The land of swings

The Bregenzerwald is known far beyond the Alps as a "model region" when it comes to forward-looking topics such as architecture, craftsmanship, design, cuisine or social formats. Now a new project is enriching the Austrian region in Vorarlberg: The Land of Swings.

Behind this term lies the Hutschn project - the three founders Andreas Baumann, Andreas and Matthias Bunsen have combined creative joie de vivre and first-class craftsmanship to produce high-quality swings from solid oak planks, the so-called "Hutschn", in elaborate handwork in a master workshop. The focus here is on quality, durability, origin and the ecological balance. The project was created in their spare time and was not profit-oriented from the outset. For all three, it is a passion alongside their professions. Despite high demand, they deliberately decided against commercial mass production. Rocking. Letting go. Being free. Their success proves them right.

They have long had the vision of sharing this attitude to life with more people - and with more regions. With the "Land of Swings", Hutschn is launching a project that spans the Alps. What could be a better starting point for this than the visionary Damüls/Faschina? "It's the start of something bigger," says Andreas Bunsen, "we're already in talks with other regions and perhaps the project will develop into a European swing trail across the Alps."

The first four huts have just been set up in Damüls Faschina, which can only be reached on foot at an altitude of up to 1850 meters. Breathtaking mountain views included. Tourism Director Mathias Klocker is keen to motivate other regions to help shape this project and create an interface between people and nature. The swings are not simply a place to sit, but rather an invitation to change one's perspective, an opportunity to constantly sharpen one's view of the surroundings through the continuous forward and backward movement and to incorporate the impressions gained. To follow the child's impulse to simply sit on it, push off and swing away, to set your own body and the world in motion. A Hutschn is more than just a swing, it stands for an attitude to life. And everyone who comes along is cordially invited to feel it.