GEOS constantly searches for integrated solutions which are technically, ecologically and economically sound and support a sustainable regional development

Planning of ski slopes and artificial snowmaking facilities for the
European Youth Olympic Winter Games 2013 in Sinaia/Romania
GEOS Consulting ZT-GmbH was founded in 2004 by the landscape architect Andreas BERCHTOLD, the geologist Christian ONITSCH and the water management planner Helmut WACKENREUTHER. In the nineties the three partners started working together carrying out various ski resort projects, beginning with the facility planning and environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the ski resort Nassfeld, the biggest ski resort in southern Austria. It was the first successful EIA for a ski resort in Austria. The first international skiing project, an EIA for a ski resort in Lebanon, has been carried out in 2001. After that GEOS experts assisted in the privatization and the elaboration of the masterplan for the Olympic Ski Resort Jahorina/BiH. Furthermore we contributed to the development of winter sports potentialities in war affected areas in Croatia. We were planning winter sports facilities (slopes, ropeway and snowmaking) for the first Southasian Federation Winter Games in Auli/India, postponed from 2/2009 to 12/2009 after Mumbai attacks. Moreover, the GEOS team has been involved in the design of ski slopes for the Winter Olympic Games 2014 in the ski resort Roza Khutor near Sochi/Russia.

GEOS constantly searches for integrated solutions which are technically, ecologically and economically sound and support a sustainable regional development. Therefore GEOS is also engaged in regional and local development planning processes for regions or locations in Austria and abroad. Examples are the elaboration of a spatial plan for the region around the artificial lake Smartinsko in Celje/ Slovenia and the detailed spatial plan for Moraca region in Montenegro, where the government plans to build 4 artificial lakes in order to gain hydroelectric power.

GEOS is cooperating with several consulting partners from Austria and abroad. We are involved in various applications for different European national and transnational programmes, namely LEADER, “ländlicher Raum”, INTERREG, LIFE, EuropeAid and CADSES SEE.

Project data:

Ski Resort Sinaia/Romania
The Prahova Valley in the Southern Carpats hosts the European Youth Winter Olympic Games 2013. In the ski resort Sinaia the Super Giant and Slalom – competitions will take place.
Sinaia, by car 1,5 hours north of Bucharest, is a traditional tourist resort with about 5000 touristic beds. In the last few years they made many efforts to modernize the touristic infrastructure by installing two modern ropeways (a detachable 4-seater Chairlift and a detachable Gondola ropeway). Now they intend to modernize also the other elements, necessary for the economic operation of the new lifts.
GEOS is in charge of the planning of ski slopes, the avalanche protection and the artificial snowmaking facilities, including a storage pond. Furthermore we are responsible for the FIS-homologation. The services range from the feasibility study up to detailed planning. The challenge of this project is to handle the necessary measures with due care for ecology and landscape considering the surrounding NATURE 2000 – protected area.

Project information (PDF)

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