Hostel with a Heart

In 1909, school teacher Richard Schirrman happened upon the idea of a “youth hostel” while on a walking tour through Bavaria with his students. As a thunderstorm forced them to seek shelter in an empty school, he pondered what a network of safe and accessible accommodation options for young travelers might look like. Soon after, he created the first youth hostel, which quickly became a model for similar lodgings throughout the country and across the world.

Today, the youth hostel represents a different kind of challenge for architects and designers. Unlike hotels, which have always been centered on comfort and hospitality, hostels are spartan and practical—a means to an end, a clean bed on a budget. These bareboned spaces provide travelers with the essentials at a reasonable price, allowing them to explore the world beyond the four walls of their dormitory. But as travel has evolved, so too have the expectations and types of hostel-goers.

Global booking platform Hostelworld reports that over 60% of its users are solo travelers, which means that beyond an affordable bed, travelers seek well-designed accommodation that also allows for easy social interaction. It’s a shift that reflects the evolution of travel: the rise of booking websites, the influence of social media, and the increase in remote work. While hostels face rising competition in price and convenience, they offer something that hotels, Airbnbs, and serviced apartments often lack: a sense of community. With the World Health Organization labeling loneliness as a threat to global health, hostels that foster interaction offer a unique template for a new kind of travel.

Youth Hostel Bayreuth was designed with a focus on durability, sustainability, and long-term relevance in mind. The building incorporates low-energy features, such as an insulated wooden façade, that reduce energy consumption while enhancing comfort. Solid timber features paired with vibrant shades of yellow and green create a sense of coziness and character, distinguishing the hostel from conventional accommodation models that use mass-produced, temporary solutions. “The idea was to create something simple but genuine,” explains Wallisser. Emphasizing material warmth without sacrificing robustness, the design captures the “back-to-basics” spirit of youth hostels while addressing modern needs.

Accommodating up to 180 guests, the hostel offers a variety of two-, four-, and six-person rooms, each with a private shower and toilet. LAVA’s design embraces the evolving nature of hostel use, moving beyond traditional dormitory arrangements to create environments suited to a diverse range of guests—be they solo travelers, families, professionals, or sports teams. While the building’s structure remains fixed, the interior features modular components that incorporate furniture into the architecture, allowing rooms to adjust to different group sizes and needs.

“The design prioritizes functionality and versatility,” explains Wallisser. “The modules act as space dividers with built-in elements such as beds, storage, and seating, creating a spacious atmosphere rather than one cluttered with loose furniture. Additionally, to appeal to a wider audience, the hostel offers units configured in 2+2 or 2+4 layouts, featuring rotatable beds that can be combined or separated, along with bunk beds seamlessly built into the walls. These versatile niches are relatively small spaces, but they create something fascinating.”

Thanks to this approach, the building remains adaptable for future uses and could easily be repurposed for student housing, a kindergarten, or a retirement home in the years to come. “The only fixed element is the corridor itself—everything else can be reconfigured. This flexibility enriches the experience of space and elevates human comfort,” adds Wallisser. “Offering more choices naturally improves the quality of stay.”

Youth Hostel Bayreuth was developed by LAVA in partnership with the German Youth Hostel Association—founded by none other than Richard Schirmann—as an innovative model for the future of hostels in the region. Its spirit of openness, connection, and accessibility extends beyond the architecture to the hostel’s everyday, where around a third of those running the business have disabilities. As global travel continues to rebound in the post-pandemic era, projects like this set the stage for more socially and architecturally integrated living spaces around the world.

Our book What If (2022, Birkhäuser) features this project.