Bründl Sports renovates and expands its flagship store in Kaprun, Austria, transforming the existing building into a sustainable sports retail destination integrated within the Alpine landscape. Located near the Kitzsteinhorn and Schmittenhöhe mountains, the project combines architecture, hospitality, shopfitting and digital retail solutions across a six-level retail environment developed by architects blocher partners and implemented by umdasch The Store Makers.
The intervention doubles the retail surface to 2,500 square metres and introduces a customer experience focused on sustainability, technical services and experiential interaction. Natural materials, certified environmental solutions and digital touchpoints contribute to defining one of the most advanced sports retail concepts currently developed in the Austrian Alps.
The six-level layout integrates sports retail, hospitality and customer services
The new flagship store organizes product categories, technical services and experiential areas across six different levels. The layout combines retail functions with hospitality-oriented spaces designed to encourage longer permanence and direct interaction with products and services.
The basement hosts a glazed ski service workshop together with a ski boot fitting laboratory, while upper floors include footwear, menswear and womenswear departments, pop-up areas for rotating sports brands and dedicated presentation zones for product innovation.
The store also introduces family-oriented experiential areas including a climbing wall and a large slide integrated into the children’s section. On the top floor, the customer journey culminates in a lounge and bistro connected to a panoramic roof terrace and a glazed footbridge positioned 20 metres above ground level.
Natural materials and recycled surfaces reinforce the sustainable store concept
The material palette reflects the environmental positioning of the project through the extensive use of sustainable woods including white fir, spruce and Swiss pine. These materials contribute to defining a warm retail atmosphere closely connected to the Alpine context surrounding the store.
Rauris quartzite appears throughout the interior in checkout counters, drinking fountain elements and floor surfaces positioned in both indoor and outdoor areas. Polished stainless steel introduces durable finishes resistant to temperature variation and corrosion, supporting the operational needs of a high-traffic sports retail environment.
Recycled materials are integrated into several shopfitting elements. Plastic tiles produced from recycled chocolate moulds become visual features within the Kids Corner and selected display areas, while textile fibre composite panels made from cotton and wool offcuts are used for wall cladding and furniture applications.
The Bründl flagship store introduces certified sustainability standards into sports retail
The new Bründl Sporthaus becomes the first retail store in Austria certified according to ÖGNI-Innenraum standards established by the Austrian Sustainable Building Council. The certification process evaluates sourcing routes, environmental certifications, carbon footprint calculations and the sustainability performance of materials used within the project.
Within the shopfitting process developed by umdasch The Store Makers, particular attention is dedicated to sustainable sourcing and transport-related CO2 emissions. Only environmentally certified materials and verified sustainable solutions are integrated into the final retail environment.
Digital touchpoints support interaction, merchandising and performance analysis
The digital retail systems supplied by umdasch The Store Makers include video walls, projectors, integrated screens and audio systems distributed throughout the store. Flexible mounting solutions allow screens to adapt to changing merchandising layouts while maintaining visual integration with the architecture.
One of the main interactive installations is a 15-metre running track projected onto the floor of the footwear department through six synchronized projectors. The installation enables customers to analyse running style and footwear performance in simulated real-use conditions.
“As a retail family, Bründl has demonstrated remarkable courage with this project during a health and economic crisis. We are proud to have been able to support them with our shopfitting and digital solutions”, comments Silvio Kirchmair, CEO umdasch Store Makers.
Photos courtesy © Bründl Sports / Joachim Grothus