Bivouac Luca Pasqualetti Crowns the Italian Alps at an Altitude of Over 3,000 Meters

Set among the peaks of the Italian alps, this tiny bivouac acts as a refuge for those scaling the mountains. The project has been titled Bivouac Luca Pasqualetti.

Works were completed on the 10th of September 2018, when the Morion ridge in Valpelline was adorned with the small structure. It’s been designed by architects Roberto Dini and Stefano Girodo.

The building amounts to just 139.93-square-feet (13-square-meters), but that’s more than enough space to accommodate a cluster of hikers and mountaineers.

At an altitude of 10,794-feet (3290-meters), the climb to the bivouac is not for the faint of heart, especially when you consider the steep rock face you’ll have to overcome to reach it.

For those that do however, the unit provides some basic amenities: an area for eating and an area for sleeping. With its eight bunk beds, the bivouac can accommodate up to four people at a time (more than that if you don’t mind sleeping on the floor).

Due to the site location and weather conditions, construction took place elsewhere. The floor, walls and roof were prefabricated before being air-lifted to the site where they could be assembled.

Every component was sized according to its transport and handling during the final phase of laying and assembly by helicopter, looking for the maximum lightness related to structural solidity.

Being set among the mountain range, the architects had to ensure the bivouac made little impact on the surroundings, and what impact it did make could be undone.

The bivouac is devised to be completely reversible, following the philosophy of minimal environmental impact. The structure lays on non-permanent foundations anchored to the rock.

Photos © Grzegorz Grodzicki, Roberto Dini, Adele Muscolino, Stefano Girodo, Pellissier Helicopter