and while eating the snack (made from regional products), there will be an explanation about the LEADER partial region Biosphere Park and the community of Blons.

3rd Stop: Au in the Bregenzer Wald

After driving over the Faschina Pass, the excursion participants will arrive in the village of Au in the Bregenzer wald, another partial region of the LAG Vorarlberg.  We will meet at the Hotel Krone.

Project „Baroque Master Builder“ Walter Lingg

The LEADER project Baroque Master Builder brings the superior handicraft culture of the 17th and 18th centuries in the valley regions of the Bregenzerwald to your attention.  The handicraft co-operation, under the strict leadership of the renowned master builders, had its own training centre in Au.  The craftsmen worked all over Europe and they were a decisive economic factor during this era.  Maintaining the handicraft culture is an historical mission.  The excursion participants will notice the deep roots of these famous master builders in the tiny baroque church in Au.

4th Stop: Schwarzenberg

„Work Shop Depot“ Karin Kaufmann

The workshop is a craftsmen organisation with about 100 member companies from the Bregenzerwald region.  The association, which was formed in the framework of a LEADER II project, organises contests, exhibitions and devotes itself to the education of the younger generation.  In order to maintain the hand-craft culture, the organisation puts Now in the middle point.  Co-operations with designers, the development of new products, innovation, quality and dependability has become the image of the workshop organised businesses.  The exhibition shows contemporary design and the tour tells about the co-operation and how it came about.  More information can be found in the book „Landschaft des Wissens“ or „Landscape of Knowledge“  main publication with the sub title „Seven Portraits of Unusual Projects in Europe“. 

A short hike of about 10 minutes takes us to the centre of Schwarzenberg which is under conservation of ancient monuments.  After a short commentary and a drink and local snack, we will move on.

"sight seeing " with Elfie Kaspar

A small cultural sight seeing  tour in Schwarzenberg.; Duration: 30 min. per group  Limit of two groups

Meeting point at the church (The Legacy of Angelika Kauffmann)

5th Stop: Hittisau

After a drive of about 20 minutes, the excursion will arrive at the Women‘s Museum in Hittisau.  A noteworthy architectural building made from the timber of the local forests.

Project: „Silver Fir“  Franz Rüf (Vorarlberg), Rolf Eberhard (West-Allgäu), Dajana Grzesik (Nord-Schwarzwald)

The cross border LEADER + Project is involved with the Silver Fir which was voted Tree of the Year in 2004.  Three local action groups are working on the image of a species of tree across national borders.  This tree is plentiful in the participating regions, but because of globalisation during the past years, has been hard put upon.

Theme: Partaking in the culture of regional resources as an answer to general globalisation.

Project: „Timber Culture, Hittisau“ Helga Rädler

Timber Culture, Hittisau is a LEADER project whose goal is to let visitors experience the multifarious facets of the regional resource, timber.  A walk about the village to architectural examples, businesses and the natural landscape help to strengthen their relationship to a natural substance.  The participants see how a regional material can become a cultural element.   

19:00 Dinner at Ritter-von-Bergmann Hall