Incredible Glass Cabin Will Let Mountaineers Shelter From High-Altitude Peril In The Alps–Look

Incredible Glass Cabin Will Let Mountaineers Shelter From High-Altitude Peril In The Alps–Look

An incredible new glass cabin will let mountaineers shelter from high-altitude perils with the same chic taste as a Milano office high rise.

Designers have created the cabin ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, where it will be showcased in the city before being airlifted to its permanent location in the Alps.

Called a bivouac in English, a rifugio in Italian, and a ‘bothi’ in Scots Gaelic, this concept piece was the brainchild of renowned Italian design firm CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, in collaboration with Salone del Mobile.Milano.

Designed to harmonize with the Alpine landscape, its creation began with a 3D scan of rock formations in the region.

Founder and Lead Architect Carlo Ratti explained his influence as coming from crystalline structures.

“Great 20th-century Italian architect Gio Ponti once said that architecture is ‘like a crystal’. We took that literally in this design, using digital fabrication to design a bivouac as if it were part of the natural rock formations that shape the Alps,” he said.

“Unfortunately, today bivouacs often look like airships that have landed on our beautiful alpine landscapes. Here we took the opposite approach: a structure that blends as much as possible with the surroundings.”

CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati say the resulting design minimizes visual impact while maximizing functionality—incorporating energy production, storage, and water harvesting through air condensation.

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“It is a gesture that turns research into a form of harmony with the natural world and that, in its journey from our Milan to the Alps, expresses the principles we share: a circular, responsible design,” said Maria Porro, President of Salone del Mobile.Milano.

The Winter Olympics will take place across the north of Italy, with half of the events held at the legendary Cortina d’Ampezzo ski resort in Trentino Alto Adige, and the others across the valleys of Lombardy.

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