Capanna Carrel bivouac,

Matterhorn, Italy

Newly built Alpine refuge hut at an altitude of around 3,830 metres

The view from Capanna Carrel, an Alpine bivouac for mountaineers, is pretty impressive! This project is a new refuge hut that can provide overnight shelter for 25 people. It is located along the Matterhorn ascent via the south-west ridge, on the Italian side of the Italian-Swiss border. A durable, robust, well-executed and functional structure that is able to withstand extreme climatic conditions is critical here.

Building type / use: Alpine bivouac hut
Location: Cresta del Leone, municipality of Valtournenche (AO), Valle d’Aosta, Italy, at an altitude of around 3,830 m above sea level, on the south-west ridge of the Matterhorn (Cervino in Italian).
Construction period: Summer 2023 – early 2026 (construction work was interrupted during the winter periods)
Architects: Benedetto Amodei, Cecilia De Marco
Client: Region of Valle d’Aosta, in cooperation with the comune of Valtournenche
Operator: The Matterhorn Guide Society (Società delle Guide del Cervino)
Construction contractors: Chenevier S.p.A. (Charvensod, Valle d’Aosta), Besenval Costruzioni srl (Sarre, Valle d’Aosta) and others

Given the altitude of approx. 3.8 km and wind speeds of up to 200 km/h, the conditions for construction work and the built structure itself are clearly extraordinarily challenging. The time windows where building work could be carried out were also very short, and all materials and equipment had to be transported to the site by helicopter. Every last detail is critical in terms of ensuring safe, reliable, durable construction work when working on a steep rockface in this Alpine environment.

How was this project implemented?

The previous bivouac had to be demolished due to the risk of rockfall. A new structure has now been built around 50 metres removed from the original location. This will improve safety and ensure the long-term future of this hut.

The Capanna Carrel cabin is situated close to the peak of the Matterhorn (Cervino) at an altitude of around 3,830 metres.

This refuge is a stilt building ('palafitta' in Italian) propped up by steel piles that are anchored into the rockface. The structure has been deliberately designed so that it can be dismantled at the end of its service life without leaving behind a major footprint on the mountain rock.

The building itself is a solid timber structure. The timber elements were pre-fabricated in the valley and then airlifted to the cabin site by helicopter.

An important consideration was the provision of protection for the timber components before they are installed: SOLITEX ADHERO 1000 was applied to the external surfaces of the timber structures before the thermal insulation and metal cladding were installed.

These 'peel-and-stick' weather-protection membranes from pro clima served as reliable barriers against moisture and the natural elements even during the installation phase. Obviously, this was a critical challenge in the planning and execution of a project at this altitude in the Alps.

Transitions and joints were sealed using TESCON VANA all-round adhesive tape.

Subsequently, thermal insulation was installed over the protected timber structure, and external metal cladding was mounted over this. The overall structural system thus combines pre-fabrication, precision and durability – all under the most challenging conditions imaginable!

We would like to thank Arch. Matteo Bignozzi for providing text material and photos.