Parvis Mountain Shelter

Nestled like a native animal into a mountain peak in the Swiss Alps some 2,203 m above sea level, the Parvis mountain shelter is an 825 sq. m
restaurant, ski school and overnight refuge designed by Italian-Swiss architect Michele Zago. Originally from Venice and a graduate of IUAV, Zago completed his training specializing in construction management at SUPSI (University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland), at the same time furthering research into residential housing and hospitality design, especially in mountain and alpine environments. Zago is also a great connoisseur of building techniques of the Engadin. A long-term resident of Lugano, he established his own practice there in 2018.

Talking of the Parvis project, Zago admitted that while a complex challenge, integrating architecture into an alpine landscape is also a unique opportunity to create a balance between the natural environment and human needs. The majestic yet delicate mountain ecosystem requires special consideration in terms of design, materials, and sustainability. So, although the site in question imposed no particular planning restrictions, michele zago architetti’s goal remained that of respecting the natural environment by developing a project that achieved a balance between tradition, contemporary needs, the reinterpretation of historical archetypes, and environmental protection. Although complicated by the multiple functions required by the brief, the shelter’s design was based on achieving minimal visual impact and maximum functionality. The result is a building whose massing, colors and size blend into the beautiful surroundings and leave unscathed the visual impact of Cuolm da Vi. Located among the magnificent peaks (cuolm in Romansh) in the Surselva region, in the western section of the Swiss canton of Grisons, the shelter is perched on a sheer cliff reached only on foot or by cable car in summer, and on skis or snowboard in winter via the...

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