HomeArchitectureChalet Blanc, the small sustainable chalet at the foot of Cervino

Chalet Blanc, the small sustainable chalet at the foot of Cervino

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At the foot of the Cervino mountain, LCA Architetti has recently completed Chalet Blanc, a small sustainable chalet for a couple who wanted a sort of “climber’s refuge”.

The building is made with a prefabricated wooden structure and reinterprets the concept of ancient chalet in a contemporary way: the volume of the house is characterised by the inverted “W” roof, which is a tribute to the skyline and the majesty of the peaks that crown the valley, and represents the attempt to initiate a direct dialogue with the wonder of the surrounding nature.

The broken line of the roof is taken up, in plan, by the organic design of the balconies: the elevations are treated differently from each other, depending on the orientation and internal functions of the building, and in particular the openings of the rooms and the large windows of the social spaces on the top floor open to the south.

All the rooms have access to the terraces designed in a zig-zag pattern, partially shaded by wooden brise soleil: to the northwest, to protect the chalet from the harsh climate, the facades are decidedly more closed and on these sides the walls are distinguished with rhythmic ribs that are made with vertical wooden beams, while the windows and the respective frames vary in size and open more freely and asymmetrically, framing glimpses of the landscape; finally, the east facade is recognisable by the large loggia and frame around it on the attic floor.

The wooden structure of the building rests on a masonry base finished externally with dry stone: the base, in addition to housing a three-room apartment, is intended for garage, technical room and ski storage; access to the accommodation is on the north side on the first level and you are immediately greeted by a small living room that also serves as a hall; on the same floor we find on one side a first bedroom and on the other side a spa with whirlpool tub, emotional showers, a relaxation room, sauna and Turkish bath; the wellness area overlooks the garden and the large stone-paved solarium.

The upper floor is intended exclusively for the reception with the presence of four bedrooms, all with bathroom and large windows facing south; the top floor is characterized by large windows overlooking the valley and the high mountains that surround it: in this space there is the living room, the dining room, the kitchen and a large fireplace with a stone seat and a raw iron chimney; on the east side a covered loggia is intended for a convivial space for reading and contemplation.

In addition, the chalet was built using mostly natural materials from renewable sources, such as wood that has reduced consumption and very low CO2 emissions: the architect worked with the aim of creating environments with a high degree of internal comfort but also in close dialogue with the mountains.