Just before the winter season kicks into full gear, Marcel Hirscher welcomed the elite VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports athletes to tour the brand’s brand-new headquarters, production facility, and flagship store in Scheffau.
Spread across 6,900 square meters, the new complex is a true temple of ski culture — and the remarkable result of turning a childhood dream into what is now one of the most advanced ski factories in existence, completed in only 16 months.
For Marcel Hirscher, the mantra “impossible until someone does it” has defined every chapter of his life — first as an athlete with eight consecutive overall World Cup titles, two Olympic gold medals, and seven world championships, and later as the founder of THE MOUNTAIN STUDIO and VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports. Today, that mindset lives on in his brand’s new home.
232 WEEKS THAT REDEFINED SKI MANUFACTURING
VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports is still a young company — precisely 232 weeks old.
Its origin dates back to June 12, 2021, the day Hirscher decided to build fifty pairs of meticulously crafted skis solely for himself and those close to him.
It didn’t stop there.
His vision of making elite-level equipment accessible to passionate skiers inspired Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who famously told him: “Then let’s build a company that changes the sport.”
From that moment, the project exploded with momentum: rapid product innovation, early racing victories, and a steadily growing global fanbase. Today, VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports stands as one of the most recognizable new names in skiing, supported by top athletes including:
- Henrik Kristoffersen
- Timon Haugan
- Joan Verdu
- AJ Ginnis
- Max Franz
- Fabian Ax Swartz
- Aleix Aubert Serracanta
- Ski jumpers Andreas Wellinger, Daniel Tschofenig, Timi Zajc
- Nordic combined athlete Vinzenz Geiger
Hirscher himself will return to the World Cup circuit in January as the team’s “Racing Captain.”
“I dreamed of a place that inspires athletes, partners, customers — everyone who loves skiing. What we’ve created exceeds everything I imagined.”
— Marcel Hirscher
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THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE TURN — BROUGHT TO LIFE IN ARCHITECTURE
November 18, 2025 — a rare sight: nearly all top VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports athletes in the same place, mid-season, to experience the new headquarters with Hirscher.
The entire building is designed around one idea: the perfect turn.
Its architecture mirrors the flow, rhythm, and precision of skiing. Built between a cliffside, a country road, and the sweeping curves of the Lammer River, the HQ is an architectural statement shaped by X ARCHITEKTEN and realized by 30 partner companies.
Key design elements:
- Reinforced concrete construction with green façade panels
- Interior design aligned with the brand’s visual identity
- Iconic stairwell inspired by a slalom course
- Sustainable energy systems including heat pumps, groundwater wells, heat-recovery ventilation, photovoltaics, and low-temperature heating
The result is a unified, contemporary home base where the brand’s identity, the landscape, and the sport converge seamlessly.
A PLACE ATHLETES CALL HOME
Hirscher’s first reaction after stepping inside: silence — followed by amazement.
And he isn’t the only one feeling that way.
“No other ski company has a place like this. Everything we need is here — equipment, training, support. It brings us together as a team.”
— Henrik Kristoffersen
Timon Haugan shares the excitement:
“Being one of the first athletes on the brand makes me even prouder when I see what’s been created in such a short time.”
INSIDE THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED SKI FACTORY
A full third of the complex is dedicated to production.
The factory layout mirrors the complete lifecycle of ski manufacturing — a highly optimized environment influenced by Formula 1 standards.
Hirscher has assembled leading specialists in:
- race ski preparation
- precision edge tuning
- bespoke boot fitting
Quality control is simple and uncompromising: every product carries Hirscher’s personal signature — literally.
“Racing is not an end in itself. Winning validates that our equipment helps every skier become a better skier.”
— Marcel Hirscher
THE FLAGSHIP STORE: WORLD CUP SERVICE FOR EVERY SKIER
Opening December 1, the flagship store sits at the heart of the HQ.
Its design resembles an open kitchen, giving customers full visibility into ski production.
Here, the same experts who service World Cup athletes tune skis and boots for recreational skiers. Every customer goes through:
- individualized consultation
- material selection
- ergonomic boot fitting
- bindings setup
- edge tuning
- base structuring and waxing
Every pair is prepared as if it were headed into a race.
AFTER TRAINING: THE ATHLETES ROOM
Upstairs, meeting rooms and workspaces surround a large central atrium.
The Athletes Room includes:
- bike trainers
- physiotherapy area
- ice bath
- showers
All major training areas are less than an hour away — making the HQ a perfect basecamp for professionals.
THE FIRST OLYMPIC WINTER AHEAD
While the alpine team already opened the Olympic season in Sölden and Levi, other VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports athletes are starting their campaigns in Lillehammer.
Max Franz is preparing for his return in the U.S., while Vinzenz Geiger is recovering from injury.
As for Hirscher — his office, he jokes, is still “on the mountain and in the ski room.”
He returns to World Cup racing in January.
The brand’s first Olympic season may well become another defining chapter in skiing history.
