Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Oct 03, 2025

This Dizzying Prefab Is Perched on the Edge of the Italian Alps

This Dizzying Prefab Is Perched on the Edge of the Italian Alps

Bivacco Luca Pasqualetti is a cliffside prefab shelter designed to inspire remote alpine explorations and honor a fallen mountaineer.

Italian architects Roberto Dini and Stefano Girodo designed this tiny bivouac structure to encourage exploration of a remote location in the Italian Alps. Perched on the side of a mountain at an altitude of 10,794 feet, the structure was commissioned by the family of Luca Pasqualetti, a mountaineer who tragically passed away in May 2014 in the Apuan Alps.

Dini and Girodo, researchers at the Istituto di Architettura Montana of the Politecnico di Torino, collaborated with Italian prefab company LEAPfactory to assemble the unit in an offsite workshop in July and August 2017. The team then transported the completed structure to a temporary location while they prepared the high-altitude site for the installation. Ultimately, the prefab pieces were lifted into place via helicopter and installed in a single day on September 10th, 2018.



The high-altitude, remote site called for simple and efficient construction choices and careful logistical planning.

The harsh alpine climate presented a significant design challenge for the architects, as the isolated structure would need to withstand extreme weather conditions including temperatures below -4°F, winds up to 124 miles per hour, and heavy precipitation and snowfall.



The structure is made from wood and steel composite panels, and it's designed to split into four sections for transport and handling to reduce the number of helicopter flights needed for the final assembly.



The structure can be transported by flatbed truck.



The pieces awaiting transport to their final destination.



One section of the alpine shelter being airlifted.



The site prep.



Every component is sized for easy transport and handling, and all the components were dry mounted on-site without the use of concrete.

The alpine shelter is designed as a simple hut with two pitches, and its sharp edges fit into the jagged, rocky landscape of the Morion ridge. The building's metal cladding matches the range's gray tones, and the interiors are designed to provide a cozy and protected shell for up to eight guests.



High-quality materials guarantee the shelter's durability, and every piece is recyclable and ecologically certified.



A small external niche at the entrance helps protect the door from wind and snow and provides a small storage space for gear.

The interior is divided into sleeping and living spaces. A huge panoramic window on the eastern facade provides ample sunlight to keep the interiors warm-plus one-of-a-kind views of the surrounding landscape, including Becca di Luseney, Monte Rosa, and the Matterhorn.



The bivouac is designed for minimal environmental impact. It's set on non-permanent foundations and anchored to the rock in a non-invasive way, and it can be removed without leaving a trace.



The shelter can accommodate eight people.



The living area holds a table with seating for eight. There is also a sideboard, a surface for food preparation, and ample storage compartments for backpacks and climbing equipment. Two wooden sleeping platforms with mattresses can sleep up to eight people, and small solar panels provide minimal lighting.



The spectacular view.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
UK, Canada, and Australia Officially Recognise Palestine in Historic Shift
Dubai Property Boom Shows Strain as Flippers Get Buyer’s Remorse
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
UAE-US Stargate Project Poised to Make Abu Dhabi a Global AI Powerhouse
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
×