This unique bell-shaped building, which serves as a shelter inside Slovenia’s Triglav National Park, pays respect to what came before it. Way back in 1936, a local mountaineering club decided decided to build a modest, functional shelter inside the national park to make the region more accessible to visitors, according to Designboom. It was designed by the engineer and mountaineer Karlo Korenini and required serious grit to construct: a team of climbers was required to transport more than a ton of wood and steel to the site on their backs.
Post construction, the cabin served visitors for 80 years before the wooden construction finally gave way and deteriorated. Cue this project, which is a replica shelter that closely follows the form of its predecessor. Called ‘Bivak II Na Jezerih’, it was designed by the architecture firm AO. This time, the construction process was much less painful—but no less intensive—as the shelter was airlifted to site via helicopter. Once on top of the mountain, it was constructed by volunteers who worked a total of 600 hours.
The new shelter, to avoid wear and tear, had to meet certain environmental requirements. It has to withstand winds up to 124 miles per hour and also weigh less than 2,866 pounds, since it needed to be airlifted to the site. While the materials were updated, its size and volume closely matches the original building. It was also designed to be as easy to maintain as possible.
Inside, there’s enough room for six individuals as well as a folding table, bench and storage container. Wood paneling lends the cozy interior some warmth, while windows offer incredible views of the surrounding mountain range.