CultureNOW - New Monte Rosa Hutte: Studio Monte Rosa, DARCH and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

New Monte Rosa Hutte

Architects
Studio Monte Rosa, DARCH

Owner
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - ETH Zurich

Dates

Constructed, 2009

Awards

Holcim Awards Bronze 2008

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Description

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Beside the Monte Rosa glacier in the Swiss Alps, the Autonomous alpine shelter, Monte Rosa hut has been built by a partnership led by ETH Zurich.

In splendid isolation, the building operates under extreme climatic conditions, is fully self-sufficient, and demonstrates that sustainable construction is possible anywhere.

Construction of the building was completed in September 2009 and the New Monte Rosa Hut SAC opened to the public in March 2010. 2,883 meters above sea level, the New Monte Rosa Hut is currently the most complex wooden construction in Switzerland. Covered in a shimmering silver aluminum shell and with a photovoltaic system integrated in the southern façade, it generates its own power and is expected to be at least 90% energy self-sufficient (excluding cooking).

Solar collectors, installed adjacent to the structure, generate solar heat which provides warm water and heats the ventilation system’s supply air to control the temperature in the rooms. In the few months of the year where the ice melts, the water is collected and stored in a cavern to provide the guests with flush toilets and four hot showers. A bacteria-based microfiltration system cleans the sewage; the gray water is then reused to flush the toilet and for washing.

Such a high degree of energy self-sufficiency requires the interaction of the individual components and shrewd energy management. Software developed at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) operates the technology at the hut. The relevant data from the reservation system, energy storage and the weather station, for instance, is conveyed from the hut to a computer at ETH Zurich. The computer then uses the data to maximize the degree of energy self-efficiency. Any actions subsequently necessary - such as the command to engage the combined heat and power unit if the solar radiation is insufficient to generate enough power - are communicated back to the hut and performed automatically

The corner stone for the building was laid in August 2008 and the foundations were completed before the onset of winter. Thanks to prefabricated elements, which were initially transported by train and then flown to the building site by helicopter and assembled on site, the building was completed in the summer of 2009 after just five months. After the inauguration, the 120-bed hut closed for the winter before reopening for alpinists for summer seasons lasting April to September.

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Location

Zermatt,
Switzerland

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