Cöchèra. Un fienile in Val Sabbia

 

In the 1980s, a series of publications revived interest in rural and mountain constructions, emphasising their deep connection with historical and material contexts. Inspired by this renewed perspective, the author began studying Alpine architecture, initially in Valsassina and later in Val Sabbia, focusing on mid-mountain barns. These structures, once essential to the local agro-pastoral economy, have gradually fallen into disuse due to economic decline and emigration. Through detailed surveys and typological analysis, the author documented their architectural evolution and sought ways to counter their progressive disappearance.

This effort culminated in the restoration of an abandoned barn, carefully transformed into a temporary residence while preserving its original character. The project prioritised maintaining the building’s relationship with the surrounding landscape, restoring lost connections such as pathways, pastures, and wooded areas. By integrating subtle structural reinforcements and minimal design interventions, the restoration respected the barn’s essential form while adapting it to new uses.

This work highlights the importance of vernacular architecture, not only as a testimony to historical rural life but also as a model for sustainable design, where construction and nature exist in a delicate and meaningful balance.

ArchitetturAlpinA, un docufilm

 

The Architetti Arco Alpino Association coordinates and promotes cultural initiatives focused on design in mountain contexts. Its ambition is to raise awareness among a broader audience, beyond professionals, about the conditions that foster architectural quality and territorial integrity.

Feedback from initiatives promoted in previous years has shown that, using language suitable for a non-expert audience, architecture and territory can be discussed outside of a strictly disciplinary context.

AAA’s latest project, set to be completed between the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, will showcase ten examples of transformation across the Italian Alps, where high-quality architecture embraces both people and their stories. Titled ArchitetturAlpinA (Alpine Architecture), this project is a nearly hour-long docufilm directed by Francesca Molteni, who has curated significant works on Aldo Rossi, Emilio Ambasz, and Renzo Piano, among others.

AAA will explore ten projects that, at vastly different scales and within diverse social and economic contexts, reaffirm the importance of a thoughtful design process that respects people and places.

In order to better capture the stratified complexity of these transformations, and to break away from the almost sacred image of architecture, normally devoid of any human presence, the video format becomes the ideal medium to invite reflection on the current state of architecture in the Italian Alps, bringing human stories and landscapes into meaningful dialogue.

Esterno, interno-esterno, interno. Case villaggio e spazi transizionali

 

This reflection, starting from the famous phrase from Leon Battista Alberti’s De re ædificatoria, which describes the city as a large house and the house as a small city, suggests a connection between domestic and urban spaces that goes beyond mere analogy, instead resembling a fractal continuity of spatial configurations. This concept is explored through the analysis of historic settlements in the Western Italian Alps, where common patterns are observed between rooms, buildings, and entire settlements. The continuity between open and enclosed spaces, between the public and private dimensions, results in a series of intermediary spaces that reflect an integrated view of social and cultural life, as highlighted by Bernardo Secchi and Giancarlo De Carlo. These spaces, defined as ‘interior-exteriors’, are expressions of a dynamic interaction between the environment and construction, where mediation is not represented by porticos or loggias, but by more complex structures such as ‘village houses’. Contemporary designs by architects like Valerio Olgiati and Peter Zumthor revisit and develop these ideas, proposing configurations that intertwine public and private spaces in a play of transitions, thresholds, and visual connections. This approach to mountain architecture not only reinterprets tradition but also explores the possibilities of meaning in environments that continuously blur the boundaries between interior and exterior, as evidenced by recent projects of revitalisation and regeneration in Alpine and mountain contexts.

 

Il paesaggio narrante: l’opera di Babau Bureau ed Elisa Brusegan per un’archeologia accessibile in Valle Camonica

 

Mountain landscapes are often rich in stories, myths, and traditions, acting as silent narrators of human history. Valle Camonica, home to Italy’s first UNESCO World Heritage site (No. 94), holds one of the world’s most extensive collections of rock drawings. These incisions constitute an extraordinary cultural and archaeological palimpsest, embedded within a wild and rugged territory that, while rich in historical significance, often presents challenges to accessibility.

The intervention by Babau Bureau and architect Elisa Brusegan in the Dos Sottolaiolo archaeological area reinterprets the relationship between built space, sensory perception, and the act of narration. A continuous guiding element, featuring contemporary interpretations of the engravings, facilitates engagement with the site, while a sound-based component introduces an additional interpretative layer. The project transcends conventional accessibility measures, proposing a broader reflection on the role of architecture in shaping the perceptual and narrative dimensions of cultural landscapes.

By integrating spatial, material, and auditory elements, the intervention stimulates the perception and sensitivity of the user by transforming the archaeological site into a place of continuous narrative transmission from past to present.

 

In Cerca di Cibo. Significa in cerca di nutrimento

 

Imagination nourishes the gaze for a project and helps to see and look (and to guard and take care of) things without limitations.

Starting in childhood, we play with words and things that can become ‘something else’. I am interested in Words that turn into Images and can be Inhabited. I have always tried to describe architecture in words because, as E. Sottsass Jr. says: “The vocabulary fills up with words, the syntax fills up with sentences, metaphors multiply (they Amplify and expand in breadth and depth), and shadow and light become figurative matter, or rather, an open figurative system, meaning they become an everyday language, a spoken language, invented and reinvented. And we can enter it. Thoughts become things, and things, in a circular way, lead us back to thoughts.”

In this project, I am interested in searching for ecosystemic Words that bring Text into Context, where thoughts (to Think) become trails (to Tread) to cross and follow, seeking something Wild, raw, evolving, and expressive of something political (of the polis) – evoking a Material Cosmos, because it leads to the Mother, the Origin, and a Symbolic dimension that takes root in a Primary system, bringing gestures and relationships into a Broad and Deep ecosystem.

Casa a Lottano, Il Suono

 

The process that led to the design of Casa a Lottano is investigated from an unseen point of view. Drawing on Valerio Olgiati’s request to his most illustrious colleagues to point out the images that materialised in their minds before beginning the design process, this article explores this journey from the point of view of sound. Architecture is explained and deconstructed through sound: melodic, ordered compositions; and noises, necessary and material. Essential for the author is in fact the aural stimuli that a place arouses when one observes it, studies it. There are sonorities that inexorably accompany the perception of a space, be it the noises caused by the creaking of doors or individual musical compositions sung or listened to that create a kind of soundtrack. At Casa a Lottano, melodies are suggested by the structure’s relationship with nature, by the beautiful scenery of the Alpine setting, open in front of the large glazing, evoking a connection with the sound of the Universe, as interpreted by Pink Floyd. Antithetically, the interior spaces, clean and essential, at times severe in their composition, are realised with clear lines, creating tensions that are as haunting as the notes of a cello. At the same time, the sounds of the materials themselves are investigated, the sensations they cause examined through a mixture of memories and research. Ultimately, it is unclear how exactly this acoustic phenomena develops: do the sounds evoked by a building that has not been built exist in themselves, or are they the result of our experiences?

L’architettura come racconto del territorio: continuità tra tradizione e futuro

 

Mountain architecture represents a knowledge stratified over time, born of the interaction between human needs, local resources, and respect for the land. This text proposes a reflection on the importance of building memory as a reading tool and guide for contemporary design. Mountain landscapes tell of a building culture attentive to the natural context, where the choice of materials, the orientation of buildings, the relationship with the soil, and climatic conditions were fundamental elements. Traditional architecture was not only functional, but an expression of a profound balance with the environment, the result of a collective intelligence handed down across generations. Today, many of these buildings are in danger of abandonment or are being replaced by constructions that ignore the context, generating discontinuity and loss of identity. In response to this trend, designing requires accepting cultural, environmental, and social responsibility. It is necessary to recover a conscious approach, capable of reinterpreting the knowledge of the past through a contemporary lens, enhancing the relationship between architecture and place.

Building is not just a physical act, but a gesture that affects time, which must generate meaning, dialogue, and continuity. This is the only way to restore dignity to the built landscape, making architecture an integral part of the history and future of territories.

Paesaggio elettrico

 

In 2007, the But valley in Carnia was involved in a debate regarding the possibility of burying the power line to finally eliminate the poles that had always dotted the landscape.

The assignment, entrusted by Secab, started from the reflection that, in a contemporary vision, the perception of the landscape increasingly passes from instruments that ‘fly over’ the territory, flattening its morphology, characteristics and peculiarities to return it to the homogeneous two-dimensionality of a computer screen. To counter this attitude, every project on a ‘large’ scale should take into account the characteristics and peculiarities of a place in order to establish a dialectical relationship aimed not only at responding to precise needs, but also capable of generating new possibilities. The need to integrate the electrical substations with the landscape was thus answered not only by aiming at the possibility of reducing the visual impact – as envisaged by the Municipal Regulatory Plan – but by providing an added value that would allow the individual, designed objects to constitute a territorial network, thus uniting the points of interest located in this portion of Carnia. This approach allowed for a direct dialogue between the client and the citizens, thereafter building a consensus space where the infrastructure was transformed into new and usable places scattered in the landscape.

Haus Kuoni a San Nazzaro. Un Textcollage

 

This text-collage brings together reflections from various authors on the Haus Kuoni, designed by Conradin Clavuot in San Nazzaro, Ticino. The project emerges as a response to the dynamic relationship between architecture and nature, particularly the fluctuating water levels of Lago Maggiore and the challenges posed by recurring floods. The house, elevated on slender concrete supports, recalls both the imagery of a floating vessel and the pragmatic logic of Alpine vernacular architecture.

The collected texts explore different facets of the project: from the engineering solutions provided by Placido Pérez, which ensure the house’s structural stability on an unstable shoreline, to Martin Tschanz’s critical analysis, which contrasts Clavuot’s design with Mies van der Rohe’s modernist ideals. Mercedes Daguerre places the house within the cultural tradition of Ticino as a place of retreat for those seeking the warmth and vibrancy of the southern landscape.

Le paysage alpin: observé, habité, craint

 

Simple as it may seem, a recurring theme in Alpine architecture is the landscape. Inevitably, whenever you look outside, you come face to face with it. Openings are embraced, at times excessively, but all the same they often have a frame. The landscape, its chill, wind and slopes, dictates the way in which buildings are constructed. We build on the rare flat fragments of land that humans have managed to carve from the mountains. The buildings are sturdy and compact to withstand the wind, like hunched backs, as seen in the paintings of Biéler. As such, it is better to forego overhanging eaves and treat the mass of the building like a monolith.

Inside, every centimetre counts. Stairs are steep and functions are interconnected, arranged like the shelters on the slopes, some high up, some lower down, with interchanging views.

The continuity of materials is ubiquitous, as if to convey the verticality of the floor to ceiling space. Dialogue with the landscape is created by reflecting (mirror-polished stainless steel), blending in (stone), or even disappearing into the landscape by covering the entire structure in a single unifying dark colour.

Sometimes, the landscape collapses, and the communities, as stubborn as alpine farmers, defy this menace. They rebuild right where the mountain has repeatedly destroyed their toil, just like at the Abbey of St. Maurice, where the falling stones serve as inspiration for the static system used to cover the archaeological ruins.

La Sala Polivalente di Bondo, ovvero il restauro del contemporaneo

 

Designed by Armando Ruinelli in 1995, the Multipurpose Hall in Bondo represents a rare case in which an architect, after completing a project, remains engaged with the space over time. Now, nearly three decades later, he has been entrusted with its restoration, marking a new chapter in his architectural journey.

Influenced by Aldo Rossi and Michael Alder, Ruinelli developed a design methodology rooted in typological analysis, material selection, and a sensitive response to the built environment. The Multipurpose Hall, situated in a landscape rather than an urban setting, showcases his evolving understanding of architecture’s relationship with nature.

Constructed as a simple composition of a concrete base and a wooden structure, the building harmonises with its surroundings through subtle yet precise design choices.

In 2017, a devastating landslide severely damaged the structure. The current restoration, to be completed by the end of this year, focuses on three key aspects: repair, correction, and adaptation. Functional updates include new flooring, enhanced glazing, and upgraded infrastructure, while aesthetic refinements address prior material choices and architectural details. The intervention also responds to the transformed landscape, integrating the building into a newly designed environment that merges protective infrastructure with historical rural elements.

Badhaus: un progetto di recupero urbano nel cuore di Bressanone. Dialogo con Gerd Bergmeister, bergmeisterwolf

 

The Badhaus project by bergmeisterwolf is an emblematic example of the dialogue between South Tyrolean architecture and the landscape, tradition, and contemporary needs. This intervention focused on tourism and accommodation in the historic centre of Brixen has triggered an urban transformation based on a design intuition that developed from Othmar Barth’s earlier vision for the same site.

The project, which was developed through an extensive dialogue with the neighbouring owners, the administration, and heritage authorities, goes beyond the scale of a single building and redesigns the entire collective space. The result is an urban ‘microsurgery’ capable of repairing an entire piece of the city through new passages, remodelled courtyards, and pathways.

The strength of the Badhaus lies in its ability to redefine the relationship between public and private space by generously opening to the city while preserving privacy. This urban permeability is of particular importance in Brixen, a mountain town where buildings and communities often remain self-contained. The choice of materials – stone for communal areas, wood for more intimate passages, plaster for new volumes – reinforces this dialectic between public and private.

As Gerd Bergmeister explains, architecture today must physically, socially, and culturally reactivate parts of cities that are in danger of losing their vitality and propose innovative solutions to the challenges of our time.

Dagli archivi il Progetto per un Albergo-Rifugio tipo in Valmalenco di Gianni Albricci e Marco Zanuso (1938)

 

Winner of the 1938 Littoriali della Cultura e dell’Arte, the project for a Hotel-Refuge in Valmalenco (2000 m altitude) by Gianni Albricci (1916-2001) and Marco Zanuso (1916-2001) was conceived by two young students from the Faculty of Architecture at the Politecnico di Milano. The skillful design combines traditional alpine materials with innovative solutions, reflecting the autarkic policies of the Fascist era. Albricci and Zanuso’s proposal, selected for its clear spatial organisation and thoughtful response to the mountain context, included a hundred guest beds, a dining area, and recreational spaces designed to optimise natural light and comfort for climbers. Rediscovered in the Historical Archives of the Politecnico di Milano through the research of Federico Bucci (1959-2023), the project exemplifies the integration of functional requirements and modernist principles, lauded at the time by Giuseppe Pagano (1896-1945) in “Casabella”. Although never built, the design remains a significant example of high-altitude architecture and the intersections between politics, culture, and design in 1930s Italy. The original drawings are now on display at the Made in Polimi exhibition, celebrating the legacy of architectural education and experimentation at the Politecnico di Milano.

Capanna Minolina

 

The Capanna Minolina is a prefabricated structure designed by architect Giulio Minoletti. Conceived in 1960 and unveiled in 1962 at Milan’s Palazzo dell’Arte, this innovative shelter was meant to revolutionise accommodation for tourists with its minimal footprint and ease of assembly. Marketed by the company ‘Holiday’, it promised affordable, year-round vacations in diverse landscapes. However, its legacy has been overlooked. While some of these cabins still stand in coastal settings, the alpine prototype met a different fate. Demolished in 2024, it fell victim to preservation regulations that failed to recognise its architectural significance.

Minoletti, a pioneer of lightweight prefabrication, was instrumental in modern design, shaping interiors for ships, aircraft, and high-speed trains. Yet his contributions were disregarded, and the Capanna Minolina’s demolition epitomises the neglect and erasure of a unique architectural heritage. This photograph remains as testament to what was lost – a fragment of Italy’s postwar architectural innovation, sacrificed to bureaucracy and indifference.

La Haus Böhler di Heinrich Tessenow a Oberalpina

 

Heinrich Tessenow (1876-1950) is best known for his small houses, however his design for the Böhler House in Oberalpina, near St. Moritz (1916-1917), is a unique example in his body of work. Commissioned by Heinrich Böhler, the heir of an industrialist, the house reflects Tessenow’s move away from Jugendstil and contemporary trends like Heimatstil. Instead, he created a timeless, understated architecture that blends seamlessly with the Alpine landscape. The large atelier for the Böhlers, both painters, was central to the design, a house envisioned as a space for artistic creation.

The irregular geometry and simple forms contrast with the idyllic setting; Tessenow used the natural slope of the land, aligning the roofline and terrace wall with the terrain. The interior’s orthogonal layout, combined with modest details like built-in cabinets, created a functional yet elegant space. The small dining room and expansive veranda emphasised the surrounding views, making the Alpine landscape a central part of how the house is experienced.

Although Tessenow’s design was slightly altered during construction, the house stood as an example of restrained beauty in the mountains. Tragically, it was demolished in 1989 by Alfred Heineken, who sought an unobstructed view. Despite public opposition, the house was torn down after a referendum in favour of demolition. Its loss is compounded by a lack of detailed documentation, with only a few photographs and drawings that preserve its legacy.

Narrazioni di architettura di montagna

Questo numero della rivista ArchAlp riflette sul rapporto tra progetto di architettura e suo racconto testuale e narrativo. Prova a farlo in più modi: progettisti che raccontano una loro opera o gruppo di opere; saggisti e scrittori, quindi non necessariamente architetti, che narrano una costruzione per loro particolarmente importante e significativa; o ancora – a cura della redazione della rivista – la ripresa di testi di progettisti del Novecento.

Obiettivo degli scritti – e quindi dell’intero numero – è quindi quello di fuoriuscire da una mera descrizione funzionale e tecnica dell’edificio, per ragionare sul nesso relazionale tra opera costruita e modalità della sua narrazione testuale. Opera e testo quindi come una sorta di “microcosmo”, che consente di riflettere sul rapporto della singola costruzione con il contesto alpino, con la storia e con le tecniche, mettendone in luce la peculiare “idea di architettura” di montagna. Ma non solo. Molto si è discusso in anni recenti sui rapporti di dipendenza e autonomia dei testi dedicati a una propria opera architettonica da parte di diversi autori della modernità. Da semplice testo descrittivo del progetto, la pagina scritta può trasformarsi in operazione che muovendo dal pretesto dell’opera diviene teoria, o ancora in metatesto che trascende gli oggetti per affermare una propria dimensione autonoma.

Il testo Tabù e tradizione nella costruzione montana di Carlo Mollino, pubblicato nel 1954 e riportato non a caso nelle prime pagine di questo numero, è considerato come uno dei principali testi, quasi un manifesto, dedicati dalla cultura architettonica al progetto in ambiente alpino. È interessante osservare come questo scritto venga a costruire delle immagini, delle metafore e dei sillogismi che a settant’anni di distanza rappresentano una sorta di patrimonio genetico dei modi con cui l’architettura guarda alle montagne e al loro progetto. Un testo che ha valenze inaugurali, e che edifica un “campo” dai precisi contenuti e contorni. Le pagine che seguono sono organizzate in due sezioni. La prima contiene testi di scrittori, storici, critici, architetti che parlano di progetti altrui. L’articolo di Enrico Camanni, scrittore di montagna, è notevole nel sapere ricreare quella Stimmung e Hybris che intesseva la modernità del secondo Novecento sulle Alpi italiane del turismo di massa. E poi ci sono le storie, tutt’altro che scontate, della Haus Böhler di Heinrich Tessenow e della Capanna Monolina, fino a quel progetto quasi inedito di Gianni Albricci e Marco Zanuso del 1938.

La seconda sezione, più consistente, contiene testi di autori che parlano delle loro opere architettoniche, tra cui emerge lo scritto di Alberto Ferlenga nel suo articolato intreccio capace di tenere insieme e fare operare riflessione teorica, analisi sul campo, progetto, disegno e parola. Tutta questa seconda parte è attraversata da contributi diversissimi, che danno perfettamente conto delle infinite forme con cui può darsi la dialettica contrappuntistica tra narrazione e costruzione, per di più in relazione al contesto montano e alle singole occasioni di progetto. Esattamente come era negli intenti di questo numero. Questo e il prossimo numero di ArchAlp sono parte di un programma annuale di ricerca e divulgazione nato in collaborazione tra l’Istituto di Architettura Montana e la Fondazione Courmayeur Mont Blanc sul tema dei nuovi immaginari sulla montagna contemporanea.

 

This issue of ArchAlp magazine reflects on the relationship between architectural design and its textual and narrative description. It attempts to explore this in several ways: designers telling the story of their own constructions or body of work; essayists and writers, not necessarily architects, narrating constructions that are particularly important and meaningful to them; or, as curated by the editorial team of the magazine, the republication of texts by 20th-century designers.

The goal of the writings – and thus of the entire issue – is to move beyond a mere functional and technical description of the building and reflect on the relational link between the constructed work and how it is described in text. The work and text are seen as a ‘microcosm’, allowing for reflection on the relationship of a single construction with the Alpine context, history, and techniques, highlighting a distinctive ‘idea of mountain architecture’.

However, it does not stop there. In recent years, much has been discussed about the relationship between dependence and autonomy in texts dedicated to architectural works by various modernist authors. What begins as a simple descriptive text of a project can transform into a theoretical operation or even a metatext that transcends the objects themselves to assert an independent dimension.

Tabù e tradizione nella costruzione montana by Carlo Mollino, published in 1954 and deliberately placed at the beginning of this issue, is considered one of the key texts, almost a manifesto, dedicated to Alpine architecture. It is interesting to observe how this writing creates images, metaphors, and syllogisms that, seventy years later, represent a kind of genetic heritage of the ways architecture looks at the mountains and their design – a text with inaugural significance, which establishes a ‘field’ with clear contents and boundaries.

The issue is organised into two sections. The first contains texts by writers, historians, critics, and architects discussing other people’s projects. The article by Enrico Camanni, a mountain writer, is remarkable in its recreation of the Stimmung and Hybris that characterised the modernity of the late 20th century in the context of Italian Alpine mass tourism. This is followed by the less conventional stories of the Haus Böhler by Heinrich Tessenow and the Capanna Monolina, along with the almost unpublished 1938 project by Gianni Albricci and Marco Zanuso.

The second, more substantial section includes texts by authors discussing their own architectural works. Alberto Ferlenga’s article stands out for its intricate approach that successfully combines theoretical reflection, field analysis, design, drawing, and words. The entire second section is permeated by a wide variety of contributions, perfectly capturing the infinite forms of the dialectic between narration and construction, especially concerning the mountain context and specific design examples of design, which is ultimately the underlying objective of this issue. This and the next issue of ArchAlp are part of an annual research and outreach program created in collaboration between the Institute of Mountain Architecture and the Courmayeur Mont Blanc Foundation on the topic of new imaginaries on contemporary mountains.

Tabù e tradizione nella costruzione montana

Carlo Mollino

Tabù e tradizione nella costruzione montana

in «Atti e Rassegna Tecnica della Società degli Ingegneri e degli Architetti in Torino», n. 4, 1954, pp. 151-154

Condominio La Sirena

 

In the early 1960s, the author’s parents chose Valtournenche for their vacations, buying a small apartment in a modernist building overlooking the Tersiva and Promoron mountains.

The apartment was part of a larger condominium, La Sirena, built by architect Mario Valente in the early 1960s. La Sirena was an impressive structure, blending traditional and modernist alpine design, a symbol of the changing landscape of Valtournenche, which was transitioning from a rural village to a popular tourist destination. Despite this change, the village retained its authentic charm, with each part of the city having its own personality, even smells. La Sirena was a curious blend of stone and wood, its design inspired by Valente’s love for the sea, despite the Alpine setting.

The building, with its striking architectural features, also represented a new era for the family. The architect’s utopian ideas were a common thread in his work, from the communal space Lotto Zero, which initially served as a shared social space but ended in conflicts among residents, to his dream of creating a self-sufficient community. However, the fantasy of the fish pond outside La Sirena, as well as the other eccentricities of the property, were short-lived, and over time the architect’s idealistic vision faded.

Valente’s adventurous spirit was also evident in his approach to the mountains. He even attempted climbing with the guide Antonio Carrel, surprising everyone with his willingness to embrace the challenges of mountaineering. Though more of a ‘man of the sea’, Valente’s imagination allowed him to conquer the mountains too, albeit in his own unique, unrestrained way.

Pedagogy and architecture in educational spaces

 

The projects selected in this review aim to illustrate the relationship between pedagogy and architecture in contemporary experiences across the Alpine territory. The buildings, located in France, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy, showcase an evolving relationship between traditional learning spaces and hybrid, multifunctional environments interconnected with the outdoors. This integration fosters innovative forms of experiential and social education, transforming pathways and common areas into places for intergenerational interaction and exchange. Study rooms are

Flessibilità e identità negli spazi educativi: intervista a Roland Baldi

 

This interview with Roland Baldi, founder of an important architectural firm in South Tyrol, explores the role of educational and cultural spaces as tools for territorial regeneration in the Alps, emphasising their importance in strengthening community identity and livability. Baldi highlights how designing in rural contexts requires a sensitive approach that integrates multifunctionality and local materials, respecting the landscape and fostering dialogue with communities. Cultural spaces become central hubs for exchange, creativity, and inclusion, with particular attention to flexibility, which is essential both in low-density areas and urban contexts. Through concrete examples of projects designed by the firm, such as the schools in Chienes and Sluderno, Baldi demonstrates how engaging with users can transform existing buildings into spaces of identity and versatility. Architectural quality is shaped by factors such as integration with the landscape, sustainability, and community orientation, promoting cultural and social regeneration.

Necessarie connessioni: apprendimento, spazi dell’educazione e territorio

 

Education systems and their spatial expression are rapidly evolving after remaining substantially unchanged in the last hundred years. Connections between educational spaces, learning processes, and places offer ample possibility to reflect on the close relationship between the quality of education, architecture, and territories. The main objective of this article is to examine the relationship between learning and space and how this relationship contributes to the strengthening of links with society, culture, and territory.

Due Case dei bambini di Aurelio Galfetti, 1960-1966

 

At the beginning of his professional career, Aurelio Galfetti designed and built two kindergartens, or Children Houses (as they were then called in Ticino), in his hometown of Biasca (in collaboration with Ivo Trümpy) and in a nearby village, Ludiano (with Flora Ruchat-Roncati and Ivo Trümpy). In both cases, Galfetti refrains from referencing Alpine imagery, instead drawing inspiration from the works of Le Corbusier and Alvar Aalto. Galfetti does not approach these influences out of a fleeting fascination, but instead identifies in the works of these artists appropriate responses to the specific context and function of these two projects. In both instances, the models are not drawn from the field of school architecture but reinterpret buildings imbued with a sense of domesticity. This approach aligns not only with the implicit connection to the Montessori concept of these Children Houses, but also with the Modernist idea of “home”, cultivated with clear pedagogical intent.

Regeneration and community in socio-cultural spaces

 

This collection of projects highlights experiences that, through spaces dedicated to culture and community, create a physical infrastructure for local regeneration. The proposed architectural works include spaces for museums, parks, and cultural centres, as well as venues for local and municipal associations hosting informal cultural activities. Despite being located in various regions of the Alps, these projects share common characteristics, such as hosting adaptable and open spaces that can accommodate different functions. Their strength lies in their indeterminacy, being Lefebvrianly “produced” by the communities that inhabit them. Moreover, these buildings are thoughtfully integrated into their surrounding context, with the functional plans and internal relationships between spaces closely connected to the surrounding outdoor areas and nearby built structures.

Il Progetto infinito. Un diario di Lou Pourtoun – Centro civico e culturale

 

Lou Pourtoun is a nationally and internationally recognised architectural work, a contemporary interpretation of a traditional Occitan typology which, thanks to a roof that embraces several buildings, creates a protected space for work and relationships, an alternative to the dichotomous distinction between inside and outside. Nearly one thousand square metres for just a few inhabitants: a challenge to common sense. Or simply the spatial manifestation of a vision and a desire: a space for a future community, designed and built at a time when it was difficult to imagine that such a community would ever exist again. A public work of architecture capable of representing a society in the process of reformation (after its almost total eradication during the last century): the new population of the Alps and Apennines which, despite its relatively small number compared to overall population, continues to fascinate many. Through a diary from 2020, tracing significant moments of the “Viso A Viso” association’s management of the space, this article tries to capture the significant elements of the project through the delineation of contents, relationships, synergies, and processes. As such, it investigates the possibility of a project that goes beyond the architectural dimension to embrace the entire life of the building, overcoming the container / contents dichotomy, which not only share the same root, but also the same design challenge, that of the real livability of towns and cities, and the same possibility of developing a new idea of community, and even society.

Abitare nelle Culture dei Luoghi. Lo spazio-paese di Vione come dispositivo che produce cultura

 

How can an architectural project become a methodological focal point for the urban and social regeneration of a small Alpine community? VioneLab addresses this question by considering architecture not only as a constructive discipline but also as a humanistic activity that generates ideas and visions. This initiative combines regeneration efforts with a cultural laboratory where urban spaces become a platform for experimentation and connection among residents, identities, and needs, aiming to reconcile history and future within a framework of new housing opportunities. Supported by local and regional public entities, VioneLab has collaborated with Italian and Swiss universities, as well as research institutions, transforming the historic centre of Vione into a subject of study and design – an embryonic Alpine Academy. Activities: Reorganisation of the ethnographic museum and relocation of historical objects within urban niches; Introduction of design objects into the village, encouraging a contemporary reinterpretation of local traditions; Small-scale urban interventions to redesign spatial interface areas; Conservation and restoration projects; Structural assessments of load-bearing elements of historic rural buildings for renewal purposes; Structural and typological surveys to better understand architectural design in context; Regenerative design of buildings within the historic city centre and thesis projects focused on their functional renewal; International award “Minimal architecture in the Alps” and national award “Minimum living in the mountains” (Festival Architettura 2025).

Contemporary experiences between culture and music

 

In recent decades, the Alps have become a testing ground for new architectural forms in cultural spaces where tradition and innovation can coexist. The cases selected for this review show a variety of buildings hosting and fostering diverse cultural experiences: from libraries, which often take on the role of intergenerational social hubs, to cultural centres whose versatility allows them to adapt to different contexts and needs. Finally, several music venues were chosen, ranging from music schools to music pavilions, where architectural experimentation intertwines the social and communal value of music with flexible, adaptable spaces capable of accommodating a wide range of experiences.

Infrastrutturazioni culturali nella montagna contemporanea

 

The cultural events held in Alpine and Apennine regions, such as festivals, gatherings, concerts, theatrical performances, and community celebrations, play a crucial role in the revitalisation and regeneration of mountain areas. These shared moments go beyond traditional cultural consumption and entertainment, often becoming key elements in the processes of renewal. The cultural events in these territories act as catalysts, bringing people together and fostering new visions of mountain life, which often spark further initiatives. Culture enables the revaluation of places and the discovery of new potential, leading to economic and social regeneration. In our work examining the regeneration of mountain areas, the interaction between the spatial dimension and cultural events has become a specific design reflection, focusing on the interconnection between spatial and cultural infrastructures. Examples include the renovation of the Casermette di Moncenisio, the spatial reactivation at Monte Ricco in Pieve di Cadore, and the transformation of existing buildings into pieces of cultural infrastructure like the Teatro Montano in Dossena. These projects highlight the importance of spatial design in supporting social and cultural revival in mountain communities.

L’architettura dei Luoghi Comuni: un dialogo con Carlana Mezzalira Pentimalli

 

The issue of “Common Places” is explored in this contribution as a reflection on architecture’s ability to create generous spaces that serve human relationships, blending a sense of community with domesticity. Through an interview with Michel Carlana, co-founder of the Carlana Mezzalira Pentimalli studio, this essay examines examples that embody this feature of architecture, such as the School of Music and the Civic Library in Bressanone. Carlana illustrates how architecture can mediate between historical and contemporary elements, public and private realms, by emphasising the void as a social infrastructure and thresholds as dynamic meeting points. Central to this approach are shared design processes and attentive engagement with communities, fostering a transfer of responsibility from architect to inhabitants, who come to recognise and claim ownership of these spaces. The thoughtful selection of materials, grounded in context, enhances coherence and integration with the surrounding landscape and urban fabric. Ultimately, Carlana suggests that Alpine territories can serve as experimental grounds for philanthropic architectural practices, offering models that can be adapted to urban environments.

Le infrastrutture immateriali per la rigenerazione dei territori nelle aree interne

 

This paper explores the regeneration of inland areas in Europe, highlighting the potential to address demographic decline and transform these areas into spaces for cultural and social experimentation. The key points are as follows:

  1. Europe’s inland areas, which have experienced demographic decline, should be regenerated rather than abandoned.
  2. Intangible infrastructures, such as collective initiatives and civic activism, are crucial for revitalising marginalised territories and redefining the relationship between people and the surrounding landscape.
  3. Cultural activists and innovators have emphasised the role of culture in regeneration, challenging the urban-centric approach of cultural policies.
  4. Cultural activism is transitioning away from the immaterial dimension (projects, activism, theory) to the physical dimension by transforming abandoned spaces into symbolic and literal representations of regeneration.
  5. To achieve true regeneration, policies should invest in autonomous organisation at the local level, encourage access to public spaces, reward innovative use of spaces, and ensure culture is viewed as a right of citizenship without geographic or economic barriers.

Cultures of the Alps: the intersection of sectors as the main tool for future

 

The Anthropocene, characterised by significant human impact on the Earth, highlights the urgent need to balance economic development with ecological stewardship in sensitive regions like the Alps. Historically, human activity in the Alps, such as sustainable livestock pasturing, has had a positive impact on biodiversity. However, modern developments – tourism, infrastructure, and energy systems – pose ecological challenges. Future strategies must align human activity with ecological sustainability, such as agrivoltaic systems, which merge renewable energy production with agricultural resilience. The Alps face critical pressures from climate change and biodiversity loss, namely due to glacial retreat, reduced snow cover, and fragmented water habitats. Addressing these challenges requires a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, leveraging renewable energy (like solar power during winter), and safeguarding biodiversity through the preservation of aquatic ecosystems. Syntopia Alpina, the online magazine of the Uri Institute Cultures of the Alps, advocates for integrated conservation strategies, emphasising Alpine Futures Literacy to anticipate and adapt to climatic and socio-economic changes. Key approaches include scenario-based planning, shifting from a focus on winter sports to year-round eco-tourism, and adopting resilient agricultural practices like mob grazing. Collaborative foresight across multiple sectors – energy, tourism, agriculture, and local regeneration – ensures sustainable development. Essential architectural and landscape measures include agrivoltaic systems on pastures, water retention lakes, and floodplain restoration. These initiatives promise an ecologically resilient future in which Alpine culture and nature collaborate to create a positive Anthropocene.

Spazi culturali che costruiscono la nuova montagna

 

In recent years, cultural practices have played a central role in the regeneration of Alpine areas, fostering new ideas of livability and community. No longer confined to the preservation of traditions, culture has become a driver of innovation, promoting skills, local economies, and wellbeing. Schools, cultural centres, and museums act as key infrastructures, integrating educational, social, and societal functions into spaces that are both fluid and adaptable. Architecture responds to these challenges with projects that weave together local and global contexts, tradition and innovation, creating prototypes that encourage intergenerational interaction and territorial development. Culture thus becomes a vehicle for economic, social, and environmental transformation in the Alps, where spaces themselves serve as generators of new communities and visions for the future.

Infrastrutture culturali nelle Alpi. Il progetto tra pedagogia e sviluppo locale

Le Alpi rappresentano un territorio ricco di diversità culturali, linguistiche e ambientali, in cui gli spazi della cultura e dell’educazione assumono un ruolo storicamente centrale nella promozione di un’identità territoriale e di nuove forme di sviluppo locale. A questo proposito, la cultura alpina non riguarda solamente la conservazione della memoria ma anche, secondo Werner Bâtzing, «la capacità di migliorare la propria vita e il mondo in cui si vive con quello spirito, [vivendo] in una comunità armoniosa con gli altri» così da affrontare problemi e opportunità diversi da quelli presenti nelle aree metropolitane. Le infrastrutture culturali nelle Alpi si pongono oggi come strumenti essenziali per far fronte alle sfide della montagna contemporanea, come i fenomeni di emigrazione della popolazione locale – a cui si alternano le nuove forme di neo-popolamento – e le questioni ambientali, oltre a favorire la coesione sociale. Questi spazi non sono solo contenitori di eventi culturali, ma vere e proprie piattaforme di innovazione sociale in cui la cultura diventa un motore per la trasformazione delle comunità alpine. Il ripopolamento di molte aree montane, grazie all’arrivo di nuovi abitanti permanenti e temporanei, si interseca con la necessità di nuovi modelli di governance e di utilizzo degli spazi della cultura intesi come luoghi di scambio e apprendimento, in cui si sperimentano nuove forme di pedagogia territoriale attraverso il dialogo tra saperi tradizionali e contemporanei. L’esperienza di diverse realtà alpine dimostra come la cultura possa essere un fattore chiave per la resilienza delle aree montane e delle loro comunità. Progetti di spazi culturali multifunzionali hanno dimostrato la capacità della cultura di generare nuove economie, creando opportunità lavorative. Inoltre, molti di questi interventi promuovono pratiche di turismo culturale responsabile, che coniugano la valorizzazione del patrimonio con la tutela dell’ambiente e l’empowerment della popolazione. In questo contesto, la cultura diventa non solo un elemento di attrazione per i visitatori, ma anche un mezzo per sensibilizzare le comunità locali sulla necessità di modelli di sviluppo e pratiche culturali ed educative sostenibili. Attraverso processi partecipativi, gli utenti e gli abitanti sono coinvolti nella progettazione e gestione di spazi della formazione e della cultura, contribuendo alla costruzione di un senso di appartenenza e di responsabilità collettiva. In questo senso, le infrastrutture culturali nelle Alpi assumono anche il ruolo di laboratori di futuro, in cui la cultura si intreccia con le dinamiche economiche, sociali e ambientali del territorio.

In questo numero della rivista ArchAlp sono raccolti progetti, esperienze e architetture che si inseriscono nelle questioni appena descritte, con l’obiettivo di tracciare delle traiettorie di senso comune e differenze tra i diversi approcci. A partire da uno sguardo ampio sulla cultura alpina e sul ruolo delle infrastrutture immateriali nella produzione di una nuova montagna, il numero si articola in due grandi sezioni dedicate rispettivamente a esperienze culturali e di sviluppo locale e a progetti dal taglio educativo-pedagogico. Entrambi i temi vengono approfonditi attraverso rassegne di architetture, saggi monotematici, riflessioni critiche e interviste a progettisti in un racconto a più voci che rende evidente la complessità e la continua evoluzione del tema, dove il territorio, la comunità, i progettisti e l’architettura agiscono assieme nella “produzione dello spazio culturale”.

 

The Alps are a territory with a rich cultural, linguistic, and environmental diversity where spaces dedicated to culture and education have historically played a central role in promoting territorial identity and fostering new forms of local development. In this regard, culture is not only an element for preserving memory but also, according to Werner Bätzing, “the ability to improve one’s life and the world in which one lives with that spirit, [living] in a harmonious community with others”, addressing challenges and opportunities that differ from those found in metropolitan areas. Today, cultural infrastructures in the Alps serve as essential tools to tackle issues of contemporary mountain life, such as the internal migration of the local population – counterbalanced by new forms of neo-settlement – and environmental challenges, and foster social cohesion as well. These spaces are not merely venues for cultural events but proper platforms for social innovation, where culture becomes a driving force for the transformation of Alpine communities. The repopulation of many mountain areas, thanks to the arrival of new permanent and temporary residents, intersects with the need for new governance models and the use of cultural spaces as places for exchange and learning, where new forms of territorial pedagogy are experimented with through dialogue between traditional and contemporary knowledge. The experiences of various Alpine communities demonstrate how culture can be a key factor in solidifying the resilience of mountain areas and their populations. Multifunctional cultural spaces have proven the capacity of culture to generate new economies, creating employment opportunities. Many of these initiatives also promote responsible cultural tourism practices, combining the celebration of heritage with environmental protection and community empowerment. In this context, culture becomes an attraction for visitors and a means to raise awareness among local communities about the necessity of sustainable development models and cultural and educational practices. Through participatory processes, users and residents are involved in designing and managing educational and cultural spaces, contributing to the construction of a sense of belonging and collective responsibility. In this sense, cultural infrastructures in the Alps also act as laboratories for the future, where culture intertwines with the economic, social, and environmental dynamics of the territory.

This issue of ArchAlp brings together projects, experiences, and architectural works that fit within these processes, aiming to outline common threads and differences among the various approaches presented. Following a broad perspective on Alpine culture and the role of intangible infrastructures in shaping the new mountain landscape, the issue is divided into two main sections: one dedicated to cultural experiences and local development, and another focused on educational and pedagogical projects. Both themes are explored through architectural reviews, thematic essays, critical reflections, and interviews with designers, offering a choral narrative highlighting the complexity and continuous evolution of the subject, where territory, community members, designers, and architects work together for the “production of cultural spaces”.

Technology and figuration in the central and eastern Italian Alps

The projects featured in this review were selected from the Central and Eastern Italian Alps. Starting with the redevelopment of a rural building in the Aurina Valley, moving on to a trade fair complex in the Belluno area characterized by a significant wooden reticular structure, then the “House of the Mountains” in South Tyrol, and finally a barn designed in the province of Sondrio. The exceptional construction quality of these projects, which are very diverse from one another, indicates a profound knowledge of the material and its design potential.

Architettura rurale in legno: i tabià della Valle del Biois nelle Dolomiti Venete

This essay examines the evolution of rural wooden architecture in the Dolomite valleys, with a focus on the Valle del Biois in Veneto. The historical and cultural significance of these constructions is explored, tracing the increasing interest in these structures during the early 20th century to contemporary preservation and promotion efforts. The transformation of construction techniques and living habits due to emigration and industrial growth is analysed, with special attention to the variety of materials and architectural styles used. Understanding the constructive aspects of these buildings allows for a philologically coherent recovery and the development of practical instructions for their maintenance. The value of these artefacts must be promoted and conserved in a way that is consistent with the new economies and ways of life of Alpine regions. Despite the absence of any officially recognised institutional management, the importance of rural heritage is underlined and recognised through the creation of strategic programs for its valorisation. The author emphasises the urgency of a coordinated approach to the conservation of rural Alpine heritage, highlighting the importance of cooperation among regions and across disciplines.

L’importanza dei masi come luoghi del paesaggio culturale ladino della Val Gardena

Rural architecture, as an integral part of any cultural landscape, reflects the connection between humans and their habitat. The “masi” (farmsteads) of Val Gardena embody this harmony with nature through the use of wood and stone, blending functionality with the surrounding environmental context. These buildings not only symbiotically relate to the terrain, but they also respond to agricultural needs and natural conditions. The construction of “masi” adheres to philosophical principles of order, expressing the “genius loci” of the location. In Val Gardena, two predominant typologies emerge: the “Einhof” and the “Paarhof”, both characterised by the skilful use of natural materials and integration into the landscape. The evolution of “masi” over time reveals functional and organic transformations, showcasing craftsmanship and adaptability to the environment. Wood, a durable and versatile material, is used to form the structural foundation, reflecting a pragmatic approach to design. The interior spaces, such as the kitchen and “stube” (traditional living room), are configured according to functional needs while still maintaining the essence of traditional dwellings. These buildings exhibit an architectural identity oriented towards modernity, offering insights for contemporary architectural language. This essay, accompanied by selected photographs, delves into the peculiarities of Val Gardena’s “masi”, providing a comprehensive analysis of buildings through construction principles, relationships with the landscape, typologies, spatial characteristics, and potential new uses.

Was kennzeichnet einen Holzbau?

The new online encyclopaedia www.holzbaukultur.ch from the Bern University of Applied Sciences presents Swiss timber buildings across six centuries and shows lineages of development. The wide range of examples initiates a debate about the characteristics of timber buildings. Switzerland is generally associated with craftsmanship and traditional timber buildings in the Alpine region. The attempt to develop timber architecture in the spirit of modernism in the 20th century was not very successful. The proportion of timber in total building volume decreased significantly. In recent decades, Swiss timber construction, which is now highly technologised, has repositioned itself, and architecture and structural planning have come closer together and realised remarkable, pioneering projects. Timber construction is now the subject of urban spaces and must find new forms accordingly. The approaches to these new forms have so far been very different. Answering the question “What characterises timber construction?” therefore appears to be a key to the visibility and success of a forward-looking Swiss timber construction culture.

Mito, tipo e destino della casa mista nelle Alpi centrali

Tacitus’ La Germania is a crucial foundation for any literary analysis of the origins of the domestic constructions in the Alps, where two cultures converge: that of the German log builders and the Latin stone masons. These narrative gains strength from the observation that two distinct settlement typologies are linked to these construction traditions: the former do not live in villages but occupy the territory in a scattered manner with rough constructions, while the latter form urban centres built more civilly with worked stones and bricks. The Alps represent a geographical border, an indefinite, permeable, and absorbent watershed that has facilitated a continuous exchange between these cultures since ancient times. The coexistence of stone and wood is, in fact, the defining characteristic of the Alpine house, particularly in the central Alps. The relationship between the wooden and stone parts of the se buildings assumes the value of a collective ritual. This ritual, celebrated in architecture, expresses the social life, economy, and nature of its territory. The “mixed type” house remained a subject of incessant exploration throughout the twentieth century and the focal point of a heated and fruitful cultural debate, just as the Mediterranean house represented the model of eternal modernity for the rationalist architects of the twentieth century. The essay explores the potential of the Alpine “mixed” house as representative of a model of enduring environmental sustainability.

Evolving Perspectives: the resurgence of wood in Quebec architecture

Over the past two decades, Quebec has undergone a radical transformation in its approach to using wood in architecture, spurred by trade constraints on wood exports to the United States. This evolution is the outcome of synergistic efforts that have facilitated a transition resulting in significant technological and architectural advancements. Historically, Quebec’s vast forest resources have played a pivotal role in the development of local timber construction, particularly through traditional timber frame techniques. However, the 19th century witnessed a shift towards light-frame construction methods like the Balloon Frame, driven by industrialisation and urbanisation. By the mid-20th century, concrete gained dominance, the fruit of prioritising aesthetics over ideology in architectural design, especially in Montreal, where concrete structures flourished. The 1980s trade dispute with the United States marked a turning point, fostering innovation and a paradigm shift in wood use. Collaboration between industry and academia, exemplified by the Krüger Pavilion and the founding of FP Innovations, has propelled large-scale wood construction forward. Cecobois further supports this trend by facilitating access to technological innovations. This era of change highlights both the potential and limitations of wood in architecture, showcasing its role as a versatile and eco-friendly material that can enhance architectural design while facing technical challenges that sometimes limit its visibility and application.

Technology and architectural expression in France and Slovenia

The selected projects in French and Slovenian territory represent the high degree of experimentation that manifests in these regions in the field of wooden construction. Starting with a redevelopment operation of a public space in Isère, the review moves on to two school buildings that are very different in terms of composition and scale of intervention; additionally, an interesting office building was selected, followed by a residence that explicitly expresses the design and construction potential of cross-laminated timber. The review concludes with a school building in Slovenian territory that features an interesting wooden structure, which determines one of the compositional principles of the entire project.

Education, innovation and research in wooden architecture and construction in the Alps

The essay explores the importance of teaching and research in the building cultures of specific territories, with a particular focus on the use of wood in construction. Through interviews with experts from research centres and universities, such as Andreja Kutnar from InnoRenew CoE in Slovenia, Frédéric Pichelin from the Bern University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland, and Florian Court from the Haute École du Bois et de la Forêt association in France, the essay highlights how such institutions are promoting innovation and sustainable development in the wooden construction sector. Kutnar emphasises the importance of interdisciplinary and holistic research to develop renewable materials and improve the quality of the built environment. Pichelin discusses how innovation can emerge from the integration of new technologies and biobased materials, while Court addresses the challenge of industrialising wood production processes while preserving unique local characteristics.

The essay also examines future challenges for wooden architecture in the Alps, such as climate change and the need for sustainable resources, highlighting projects like VETA/NOVA developed by the Bern University of Applied Sciences, which aims to develop guidelines for the restoration of historic wooden buildings. Finally, it discusses the possibility of translating global prerogatives into a local context, influencing the contemporary architectural identity of the Alps and its multidimensional impact on the territory.

Valorisation and regeneration in the western Italian Alps

This review of projects, selected from the provinces of Turin and Cuneo, represents some interesting examples of wooden buildings that often interact with pre-existing structures. In this sense, the use of wooden construction systems demonstrates the remarkable flexibility of this material in relating to existing buildings. Different approaches emerge: in the case of the former Casermette of Moncenisio, there are new buildings inserted within the pre-existing structure, while in the subsequent examples, the new intervention operates through an adjacency to the existing buildings. These projects are part of operations aimed at enhancing local wood, virtuously integrating into regenerative processes of the territory.

Edifici in legno e digitalizzazione. Un dialogo costruttivo

The architect Davide Maria Giachino, head of STUDIO ELEMENT, and engineer Franco Piva, head of Ergodomus, work in low environmental impact architecture and structural wood engineering respectively, exporting their projects to various parts of the world. A recent joint experience at a construction site involving the renovation of structures built with engineered wood led the two professionals to discuss how approaches to design have changed today due to digitalization. The global network that connects the planet allows them to work from a country at the foot of the Alps, where Pergine Valsugana, the headquarters of Ergodomus, is located, and operate around the world, with time zones being the only remaining obstacle. This creates a dichotomy between ultra-specialised micro-studios located in sensitive contexts like Alpine valleys that are locally competitive, engaging with short supply chains in a regional context, and medium to large firms that operate on a global scale. Additionally, new realities emerge from specialised studios aimed at rendering design and construction processes entirely digital and oriented towards off-site, delocalised architecture. However, there are still various obstacles to overcome before this local-to-global approach can be considered mature because, paradoxically, the less technologically advanced approach currently sets the pace, forcing others to slow down and adapt.

Wood Architecture Prize: gli approcci progettuali e i modelli di sviluppo territoriale analizzati attraverso i premi sulle costruzioni in legno

The increasing international proliferation of wooden constructions is a recent phenomenon that originated and was nurtured in Alpine regions, thanks to a gradual process of technological innovation developed over the last two decades through experimental architecture using new, engineered components. The result of this upsurge has been an unprecedented positive development trajectory for this sector in constant growth thanks to strategies of decarbonisation and the spread of bio-based construction materials as key drivers for Net Zero Carbon Buildings (NZCB), Climate-Neutral Buildings.

Today this change in the “status” of wooden constructions is most clearly represented outside of Alpine regions, in urban landscapes where wooden superstructures, like multifunctional walls for energy retrofitting, new schools, university residential halls, hotels, and commercial buildings abound.

In recent years, this evolution has been accompanied by a debate on the available approaches and models, which are reflected in the numerous European competitions and awards dedicated to wooden architecture, with the aim of promoting an understanding of the strategies and practices implemented in public and private projects. The Wood Architecture Prize, the first Italian award in the industry, promoted by Fiera Bolzano, Politecnico di Torino and IUAV Venezia, is a prime example of this advance. Around 150 architectural projects were submitted for consideration, prevalently by the new generation of professionals who are increasingly aware of the environmental and local sensibilities of architectural methods.

Experiences in Vorarlberg

This review of selected projects within the Vorarlberg region aims to highlight several architectures, focusing particularly on their construction quality, a distinctive element of the regional architectural production. The projects are grouped by functional theme: starting with an industrial building, specifically a carpentry, moving on to public and private buildings characterized by hybrid spaces capable of hosting a mixed functional program; additionally, there are some school buildings, an office building, and, finally, some residential buildings. The selected projects share the common feature of having a wooden supporting structure, with different construction systems, from frame structures to cross-laminated ones sometimes associated with other technologies such as reinforced concrete.

Architecture and local resources: project experiences in Vorarlberg

The Land of Vorarlberg is Austria’s second smallest but most densely populated province after Vienna. Known for its innovative timber architecture, Vorarlberg’s approach integrates ecological, economic, functional, and aesthetic considerations, as championed by Wolfgang Ritsch of the Vorarlberger Architektur Institut (VAI). The region’s timber industry has faced challenges, including local provincialism and modernist material preferences, but gained prominence in the 1990s with the establishment of the Baukünstler group and the Vorarlberger Bauschule, recognised for their contributions to timber construction.
Key to this development is Vorarlberg’s significant woodland, covering one-third of its area, and its commitment to sustainable forest management. Regional timber architecture aligns with the principles of appropriate technology, emphasizing eco-responsible, community-driven innovations. Vorarlberg’s timber architecture exemplifies a collaborative effort between designers and craftsmen, focusing on the use of local resources and high construction quality. The essay represents the introduction of notable projects including multifunctional public buildings, schools, offices, and residential complexes, reflecting the region’s commitment to sustainable development and architectural excellence. This ongoing innovation in wood-integrated solutions reinforces Vorarlberg as a hub for eco-friendly and culturally resonant architectural practices.

Vergangenheit und Zukunft des Holzbau. Interview mit Hermann Kaufmann

Starting with theoretical reflections, the issue delves into design experiences across the past, present, and future, illustrating the significant role of timber technology in the Alpine region. In an interview with Hermann Kaufmann, a leading figure in timber construction both locally in Vorarlberg and internationally, we gain insights into the future of timber construction technology from a historical and biographical standpoint. Kaufmann, with his extensive background in the timber construction industry, having been actively involved in workshops and worksites since childhood due to his family’s background in carpentry, provides a valuable perspective on exploring the potential and challenges of timber construction technology. One crucial consideration is the urgent need to decarbonise the built environment in response to the ongoing climate and environmental crisis. Drawing from Kaufmann’s expertise, the discussion also addresses the interplay between timber as a natural material and the increasingly stringent regulations shaping the field of architecture.

Produrre legname per l’edilizia aiutando la natura di montagna e l’economia nazionale

The use of timber in the construction sector plays two fundamental roles, both “downstream” and “upstream” of industrial wood processing. Downstream, the construction sector is responsible for 37% of global emissions, and the expansion of timber construction is rightly considered strategic as part of a decarbonization process, where the need to replace high-emission materials represents a competitive advantage for biomass products. It also enhances the quality of living spaces, as highlighted in the New European Bauhaus initiative. Upstream, the construction sector is privileged and therefore essential for providing an outlet for “Closer-to-Nature” forest management: without a market for high-quality timber from sustainably managed forests, the incentives for long-rotation seminatural forest management diminish. This second motivation is well recognised in the public procurement policies of many advanced countries and in those that promote the construction sector. These two roles are of fundamental importance but often neglected in Italian policies aimed at adding value to mountain forests.

I boschi in Italia e le politiche forestali nazionali

In Italy, forests cover 12 million hectares, equivalent to 40% of the national territory, with a significant increase compared to previous decades. Italian forests are mainly located in hilly and mountainous areas, characterised by considerable fragmentation. The MASAF (Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovreignty and Forests) has divided Italian wooded areas into 19 ecoregions to facilitate reforestation with native species. The composition of Italian forests is highly diversified, with 117 tree species. However, these ecosystems are threatened by fires, pathogens, and climate change.
Italian forest policies, historically conservationist, aim to protect and sustainably manage the country’s forests. The Serpieri Law of 1923 and other regulations ensure the protection of forests, which are among the most protected in Europe. However, the Italian wood industry largely depends on foreign imports due to fragmented ownership and strict regulations. The essay, starting with a description of Italian forests, provides a comprehensive overview of national forest policies up to the publication of the National Forestry Strategy in 2022, which outlines a long-term vision for the sustainable development of the sector and the enhancement of ecosystem services. It involves various stakeholders, from institutions to citizens, and promotes professional training and the responsible use of forest resources, integrating energy policies and a circular bioeconomy.

Risorsa e costruzione. Architetture in legno nelle Alpi

Wood was widely used in traditional architecture in the Alps due to its avail­ability and workability, which allowed it to meet the residential and construc­tion needs of the agro-silvopastoral activities of the rural Alpine world. These simple yet sophisticated log constructions, alongside some stone structures, built the vernacular Alpine landscape. It is precisely this representation of ru­ral construction that was decisive in shaping the images and imaginaries of the Alps throughout the 19th century. Noteworthy are the Swiss-German trea­tises on the subject, starting from the works of Jakob Hochstetter and Ernst Gladbach and culminating in Jakob Hunziker’s great eight-volume work dedi­cated to Das Schweizerhaus.
The Alpine environment can be understood as a place where environmen­tal, economic, and sociocultural issues intertwine, which, combined with con­struction and building site requirements, led to the flourishing of project ex­perimentation throughout the 20th century. This experimentation was mainly aimed at reinventing the Holzbau construction technique, oriented towards technological innovation and resolving the issue of prefabrication. Swiss-Ger­man research of the 1930s is emblematic of this experimentation, from Kon­rad Wachsmann to Paul Artaria and once again Clemens Holzmeister, which opened critical reflections on wood construction that still resonate in contem­porary architectural production.
Wood construction is currently experiencing a significant paradigm shift. The beginning of the 21st century has seen an increase in technological in­novation, the development of material research, and the optimisation of pro­cesses, accompanied by a growing awareness of the impact of the construc­tion sector. However, contemporary wood construction are simultaneously experiencing a long process of affirmation that often clashes, on the one hand, with scepticism towards the material and, on the other, a stereotypi­cal and sometimes romantic image of wood construction that alludes to the vernacular.
Discussing wood as a construction material is at the very least necessary to­day, as it is a plentiful, renewable resource in the Alpine and pre-Alpine areas, and, as Mario Cereghini reminds us, it is also a strategic and compelling re­source in terms of its economic impact and ecological benefits, two factors that should be at the centre of the construction of a contemporary architec­tural identity.

This issue of Archalp, focused on the topics briefly outlined above, attempts to provide an overview of wood architectural production in the Alpine territo­ry by examining the entire production chain. From forest policies that place forest resources at the centre of regional and national economies, mainly re­ferring to Italy, to a review of architectures built along the Alpine arc, alter­nating with in-depth looks at specific themes–from cultural issues affecting wood construction in recent years, discussed in an interview with Hermann Kaufmann, to wood construction awards, the digitalisation of processes, and the themes of training and research. The issue closes with a section dedicat­ed to technique, offering thorough analyses of historical Alpine architecture, from the central Alps to the Dolomitic landscapes, and questioning what ar­chitectural and figurative elements characterise wood constructions by ob­serving the opportunities they present.

Visages de la contemplation

Visages del la contemplation (1980) is the title of a photography book with images by Michele Pellegrino, a preface by Roger Etchegaray, Archbishop of Marseille at the time of publication, and Cardinal Presbyter of St. Leo I, former president of the Council of Conferences of Bishops of Europe and of the Episcopal Conference of France, with the full text and historical notes by Jean Pier Ravotti. The work, now quite rare and preserved in the Vatican Apostolic Library, unparalleled in its reflection, remains a powerful fresco of monasteries and contemplative life, the identities and differences of charisms, and the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience of the different orders and monasteries: the Benedictines, the Camaldolese, the Cistercians, the Canons Regular, the Trappists, the Carthusians, the Poor Clares, the Dominican and Carmelite nuns, the Passionists and the Little Sisters of Bethlehem, and the Little Brothers. A sister dimension to that of the cloistered emerges in the book, a dimension that could be considered the most neglected by historians, especially in the oblivion of sapiential traditions: cloistered monasteries as citadels of culture and art, custodians of priceless heritages, and at the same time extraordinary centres of production that admirably shape territories and landscapes. This world of partially lost sapiential traditions, of care, intelligence, love of nature, harmony, sustainability, invites us to think about the issue of sustainability in the mountains.

Leggere il tempo. Conversazione sull’architettura sensibile di Armando Ruinelli

Armando Ruinelli’s forty-year architectural experience, as documented in the recent publication Leggere il tempo, is characterised by its sensitivity and attention to context. Devoid of excess and extravagance, his work establishes a polite dialogue with its surroundings, reflecting the discreet personality of the author. At the core of Ruinelli’s practice lies a profound ethical consideration, extending beyond the design phase to encompass the entire spectrum of operational intricacies. His perspective on time translates into an acceptance of material aging, emphasising the importance of allowing buildings to follow their natural course. Rooted in context, his architecture seeks not only continuity but harmonious integration within the Alpine landscapes they inhabit. In dialogue with the interviewer, Ruinelli emphasises his preference for artisanal work, highlighting the significance of precision in execution and the centrality of humans over materials. His poetic exploration is manifested in creating atmospheres and carefully balancing the dynamic components of a project. Reflecting on the role of the architect, he envisions them as craftsmen endowed with both technical acumen and creative vision. Finally, Ruinelli shares a meaningful project – the fountains in the Soglio cemetery – a creation laden with delicacy and symbolism that underscores the spiritual depth of his work.

Alpine iconodulia

At the end of the Eighties the global recognition of Alpine architecture coincided with a profound shift in architectural media, particularly journalism. Photographic images played an increasing role in the reproduction of architecture in journals. In this overview, the important position of some sacred works is discussed, as they competed for the covers of renowned magazines, ultimately becoming icons of the new Alpine architecture. The article analyses the reasons behind this success by studying three emblematic cases in the Central Alps: the Chapels Sogn Benedetg by Peter Zumthor, St. Nepomuk by Christian Kerez in the Graubünden, and the Salgenreute Chapel by Bernardo Bader in Vorarlberg.

Renaissance der Kapelle: neue Bauformen eines alten Bautyps im alpinen Raum

This article reflects on the revival of the architectural class of the chapel, highlighting its growing popularity not only in urban areas but also in mountain contexts. Using the Theodul-Kapelle on Alpe Niedere designed by Cukrowicz Nachbaur Architekten as an example, the uniqueness of this type of building and its impact on contemporary society is emphasised in the discussion. Delving into the architectural reinterpretation and the significance of private financing for such endeavours, this article ponders the contemporary yearning for sacred and reflective spaces, transcending religious boundaries. The debate on Christian-Catholic sacred architecture and the role of chapels as interfaith places of devotion is also explored. Through further examples like Bernardo Bader’s Salgenreuthe Chapel, which retains traditional elements in an abstract context, architectural inclinations and inventive approaches in chapel construction are analysed. In conclusion, the article suggests that chapels embody the contemporary search for spirituality, offering emotional and sensory experiences through their concentrated and reduced architecture, acting as places of (self) exploration in an ever-evolving world.

Vom Heiligen Land Tirol. Sakrales Bauen und die Berge

The extreme mountain landscape and its potential dangers were one of the reasons for the high number of sacred buildings in the Alpine region. Tyroleans have long called their region the Holy land of Tyrol, due to the many churches, chapels, monasteries, wayside shrines and crucifixes in the region, among other reasons. How was the unique religiosity of Alpine inhabitants expressed in their buildings? Is it expressed differently than in the famous church buildings of European cities? It seems that the motives for erecting sacred buildings and monuments in mountain regions are to be weighted differently and that, in addition to their primary religious function, these structures fulfilled different tasks for the population at different times. While contemplative spatial concepts were and still are at the forefront of architectural thought, earlier buildings were primarily vessels for relics, images and statues. The motive lay in conjuring up and invoking the help of God and the patron saints. Thus, while historical buildings were seen more as places of practiced rituals – to receive help from the difficulties of everyday life – the individualistic interest in contemplative places has gained momentum in modern times. The sheer number of these different typologies of structures in a wide variety of social locations is unique to Tyrol, making it easy to identify social and societal conditions in different historical periods.

La “Stiva da Morts”. In bilico tra due dimensioni sensoriali

In Vrin there is a building that is not dissimilar frommost of the buildings in the village in terms of its general characteristics, but at the same time it appears as an autonomous element in relation to its context. This building is known as ‘Stiva da Morts’, chamber of the dead, by the villagers, and was designed by architect Gion A. Caminada to host the traditional ritual of visiting the deceaseed in their coffin before burial. This ritual took on collective meanings in addition to the sentimental and individual ones already present. An ambivalence towards the individual seems to be expressed by some formal choices, which made the Stiva da Morts a new landmark in the anthropic fabric.

Due chiese

This article explores the architectural significance of two churches in South Tyrol, focusing on projects by Othmar Barth and Arnold Gapp. The church of Sant’Andrea in Rasun di Sopra, designed by Barth, represents a harmonious synthesis of traditional and modern elements. Its asymmetric facade and independent roof reveal Barth’s approach to modernising ecclesiastical architecture. The church of Santa Caterina in Katharinaberg, designed by Gapp, incorporates an unusual mortuary chapel that is open to the surrounding landscape, suggesting a direct connection between sacred spaces and the natural environment. Both projects reflect on how architecture can engage with tradition and transform the sacred landscape into a more open and inclusive experience.

Un oratorio e una cappella in Ticino

This text presents the oratory of San Bartolomeo (1991-1996), built in Porta (Brissago) following the design by Raffaele Cavadini, and the chapel realised in Val Malvaglia (2017-2019) by Martino Pedrozzi. Since it is not possible here to fill the gap in critical studies on the sacred architecture in Ticino since the second half of the 20th century – except for two well-known works by Mario Botta: the church of San Giovanni Battista in Mogno, Val Lavizzara (1986-1996) and the chapel of Santa Maria degli Angeli on Monte Tamaro (1990-1996) –, we have chosen to focus on these two works because of the consistency of their design strategy and the quality of their results. But if the Brissago oratory was created in the mould of the experiences developed in Ticino since the 1960s (although it in part has an original perspective), the chapel in Val Malvaglia, conceived by an architect from the next generation, introduces a new approach, manifesting the liveliness of the architectural research in contemporary Ticino.

Ein modernes Gotteshaus für Passugg-Araschgen. Der Bündner Architekt Andres Liesch und die Kirche in Passugg

This article examines the evangelical church in Passugg-Araschgen (1971/72), considered one of the main works of the Grisons architect Andres Liesch (1927-1990). As a leading figure in his generation within the canton of Graubünden, Liesch left an indelible mark on the Swiss architectural landscape. His portfolio, boasting over 37 schools, is distinguished by the adept utilisation of concrete and a meticulous spatial arrangement. The Passugg church, influenced by Liesch’s exposure to the expressive architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, represents an elegant fusion of complex geometries and sculptural spaces respectfully integrated into the surrounding landscape. The structure, characterised by a pavilion roof and the artful incorporation of topography, embodies Liesch’s philosophy that architecture “gains substance through a clear architectural message”. The financial and logistical support of National Councilor Paul Raschein, president of Passugger Heilquellen AG, was crucial in the realisation of the project. The Passugg church stands out as a unique example of sacred architecture designed by Liesch, combining geometric mastery and sculptural vision in a specific context, representing a significant contribution to the architectural modernisation of Graubünden.

Naufrage du mouvement liturgique contre les Alpes bernoises. Regard sur l’architecture sacrée en Valais

In Hegel’s view, questioning the sacred seamlessly intertwines with the very essence of architecture – namely “that which binds together a multitude of souls”. The Church assumes a fundamentally spiritual significance, predominantly and comprehensively conveyed through its architectural space. Meanwhile, its surroundings, the way it is expressed externally, encompasses another layer of meaning that falls outside the realm of the liturgical movement. The exterior is a source of light that structures movement in space, but also the place where another meaning is materialised, more clerical than spiritual, a meaning encapsulated by the political dimension of its form. This dimension is a question of scale, expressed through the monumentality of a singular object, but also through the multiplication of this object across a territory. During the 20th century, just over a hundred churches and one hundred and fifty chapels were built in Valais. These projects fulfilled their political role because they gave the ecclesiastical institution a territorial dimension, but did they respond to the spiritual mission as professed by the community gathered around Romano Guardini in Rothenfels, Germany, during the second quarter of the 20th century? Among countless projects that reverently extol the materials, form, and technical potential of reinforced concrete, some leverage the formal potential of space in connection with a liturgical renewal, aiming to rediscover monastic spirituality against the triumphant Church (Ecclesia triumphans).

«Per gli Alpini non esiste l’impossibile». L’acropoli alpina al Doss Trento: un sogno infranto

This essay describes the project of the Alpine Acropolis, designed by Adalberto Libera and Giovanni Muzio. The construction’s purpose was the commemoration of the history of the Alpini on Doss Trento, and was presented to Benito Mussolini in 1941 by Mario Cereghini, president of the technical commission responsible for the design and direction of the work.
The majestic complex, intended as “an expression of the nation’s gratitude and fascism towards the Alpini, during the regime’s greatest self-celebration”, would have included an extensive museum area alongside a monument to Cesare Battisti, connected to the city of Trento by a surrounding ring road. The construction would have required significant modifications to the landscape, prompting criticism for its rhetorical grandeur in conflict with the pragmatic Alpine mentality, and raising doubts about the need for such a grand museum and monument. Nevertheless, the regime decided to proceed with the project until 1943 when, with the onset of war, construction was halted, leaving only a pile of dusty drawings and a thoughtful reflection on the impacts left on the mountain in an attempt to celebrate those who love and protect it.

Attorno all’altare. La chiesetta alpina di Ettore Sottsass senior sul Monte Bondone

Ettore Sottsass Sr., an architect from Trentino who survived the First World War, left an enduring mark on the mountainous landscape of Monte Bondone. In the aftermath of the war, he undertook various architectural projects, including an alpine chapel in Vanéze in 1929.
Funded by a spontaneous committee, the church stands as a testament to the communal sharing and gratitude among those who endured the war, and enjoyed a unique freedom in its construction as it was not commissioned by any diocese or parish. The octagonal structure, characterised by shingle roofing and pristine white walls, pays homage to Christian traditions while providing a serene haven amidst the mountains. The chapel’s interior design, including the arrangement of the altar and other spaces, demonstrates the architect’s modern vision that surprisingly anticipates the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Surrounded by breathtaking mountain vistas, the construction remains a symbol of consecration and contemplation, even though the planned bell tower conceived by Sottsass in 1952 as a final act of re-consecration for the beloved mountain was never realized. The story of Sottsass and his chapel reflects the delicacy of “architectures drawn slowly, with attention and wisdom” which are necessary to avoid bringing harm to the mountains.

Memoria e preghiera dopo la tragedia. Quattro opere di architettura sacra per il Vajont, tra polemiche e sfide progettuali

This brief essay focuses on the main projects of sacred architecture realised in Vajont during the twenty years following the tragedy that ocurred there sixty years ago. Designed by the already established Michelucci, and the younger architects Avon, Tentori, Zanuso, Gresleri, and Varnier, these cemeteries and churches represent not only the reconstruction of indispensable structures and facilities, but also an attempt to redefine (the remains of) villages, landscapes, and community identities. As a counterbalance to urban planning, which seems to impose overly rational housing models and standards – being therefore unintelligible to the average citizen – these more punctual creations aim at a greater respect for the specificity of these extraordinary contexts, recovering images and memories from the past with sophisticated sensitivity, firmly rooted in the landscape.
While these creations are certainly unique in their approaches, which are summarized in this essay, they are also united by the main goal of avoiding monumentalism and rhetoric.

«No house should ever be on a hill or on anything». La chiesa di Corte di Cadore e i dettami dell’architettura organica

The Corte di Cadore Church, as explained by Edoardo Gellner in his Quasi un diario, played a significant role in the architectural and urban composition of the entire complex of Corte di Cadore. From the beginning, it was decided that it should constitute the dominant element of the entire village, close to the central hub and the collective facilities and services necessary for the smooth functioning of the entire complex. The strategic positioning of the church was carefully considered in terms of its relationship with the built environment and the surrounding vegetation.
Rather than being placed at the summit of the mountain, the church was thoughtfully positioned at a slight distance. This deliberate choice allowed the crest of the small hill and the lush vegetation of pines, junipers, and other underbrush, to seamlessly integrate as a complementary frame and background to the architecture of the church. The architecture described in this essay through the memories of one of the designers, Edoardo Gellner, is a testament to the collaborative brilliance of two architects, Gellner and Carlo Scarpa, whose collaboration contributed to the creation of architectural works rich in meaning and references.

Una mitologia alpina

This text superimposes a seemingly random geometry over certain locations in the Alpine massifs, one that is certainly reductive and debatable, yet still connected to an evident modern unease. Over a period of a few decades, from the end of the 19th century to the early decades of the 20th century, some Alpine locations have been home to significant events and figures in the arts and culture, defining a concentrated itinerary in a relatively limited area. The figures introduced here carry ideas and embody forces far from the commonplaces that accompany our perception of the mountains and the more widespread image assigned to them. In this sense, it is also possible to approach the theme from Alpine iconography, whether it be the work of great artists, attempts at scientific representation or the simplest popular depictions. The protagonists of these itineraries are, indeed, directly linked to different ways of representing the mountain.

Tatras Phoenix. Restoration Architecture in the alpine environment of the High Tatras

The architectural concepts of the High Tatras region reside mainly in the foothills, where they form the basis of mountain tourism. On the exposed terrain of the Tatra Mountains there are huts that were once the result of craftsmanship, but today there is an increased concentration of architectural interest. We are focusing on architectural design in the context of adapting the typology to the visitor’s needs or in response to the challenges of extreme environments. The focus involves the structural alteration, restoration or reconstruction of a building that represents an architectural discussion of the alpine environment. The huts under study trace the colonization of different vegetation zones and the different typological standards of the hut. The architectural planning process represents an example of restoration of a post-war modernism work, its reconstruction into a new form and the response to the problem of avalanches in the alpine environment. Through the prism of the social situation and technological innovations, we explore the transformation of the hut typology and its relationship to its setting. At the same time, we look for a connection to the original building destroyed by fire or avalanche or a reflection on regionalism or the general architectural discourse. The article presents a brief introduction to the architectural scene in the High Tatra region from the perspective of socio-political changes. The main question was: what principles does architecture apply in a high mountain environment? Differences and innovations are sought in the context of design in the foothills and urbanised areas, as well as in the context of the social situation and the authors of the project themselves.

The first elements of contemporary architecture in the Albanian Alps

The Albanian Alps, with an elevation ranging from 285 m to 2694 m above sea level, like all the high mountain areas, have experienced isolation until recently and consequently, time has stood still there, maintaining a slow development. Until the 1990s, settlements in the mountainous areas were in complete harmony with a cultural landscape and architecture entirely traditional for the time. After the fall of totalitarianism, these areas underwent massive migration due to the difficulties in lifestyle and the lack of services and roads. It was precisely the 50-year totalitarian isolation and the abandonment during the 25-year transition that caused a “pause” in the development of the region, which is also reflected in the architecture of the area. With the exception of 4-5 buildings that try to bring a more contemporary architectural style, the rest remains a continuation of ‘Vernacular Mountain Architecture’. Stone kullas, Albanian term for dwelling in mountainous areas, with their typical vernacular Alpine style, minimalist in form and in perfect harmony with nature, vastly dominate the cultural landscapes of the settlements in the Alps. Sometimes they are found in ruins and degraded by time and sometimes they are grouped together in hamlets or neighborhoods.

Bauen in den kroatischen Bergen

With 6% of built-up space, Croatia is certainly one of the most sparsely populated countries in the European Union, but at the same time it is intertwined with mountains in almost every region. The 150-year history of mountaineering in Croatia has resulted in more than 6,000 km of built trails and 163 mountaineering facilities, which speaks of a highly engaged national mountaineering association. In the beginnings of the Association’s activities, Dr. Ivan Krajač, lawyer and politician in the Government of the Kingdoms of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, stimulated the development of mountaineering in Croatia, as well as the construction of mountaineering infrastructure. Undoubtedly, one of the most significant buildings is the Premužić trail, which he designed together with the forest engineer Ante Premužić – the trail in the Northern Velebit part is an almost straight line, with only a small number of ascents and descents, and follows the most beautiful landscapes. The Krajač’s house at the foot of Mt. Vučjak, known as the Zavižan Hut, was built in his honor. After several expansions and renovations, it is now undergoing a thorough reconstruction.
In recent times, a need to restore the built structures has emerged, in which, with several reconstructions and new constructions of mountain shelters, under the leadership of mountaineer and architect Ivan Juretić, a new chapter in the development of built infrastructure in the Croatian mountains is being traced.

Contemporary mountain architecture in Serbia

Although Serbia does not have significantly high mountains, it does have vast mountainous areas south of the Danube River. Since most rural mountain houses in Serbia have disappeared over the last three decades, traditional mountain building is reduced to sporadic reconstructions, mostly for open-air museums and ethnic parks.
Contemporary mountain architecture in Serbia is developing under the same overall influences of the rest of the country. These influences, among others, are the primacy of market demands, non-systematic planning, and lack of investment in raising the level of spatial culture among the general public. Fortunately, some examples illustrate the willingness of architects to push the contemporary Serbian architectural practice forward and the willingness of investors to consider a wide range of influences and aspects that generate a comprehensive response to contemporary demands and concerns. The selected projects presented in this article show different responses in relation to the context, environment, heritage, and ideas of contemporary life in rural and natural areas.
Most of these examples follow a more experimental approach. This usually stems from links to regionalism and modernism. Despite expectations, Serbia cannot join the most progressive European currents or fully adopt the vision of individual high-quality national architectural agents overnight. However, the Serbian architecture scene will be increasingly present in the media, also as a result of international connections and circumstances that had somehow ‘matured’.

An uphill battle

Dinaric Alps: the other Alps. They still give off that vibe, don’t they? The entire region: the other Europe. We will probably never shake off that attribute, so why not embrace it? If the entire Balkan region is the other Europe, then Dinaric Alps are the other, darker, unknown, chaotic Alps? Let’s pretend, for the sake of this article, that they are.
A large part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the eponymous mountain – Dinara, lie within this mountain range. Apart from the extreme north up to the Sava River and part of the south that lies in the fertile Neretva River delta, the entire country and the lives of its inhabitants are defined by mountains. The place names and the customs still practiced today, which predate Christianity and Islam, testify of their rich role in the lives of people who live there (for example, the name of Mt. Prenj is related to the Slavic god Perun, Velež is linked to Veles; on the peak of Džamija people offered cheese and performed religious rituals to ensure favourable weather conditions, etc.).
This article will focus on positive architectural practices but will also cite negative ones because it would be irresponsible to present everything as picture-perfect and thus minimize the efforts needed to produce the extraordinary in such a context. This contrast is what makes this architecture valuable. Several typologies will be presented, but the article does not claim to be a comprehensive, detailed overview of the contemporary architecture in Bosnian mountains.

Bits and pieces on the “phenomenology” of Balkan highland architecture

Discussing the phenomenon of the Balkans is always a delicate task. The term is elusive and can be understood in different ways, from the geographical and cultural to the political context.
The Balkans is an area of great strategic importance, which has historically been a bridge of cultures between East and West and between South and North. Its original name comes from a mountain range in Bulgaria called the Balkan (Old Mountains), but the central Balkan peninsula is covered by the long Dinarides. Even though modern geographers do not agree about the term and its borders (they rather speak about “South-Eastern Europe”), one of the definitions of the Balkan peninsula includes the territories south of the Kolpa, Sava and Danube rivers, surrounded by the Adriatic, Ionian, Aegean and Black Seas.
Today this heterogeneous area is home to a number of countries, the central ones being Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria. Sometimes part of Romania, the continental part of Greece and a small European piece of Turkey are also comprised, as well as Sloveniain the far north.
The following text is intended to introduce the diverse context for the subsequent essays by Dario Kristić (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Andrej Strehovec, Maja Momirov (Serbia) and Robert Jonathan Loher (Croatia).

Representations of a vast territory and complex history: diverse faces of contemporary mountain architecture in North America

The vastness of territory that makes up the mountainous areas of the United States and Canada could be characterised more by its diversity than by any common trait. Different environmental, socio-cultural and historic conditions mean a wide array of architectural response strategies.
Many elements play a role in dictating contemporary mountain architecture in North America. The ruggedness and remoteness of the mountain territories drives materiality and design influences. Land ownership ranges from private to tribal to federal and has an impact on the built environment, as does the historical context which spans from thousands of years of indigenous habitation to homesteaders and settlers in the last two centuries. Recent efforts to revive and preserve Native American traditions have seen an increase in indigenous influence on design, while inspiration from Europe and Scandinavia has likewise had an impact. The result of this myriad of influences is not a definable American mountain architecture style but rather a multifaceted diversity of approaches to design.
The essay begins with an introduction to the diverse contexts of the mountain ranges in Canada and the United States, then illustrates the variety of approaches to contemporary architecture within the territory through examples projects from four architectural studios spread across the region.

Chilean mountain architecture

In Chile, the word mountain requires further disambiguation, otherwise it will not define a specific landscape or climate condition. Unlike other mountainous conglomerates, climatically it is as highly diverse as it can be expected when covering such different latitudes.
With the arrival of mountain sports in the first decades of the last century, a number of first Refugios were explored in several valleys primarily in central Chile, where altitude, precipitation, temperature and population density overlapped with the will and power of the first pioneers, many of them carrying their own dreams and knowledge from Europe.
These settlements, together with a handful of new villages further south, constitute the bulk of study, to which we at DRAA (Del Rio Arquitectos Asociados) have been mostly invited, aiming to provide a sensible approach to the changing needs of the mountain in a diverse array of topographic and climatic situations, such as those described.
Mountain design has influenced the way we have understood architecture, regardless of context; the limited use of space, energy efficiency and context pertinence have been key issues to address. At present, with the Farellones Mountain Museum and other museums, housing and refuge projects underway, we aim to convey our view of architecture.

Architecture in Japan’s mountainous areas: shapes determined by external factors, the natural environment

For nearly 30 years, I have been fascinated by architecture built in mountainous areas and have been conducting research and analysis mainly in Japan. Many of the mountain lodges located in hostile natural environments are devoid of decoration because of their setting, and the bare form of the space appears inevitable. Beauty can be found in such simple and sturdy construction, and it can be said that this is the strength of architecture that emerges from the confrontation with harsh natural environment.
In Japan, when building in national or semi-national parks, there are often regulations on forms, such as “gabled roofs with a slope of 3/10 to 5/10” and color, such as “no more than two colors out of dark brown, red rust color, or soft brown”. Architecture in Japan uses a timber-frame construction method in which the structure is built with columns and horizontal beams, and roofs are built by adding trusses on top of the structure. In addition, due to Japan’s rainy and typhoon seasons, which bring heavy rainfall, most buildings traditionally have sloped roofs with large eaves. The gabled shape of mountain buildings is a natural form in this respect.
In this article, I would like to introduce some of the mountain architecture like Karasawa hütte, Tateyama mountain villa, Nozawa-Onsen lodge designed by the late Prof. Takamasa Yoshizaka, one of Japan’s leading postwar architects, as well as other architectures in mountainous areas such as Mt.Ontake visitor center, Gokayama Cross Base, Hüt-TENT designed by the author.

Fjäll, o le altre Alpi: costruire nelle montagne del Nord

Contemporary Nordic architecture is shaped by its relationships with the global architectural practice and its material and cultural ties to the regional context. This essay investigates the specificities of mountain and rural architecture in the Nordic countries over the last two decades, with case studies from Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. Due to their proximity to the Arctic Circle, the living conditions in these territories are very close to those in the Alpine regions, despite the lower elevation.
The essay analyses several factors that are currently at play when it comes to the architectural practice in the North: the relationship between landscape and tourism, the reuse of 20th century rural heritage, the resilience of traditional building techniques, and the clashes between local territories, extractive policies, and colonial power.

Contemporary architectures in inland Corsica: the projects of Amelia Tavella and Orma Architettura

The territory of Corsica is an extensive mountain range emerging from the Mediterranean Sea. From the morphological point of view, it is a mountainous region; the flat area coincides with the narrow Tyrrhenian coastal strip of the Aleria plain. With a very low population density, which grows extensively during the summer period, Corsica preserves specific environmental and landscape characteristics that determine the quality of the place; in this respect, it is worth noting that approximately one-third of the territory is a protected natural park. The island’s main economic resources are tourism and the traditional agro-pastoral and wine economy. The essay illustrates four projects, two by the Orma Architettura studio and two by architect Amelia Tavella. All the architectures presented are united by the extreme control of the project, which determines their high design quality in terms of their relationship with the landscape, the built heritage and the local communities.

Indizi. Nuove ecologie del progetto nelle aree interne della Sardegna

New architectures for new protagonists: is this what has been happening in inland and mountain Sardinia over the last two decades? And in which direction is modernization going: does it operate on the self-referential level of forms, or is it associated with innovative development paradigms? The paper addresses the awareness of identity as a project, which starts from the discovery of the relationship between constructive cultures, shapes and processes of historical communities and settlements.
In the 1990s, the first results start from the recovery of historic centers, while in the early 2000s the focus shifted to the landscape, transforming a purely conservative approach to places into a proactive one. A new generation of social and institutional leaders – and producers – brings out new clients for projects that re-interpret landscapes, architecture, object design, between continuity and innovation: not through mimetic traditionalisms, but by rediscovering “new ecologies” for transition.

Generare paesaggi, generare comunità. Progettisti e architetture del welfare urbano contemporaneo nei territori interni della Sicilia

On the basis of a common definition of landscape, which integrates a wide range of cultural approaches and disciplinary themes, contemporary architectures and urban projects can create high-quality landscapes. Especially in non-metropolitan Italian territories, communities of “producers” and “inhabitants” of landscapes work on the renewal of the mosaic of residential, productive and service functions. Not dissimilar is the situation of inland Sicily, where a process of generation of a new landscape seems to have restarted. It integrates aesthetics, architecture, urbanism and ecology and marks the development of a new way of community-developed patronage.
In a personal and non-exhaustive way, the article describes some cases where we prefer new community-based landscapes over the synesthetic perceptions of endless construction sites.

La Casa della Cultura di Aquilonia (AV): usi specialistici e appropriatezza funzionale

The House of Culture is a public building for recreational events and multimedia productions designed by +tstudio for the small municipality of Aquilonia (AV) in the Campania hinterland. The project intervenes on an existing building used as a nursery school, later decommissioned due to deterioration and structural instability following the 1980 Irpinia earthquake and fire. The project, completed in 2015 and financed as part of the Campania Region’s public works for safe buildings, consisted in the seismic adaptation of the former nursery school and its reuse to meet the local community’s need for flexible spaces for collective use, capable of bringing citizens together around events and demonstrations all over the year, not just seasonally. The essay traces the design process that led to the construction of the House of Culture with a particular emphasis on the role of this building in relation to the community and the territory on which it stands.

Contestualismi appenninici, tra Mediterraneo ed Europa, per riabitare i piccoli paesi

The paper looks at marginalization and depopulation of small towns in inland areas by envisaging a possible new Mediterranean spirit in architecture, conceiving the Apennines as a geographical line connecting the Mediterranean to Europe. According to Raffaele Nigro’s thesis, they are a line that establishes links between points, rather than oppositions. A Mediterranean consciousness, which recalls Braudel and Matvejevic, but is also aware of contemporary plagues, from climate change to migration and poly-crisis, and open to a profound knowledge of geographies and contexts, in which architecture and design help to rediscover the dimension of the livability of places, possibly breaking down the perimeters of borders. Grasping this need, the ARÌNT Master’s course has oriented its training in the direction of qualifying a professional figure capable of coordinating regeneration processes, also experimenting with on-field experiences. The course explores regeneration methods starting from certain fixed points: a transdisciplinary outlook, a trans-scalar approach to the study of contexts, weaving of territorial ties, re-appropriation of community spaces in order to build communities, re-use of disused buildings and spaces (contemplating transitory uses), and the triggering of processes.

Vaia, un punto di partenza

In October 2018, the three-days storm Vaia flattened 42 million trees to the ground, across a vast area extending from Lombardia to Friuli Venezia Giulia. This extreme weather, which has never been recorded before in Italy, reflects the dramatic nature of climate change. Not only did the storm significantly alter the entire forest area, it also led to the uncontrolled proliferation of the bark beetle, negatively impacting the Italian timber industry. PEFC Italy has set up the ‘Filiera Solidale’ initiative in order to restore the value and importance of timber. In fact, it is aimed at encouraging the purchase of objects and structures made of wood from the storm-damaged areas at a fair price. In this regard, two successful examples are described: The Social Housing Project, inaugurated on 30 May 2022 in Rovereto, and the historic Legnolandia company in Friuli. In both cases, the timber comes from the forests that were devastated by the Vaia storm. In addition, the WOWnature project by Etifor (the spin-off of a project by the University of Padua) offers the chance to get directly involved by adopting a tree in the areas that have been most affected by Vaia and the bark beetle. The care and concern shown for the storm-ravaged forests is an excellent starting point for planning the future of the Alpine territories, focusing on the necessary balance between human and nature.

Architettura, legno e ambiente. Esperienze dal Vorarlberg

The contemporary architecture of the Austrian Land of Vorarlberg represents a paradigmatic case of sustainable architecture at the international level. It owes its fame, above all, to the massive use of wood in contemporary architectural production. According to Marie-Hélène Contal, in this region, ecology and sustainability, whether environmental, social or economic, do not simply symbolize a vision or a political programme, but are rooted in the inhabitants’ everyday life and rules of behaviour. The regional architectural culture owes its relevance to various social, cultural and economic factors, including the well-established construction timber industry, which plays a crucial role in generating architectural quality and design in the region. The essay deals with several key issues that, on the one hand, have determined the critical fortune of Vorarlberg architecture and, on the other, shows how the social, cultural, environmental and economic components rooted in the Land have reverberated in architectural quality.

Materielle und immaterielle Landschaftsveränderungen. Risikoschutz im alpinen Umfeld

The complex use of the Alps as a settlement area and a sports and leisure environment inevitably lead to the increasing construction of technical and architectural infrastructure to protect against so-called natural hazards. These inevitably have an impact on the landscape and, thus, also on the perception and image of it. The article is dedicated to this nevertheless often neglected part of the alpine infrastructure – the measures and large-scale shoring for the protection against avalanches. Not only the material safety infrastructure is of interest, but also the importance it has for the image and perception of the Alps. The focus is on where the measures for protection against danger not only help to shape the physical landscape but also become part of the cultural construction of the Alps. Three image areas were examined – that of the state institution for avalanche control (Forsttechnischer Dienst für Wildbach- und Lawinenverbauung – WLV), that of marketing, and that of the art system. They show how media intersections are now being found after decades of technical construction and visual communication of the Alps running counter to one another. Today, motifs and image strategies from the field of protection planning are entering the field of advertising images, just as developments and approaches from art and advertising are finding their way into images of security production. Finally, one can assume that advertising images in the Alpine region will appear in the future to feature more frequently elements of safety engineering – to complete the ideal image of the Alps with the construction, in which safety architecture is realized as a cultural resource.

Research by practice in the alpine environment: discovering the activity of MonViso Institute in Ostana. Dialogue with Tobias Luthe

New ideas often come from external influences, different paths that are essential for developing an economic model that’s not based on repeating the past but on three pillars: cultural traditions, natural environment, and new ways of thinking. This happens at MonViso Institute, in the Western Italian Alps, where a group of researchers, designers and entrepreneurs has been involved in place-based research into transitions towards sustainability, regenerative design and architecture, and building a deep relationship with the social, cultural and natural environment. The Institute’s activities involve education in new technologies, climate change, permaculture, the circularity of materials, design with bio-composites, regional economics, which is embedded in outdoor projects in cooperation with European universities and other environment-oriented institutes. Together with the cultural and social realities that have been locally developing during the last decades, MonViso Institute takes part in the regeneration process of the alpine village of Ostana (CN), by representing a significant, concrete programme that can be out-scaled to describe re-inhabitation strategies that may interest several mountain territories.

Ice Stupas. Ein Projekt zum Wassermanagement im Gebirgsraum

The essay goes into the prototype project called ‘Ice Stupa’. The project was realised in Ladakh (India), a territory in the Indian part of the Himalayas. Specifically, the project is located in the Indus Valley at an altitude of 3500 metres above sea level. Its location under the monsoon rains, behind the first great Himalayan Mountain range, makes the valley a natural high mountain desert. It is, therefore, scorched with little rainfall. The sun shines for about 360 days. The remaining glaciers provide water for living beings and agriculture. Due to the cold at these altitudes, the glaciers only begin to melt in May and only release sufficient water for cultivated land downstream. However, sowing and the start of growth should occur much earlier because plants grow much more slowly at this altitude. The result is an often poor harvest, which further impacts the already difficult living conditions of the Ladakhi people. The ‘Ice Stupa’ project represents an exciting water management solution when the virtuous management of natural resources is a crucial issue. The Ice Stupa system concretises the interaction between architecture and the environment. The essay also presents some projects realised in the Swiss Grisons.

Application-oriented digital tools for timber construction. Dialogue with Yves Weinand

Over the past two centuries, steel and reinforced concrete have played a predominant role in research and application in civil engineering and materials science, leaving a void in structural wood research. However, the environmental arguments in favour of expanding the possibilities of using renewable wood resources are becoming increasingly evident. in recent years, society’s growing awareness on the urgent need for sustainable building materials has influenced the newfound economic importance of timber construction. Environmental awareness is helping to restore or establish the legitimate use of wood in building our cities on an unprecedented scale. This essay is an interview with Prof. Yves Weinand, in which he briefly explains the experimental activities taking place within the laboratory and how these are changing the way we design and build with timber. On a broader level, the investigations of the IBOlS Group contribute to a deeper understanding of spatial structures in general and set new precedents for the cooperative interaction between architects and engineers who will be analysing such structures.

Biodiversità, Alpi, Architettura. Esperienze dal premio Constructive Alps

Due to their geographical, orographic, cultural, and historical characteristics, the Alps can be considered a vast park, representing a reservoir of biological diversity in the centre of Europe; however, such biodiversity is at serious risk. The Alps are breath-taking in their nature, with their peaks, trees, water, animals, insects, people and languages, as well as in their impressing architecture made of the same materials as forests and rocks. On the other hand, the Alps currently count 120 million tourists a year, they are compromised by industries, motorways, cities, consumption, their forests are broken up by ski slopes and ski lifts, their glaciers are disappearing, and the valley floors are exploited down to the last usable metre. In the Alps, the climate crisis is not just any emergency, but the main crisis determining all the others.
In this fragile environment, the Constructive Alps award is an established reality in the panorama of research on contemporary Alpine architecture. Since 2010, Constructive Alps has been investigating environmentally aware contemporary Alpine architecture, the only viable architecture there. Over the years, a large number of the approximately 2000 realized works proposed by designers and clients have proved to be attentive to the dialogue with the natural context and the biodiversity of places.
Those projects can realistically constitute an atlas of virtuous places, a rich catalogue of good practices, and an articulate handbook of solutions and techniques. The essay begins with a glossary that enunciates the concepts of “biodiversity”, “Alps”, “architecture”, and “Constructive Alps” and then recounts four projects selected by the award jury that stand out for their stimulating interpretations of the relationship between architecture and the environment.

Una bonifica, una strada e alcuni ragionevoli dubbi

The complex territorial operation, carried out by the Zegna family from the 1930s onwards, emerges as one of the most significant infrastructural projects of the Biellese Prealps, linking the fate of this region to the Trivero wool company. The construction of the Panoramica Zegna, along with the development of new facilities and territorial equipment was part of a broader process of programmatic modification of the Alpine territory and its imagery directed at modernizing – and exploiting – its great variety of mountain resources available, from water to land and landscape amenities. Despite the significance of the territorial initiatives implemented and the extent of their effects, the overall event itself is still poorly investigated. Most narratives and research focus on the tourism purpose of the infrastructural development of the mountain region, leaving other trajectories in the background, which– although compared to the former they have never led to tangible results –left an indelible mark on the territory both in terms of legal practices and local development projects. Although still in its embryonic stage, the aim of this work is to systematize some of the procedural circumstances as well as the spatial and territorial effects that this extended history has produced.

I boschi alpini del Settecento come “exemplum” dei fenomeni ambientali contemporanei

The author discusses the concept of “natural environment spatialization” referring to the 18th century Western Alps context. Under the Savoy dynasty, resources began to play a means-ends function, becoming commodities to be extracted and turned into profit according to the Enlightenment’s idea of forest as economic resource, thus losing its role of habitat. The state’s necessity to manage these territories led to the birth of a new legislation that not only did regulate exploitation but also catalogued everything that could constitute an income for the state, e.g., fields, woods, and mines. Such interpretation of nature have characterized the mountain environment of the following centuries, up to the present day. Nowadays, due to the global crisis, the hitherto localized extractions are being stimulated again through a phenomenon of new internal extractive practices that mainly apply to the Alpine territory, and in which forests and minerals are the main resources.

Silenziosi creatori di paesaggi. Il Villaggio di Gellner tra azione e riflessione

The village of Corte di Cadore created by Edoardo Gellner in the 1950s is the result of different phases in which thinking and acting were skillfully alternated to create a series of landscapes and ever-changing balances between architecture and nature.
In the first phase, the natural element was meant to cooperate with the built element, connecting it to the surrounding natural scenery, thus generating a new “built landscape”; however, the vegetation grew lusher than expected, threatening to compromise the visual relationship conceived by the architect. In the wake of these sudden changes, the architect began to interpret the new landscape as an element to be enhanced and designed to limit its effects on architecture while maintaining its anarchist proliferation. The landscape project for the controlled felling of parts of vegetation had soon to be adapted to the change of management of the site, according to a forest planning approach that often does not take architectural issues into account. The recent events of the Vaia storm and the bark beetle infestation seem to indicate Nature’s desire to regain control and create its own image.

Il legno di provenienza nazionale: una risorsa per l’edilizia alpina

Italian forests cover more than one third of the national territory, yet the amount of timber yearly harvested is considerably limited. Increasing the use of national timber, with a sustainable approach, is a relevant opportunity for our country given the environmental, social and economic benefit it could bring. The prospects are favorable indeed, since the demand for timber has recently increased in many sectors, and the Italian wooden resources are well suited for several and valuable uses.
Proximity supply chains can play a significant role in the forest-wood sector, as some best practices demonstrate and are therefore to be supported at different levels, in terms of system, engaging operators, and attracting investments. In this context, various types of architectural solutions can effectively contribute to promote our national timber by conveying the countless values it would bring to construction. The same applies to the national territory, and in particular for the Alpine area, where wood and its uses are integrated into the local culture.

Valenze strategiche delle Comunità Energetiche

The concept of Energy Community is currently beginning to be appreciated by non-experts. Until about a decade ago, electricity generation was exclusively centralized and mostly run by fossil fuels. the power produced would then reach people’s homes through high, medium, and low voltage networks. Today, with small-scale plants, energy generation has become increasingly local and clustered near the consumption places, particularly thanks to the spread of photovoltaic systems, which are versatile in their application and have very few limitations in geographical distribution. Recently, other renewable sources small-scale plants have been developed for local and domestic use, greatly reducing losses related to transportation and distribution. In this context, one of the main objectives of the Energy Communities is to maximize and, therefore, stimulate both prompt and proximity self-consumption with appropriate incentives like State and European funding.

Le Alpi nel 2050: clima e territorio

The Alps are indicators of climate change. Thanks to their variety of environments and altitudes, these places uncover some of the manifold consequences of global warming. Starting with the analysis of the current situation, 2022 has been an example of what, ever so frequently, may happen in the future: summer temperatures 3 ºC hotter than average has given rise to drought problems, trees and forests loss and a record reduction in glacial mass across the Alps. What lies ahead? What are the prospects for the future according to climate projections? The answer lies in the effectiveness of climate policies that, if unheeded, may result in catastrophic scenarios. The complete failure of the actions planned and implemented would, in fact, lead to climate chaos, inevitably affecting the habitability of the mountain areas. But not all is lost: virtuous practices will make it possible to achieve the 2-degree global warming goal, also thanks to a new way of living in the Alps that, bearing risks in mind, understands the need to divert financial resources to the environment, avoiding the unmanageable and managing the inevitable.

Architettura e ambiente, una relazione complessa e mobile

The thesis underpinning the thoughts presented in this issue is the interaction between architectural culture and the environment, between intentional environmental modification brought about by building in the mountains and its conceptualization in the historically-determined forms that have characterised modernity since the late 18th century. The environment is here understood as material – mountains, lakes, forests, climate, air, water, ice, animals – with its countless cultural and scientific modes of conceptualization.
This theme is not only up-to-date, but will be the core issue of the long phase of climate transition that is our future. Thus, it is natural to question the extent to which environmental transformation is redefining how constructive action and the environment relate to and influence each other. In order to look at this interaction in the present and in the near future, it may be essential to interrogate the two-and-a-half centuries of history of modernity within the Alps, with the progressive prevalence of urban technology cultures that will disperse the historical ways of life and the relative building practices as the 21st century advances.

L’architettura per la produzione nelle Alpi

Architecture for production in the Alps

Abstract

Production buildings and infrastructures, being the man-made marks left on the Alpine landscape, have historically had a different value than they have today. For a short period during modernity, they were used as advertising elements to represent the progress of Alpine territories and were later ignored by the architectural discourse, which failed to understand their cultural, environmental and ecological values. These buildings were often the subject of that “spatial separation” between the energy production and the energy consumption areas which contributed, even in the Alpine territory, to the construction of industrial areas devoid of any character or attractiveness. It is only since the end of the last century that the growing environmental, social, cultural, and political awareness, as well as the emergence of major environmental and climate crises have contributed to the realisation that the quality architectural project is of fundamental importance in the construction of industrial and productive buildings. After a brief introduction, the article illustrates some examples of contemporary architecture for production in the Alps, arranged functionally. There are agricultural buildings, small workshops, facilities for the production and distribution of electrical and thermal energy, waste treatment plants, and office buildings.