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Kaufhaus Tyrol

Fassade des Kaufhaus Tyrol mit großen Fensterfronten in der Fußgängerzone der Maria-Theresien-Straße mit der Annasäule und verschneiten Bergen im Hintergrund.

Shopping in the Heart of Innsbruck

Located right in the pedestrian zone around Maria-Theresien-Straße, Kaufhaus Tyrol is revitalizing the traditional shopping mile and opening up a whole new shopping world in the heart of Innsbruck.

A Century of Retail History

On March 16, 1908, the Jewish families Bauer and Schwarz opened the first department store in Innsbruck, ushering in a completely new era in retail. The architecture of the new store was also groundbreaking. 

As Innsbruck’s first reinforced concrete building, it was already equipped with central heating, elevators, and an 18-meter-high mall with a glass roof.

After forced expropriation and destruction before and during World War II, the building was rebuilt between 1945 and 1954 and renamed  “Kaufhaus Tyrol” in 1966.

 

In the following years, time seemed to stand still a little at Kaufhaus Tyrol. The central location was a big plus, but it became increasingly clear that this alone would not be enough for the future.

 

Drei historische Fotos als Collage mit Jahreszahlen: Die Maria-Theresien-Straße 1908 mit der Annasäule, die Fassade 1938 und die Gebäudefront 1974.

A New Era Begins

The long search for the new face of Kaufhaus Tyrol ended in October 2007 with the decision for the design by British star architect David Chipperfield.

 

This was a real stroke of luck for Innsbruck, as the architecture, realized in collaboration with Dieter Mathoi Architekten, combines modern individuality with identity-shaping features that pay homage to history. The gentle restoration of the grand boulevard was a complete success, and the revival of a Tyrolean retail landmark was achieved.

In summer 2025, Kaufhaus Tyrol was taken over by Peek & Cloppenburg (Düsseldorf).
Fassade des Kaufhaus Tyrol mit großen Fensterfronten in der Fußgängerzone der Maria-Theresien-Straße mit der Annasäule und verschneiten Bergen im Hintergrund.

Cutting-Edge Environmental Technology

Kaufhaus Tyrol is the first shopping center to feature a concrete core activation system. This means the building structure is used to store thermal energy and release it as needed for heating or cooling. Thanks to this innovative and eco-friendly technology, which involved an investment of two million euros, 5,000 tons of CO2 emissions can be saved every year.

Luftaufnahme der großen Baustelle im Herzen der Innsbrucker Innenstadt während der Bauphase und Revitalisierung des Kaufhaus Tyrol.

AWARDS AND HONORS

2012: Prime Property Award (2nd Place)

The Prime Property Award honors European real estate investments that combine economic success with ecological and sociocultural sustainability in exemplary ways. Out of 160 projects, Kaufhaus Tyrol was awarded second place thanks to its extensive use of water from the Inn River and an innovative low-energy concept.

2012: National Architecture Award

“Calm and controlled on the outside, dynamic and theatrical on the inside …” – this was the jury’s reasoning for awarding the National Architecture Award in 2012. The elegant atmosphere of Kaufhaus Tyrol is reminiscent of the grand arcades of the 19th century, when shopping was all about strolling rather than consumption.

2011: ICSC European Conference Awards

In 2011, Kaufhaus Tyrol was named the most beautiful and best shopping center in Europe. The globally renowned ICSC European Conference Awards consider not only architecture but also development quality, shop mix, sustainability, and customer acceptance as key criteria.