Snøhetta wins competition to construct a modern, yet low-impact mountain refuge in the Pyrenees

Snøhetta has announced that it has been selected as the winner of a competition to rebuild a mountain refuge nestled in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park in France. The news is joined by designs of what will be the new Refuge de Barroude, which was destroyed in a fire ten years ago. The building will provide a new stop-off point for hikers on the Haute Route des Pyrénées, a long-distance trail that follows the French and Spanish border. It will also serve as a reception and support center for National Park staff. The refuge was designed in a restrained, yet modern way in order to limit its environmental footprint. It seems to naturally curl up from the landscape, however the building also contrasts its surroundings through its materiality of stone, wood, and aluminum. As noted by the architects, “...the project’s concept strikes a delicate balance between integration and visibility.”Read the full post on Bustler