A Cabin For Mountaineers Sits Amongst The Peaks Of The Italian Alps

The work of local alpine guides Espri Sarvadzo, which translates from the local Italian dialect to mean ‘wild spirit’, and architects Roberto Dini and Stefano Girodo from the Istituto di Architettura Montana of the Politecnico di Torino, the ‘Luca Pasqualetti Bivouac’ sits on Morion Ridge in Valpelline beside the spectacular stone bridge of Becca Crevaye. The position of the hut wasn’t chosen solely for its remoteness, but rather, to highlight a forgotten series of treks that exist along the ridge. “The aim of this project is the rediscovery of these places by lightly improving their availability for mountaineering”, the architects explain. “A simple structure such as a bivouac, positioned in a remote place with difficult access, is “The aim of this project is the rediscovery of these places by lightly improving their availability for mountaineering” specifically conceived to stimulate a niche alpinism, interested in the beauty of the wild and solitary Valpelline places.” The Morion ridge separates the Bionaz and Ollomont Valleys, and is formed by peaks of elevations between 3000 and 3500 meters.

Undertaken with assistance from Montagna Sarvadza, a volunteer group founded purely for the project, the bivouac was constructed off-site, and then secured on Morion Ridge in during Spring 2018. Designed to be “completely reversible”, the prefabricated bivouac has non-permanent foundations and will be removed at the end of its life-cycle without leaving permanent traces on the ground.