‘bivacco luca vuerich’ by giovanni pesamosca, udine, italy
image © flavio pesamosca
all images courtesy of giovanni pesamosca
italian architect giovanni pesamosca has shared with us his unusually-sited cabin completed last summer at the crest of foronon buinz in the julian alps. the prefab modular wood structure, named in memory of the deceased climber luka vuerich, contains nine beds and is situated 2531 meters above sea level. it is strategically sited along a summit trail providing refuge to hikers, climbers, visitors, or anyone looking for a rest in the mountains. the project is built upon 6 circular concrete piers placed on the rocky landscape. spruce ‘x-lam’ panels and glulam beams were CNC milled on the ground, air lifted by helicopter, and assembled on site to create the 16 m2 refuge. all in all, the small house is made up of 30 prefab panels, 3 trusses, and a larch-wood floor structure. twelve men, professionals, volunteers, and friends of the vuerich family made the long hike up to the site to construct the shelter – it was built in only one day, and after a good night’s rest the crew awoke to stain and finish.
video © elena pezzetta
image © flavio pesamosca
image © flavio pesamosca
the cabin is built at the summit of the mountains, with breathtaking views across the peaks
image © flavio pesamosca
image © flavio pesamosca
approach to the south0facing entrance
image © flavio pesamosca
image © flavio pesamosca
image © flavio pesamosca
front entrance, etched door
image © flavio pesamosca
all-wooden interior
image © flavio pesamosca
image © flavio pesamosca
helicopter airlift
image © flavio pesamosca
materials arrive on site
image © flavio pesamosca
preparation of the concrete piers
image © flavio pesamosca
pieces are numbered and lifted into place by hand
image © flavio pesamosca
image © flavio pesamosca
image © flavio pesamosca
roof assembly before metal panels are installed
image © flavio pesamosca
image © flavio pesamosca
project info:
architect: giovanni pesamosca
structure: engineer valentina bertolutti
impianti: studio t.e.a.
consultants: ingegnere marco pesamosca, geometra vittorio di marco
site supervisor: geometra roberto palmieri
client: luciano vuerich
collaborators: diemmelegno snc (strutture e finiture in legno), i.d.i.r. srl (strutture in c.a.), lattoneria de cillia (rivestimenti in lamiera), baron maurizio (serramenti in alluminio)
air transport: elifriulia, aves rigel di casarsa – c.n.s.a.s. cave del predil
location: monte foronon del buinz – gruppo del montasio (2531 m.s.l.m.) – comune di chiusaforte, udine
gps coordinates: lat 46.4179 – long 13.4656
area: 15 m2
volume: 30 m3
design: december 2011 – april 2012
construction: july – august 2012
PRODUCT LIBRARY
Sep 14, 2021
Sep 12, 2021
Sep 09, 2021
Sep 09, 2021
I would spent some great winter holidays in that bungalow. It seems breath-taking.
Being a wood worker and a hiker, I appreciate Mr. Pesamosca’s simple yet elegant design and the team effort to produce this shelter. It will provide safety and warmth for generations of hikers to come.
A-Frames are quiet easy and cheap to build. Probably why the client chose this design. How long to hand lay stone walls? Yes, human handiwork pales beside that of God’s but hikers lives could be saved in a storm so I would call this a good thing.
How can you sleep in this triangular space ? I guess some people will fall down during the night. Close, but no cigar.
I Prefer the Stone Hut at Muir Pass and the Stone hut on top of Mount Whitney. Built by the Smithsonian.
The stone Huts that my brother and I shared in 1960. He at 17 years old was the leader, I was 13.
Our Parents allowed us this adventure.
We were the second to arrive at Muir Pass in that early season. Cold dinner. Early bed.
The top of Mt Whitney had 50+- visitors that day. We had the hut to our self at night.
Spent the night on the cold doors that no longer closed the openings. Wind blowing through the disconnected stove pipe.
We humans have this ‘need’ to trash the environment.
Jim