Designboom_architects claudio c. araya, natalia kogia, iga majorek and maria valese have introduced the ‘bivacco brédy’ bivouac shelter at comba di vertosan, within the aosta valley in italy. the project was completed as part of a series of bivouac proposals to celebrate the memory of claudio brédy, a politician who was passionate about the mountains and tragically lost his life on the peaks overlooking the vertosan valley.

designed at 2800 m above sea level by claudio c. araya, natalia kogia, iga majorek and maria valese, the ‘bivacco brédy’ refuge allows visitors to enjoy the breathtaking landscape as a whole experience. oriented towards the south to maximize the energetic effects of exposure, the bivouac not only allows for contemplation of the moutainous view, but also offers an ideal point of view for star-gazing. the result is a dual-oriented structure, ramping on one side and sloping on the other, creating a double telescope that opens up both to the valley and to the horizon. this double slope creates a small amphitheatre inside, directed towards the valley view.

supported by a steel truss structure buffered with prefabricated panels, the bivouac is covered with a cyan sheet that establishes a visible, consistent and effective sign on the mountain landscape. part of the requirements for the bivouac were that it accommodates between 9 and 12 people, so different examples were studied seen in order to recognize the optimal number of square meters, and the most favorable living conditions. the proposal seeks to maximize the user experience, by reinterpreting classic strategies, in a contemporary way, taking into account the geography, its construction, and claudio brédy’s memory, which is intended to be represented through the use and experience of bivouac.