Mountain shelters serve as protection for climbers during severe weather conditions. However, a Bulgarian design team discovered that many shelters have been destroyed, putting mountaineers at risk. As the winning proposal for the competition "Architecture of 2050," this innovative building addresses this critical problem through a combination of sustainability, materiality and technology.
If the shelter is to last in time, it has to protect itself first.
Designed by Lusio Architects with Krassimir Krumov and Ivanka Ivanova, this modular shelter is made up of four separate aluminum-clad modules. The modules can be delivered by helicopter and then assembled on site. When assembled, the shelter appears "hidden" on the mountainside so as "not to attract unwanted visitors." In case of bad weather, the shelter becomes a beacon, "with lights and sound that make it extremely easy to find even in the thickest of fog."
There are various elements integrated into the design to assist in the safety and rescue of mountaineers. A direct video connection with the mountain rescue team is automatically activated when someone enters the shelter, and a floor heating system is powered by the solar and wind energy captured and stored by the shelter. A system of hammocks is also included in the walls of the shelter to provide multiple resting spaces while also saving space.
Based on the weather conditions, the shelter changes modes to ensure the safety of the people inside. The modes include "FIND ME Mode," "RESCUE ME Mode" and in times of better weather, "RELAX Mode."
If the design prototype (set to be delivered and installed in Vitosha, Bulgaria, in the fall of 2018) is successful, another shelter will be commissioned by the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute for their base in Antarctica.
News via: Lusio Architects
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