frundgallina: structure d’accueil de colombire

‘structure d’accueil colombire’ by frungallina in mollens, switzerland photographer: milo keller

swiss architects frundgallina has designed ‘structure d’accueil de colombire’, a small restaurant and lookout on a mountain in mollens, switzerland. characterized by a small, pavilion-like structure made of reinforced concrete, the two-level project takes advantage of its site and natural topography by placing the majority of its interior space underground.

view from trail image © milo keller

located on the edge of the mountain adjacent to a foot trail, the design consists of an assuming asymmetrical volume with a large window opening facing the forest. two rectilinear chimneys lend the pavilion an iconic and playful profile, accenting the slight pitched roofline.

pavilion image © milo keller

image © milo keller

underground, a long and linear space extends from the trail to the slope, culminating in a expansive glazed plane that frames a picturesque view of the surrounding landscape. to accentuate the length and character of the space, the dining hall is marked with a single long table. utilizing a simple layout, the functional programs are pushed to one side of the room to open up the rest of the floor space to the visitors. 

dining space image © milo keller

lookout to the mountains image © milo keller

stairs leading down to the restaurant level image © milo keller

night view image © milo keller

floor plan / level -1

floor plan / level 0

longitudinal section

cross section