A revolutionary glass shelter, designed to offer refuge to climbers in the high Alps, has been unveiled ahead of its debut at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
A Shelter Blending with the Mountains
The eye-catching bivouac is the creation of the Italian design firm CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, developed in partnership with Salone del Mobile.Milano. Its design process began uniquely with a 3D scan of rock formations in the Italian Alps, ensuring the final structure would harmonise with its dramatic surroundings.
Carlo Ratti, co-founder of CRA, explained the philosophy behind the project. He stated that traditional bivouacs often resemble airships that have clumsily landed on the pristine landscape. Their goal was the opposite: to create a structure that blends as much as possible with the natural environment.
Form Meets Function in High-Altitude Design
This is not merely an aesthetic exercise. The designers state the resulting bivouac minimises its visual impact while maximising functionality. The shelter is engineered to be self-sufficient, incorporating systems for:
- Energy production and storage
- Water harvesting through air condensation
Maria Porro, president of Salone del Mobile.Milano, described the project as a gesture that turns research into a form of harmony with the natural world. She emphasised that its journey from Milan to the Alps expresses their shared principles of circular and responsible design.
A Tribute to Italian Architectural Heritage
The design also pays homage to Italy's rich architectural history. Carlo Ratti referenced the influential 20th-century architect Gio Ponti, who once said that architecture is ‘like a crystal’.
"We took that literally in this design," Ratti added, "using digital fabrication to design a bivouac as if it were part of the natural rock formations that shape the Alps."
The shelter will first be showcased in Milan as part of the 2026 Winter Olympics events. Following its exhibition, it will be airlifted to its permanent location in the Italian Alps, where it will serve mountaineers for years to come.
