peter pichler envisions four ski lifts as a twist on alpine architecture

reinventing the ski station

With a newly unveiled competition entry, Milanese studio Peter Pichler Architecture proposes a family of ski lifts for a mountaintop site in Ponte di Lego, Italy. The project is designed to seamlessly integrate with the natural landscape as well as the cultural heritage of its Alpine context. Comprising four distinct interventions that link three new cableway lines, the sprawling proposal is united by a single design language. Overall, the work aims to expand the infrastructure across Val Camonica, one of the largest valleys of the central Alps, while thoughtfully reinventing the typical ski station into a meaningful architectural experience.

‘Integrating the buildings into the landscape, as well as offering the best experience to visitors, were decisive design factors,’ the architects tell designboom. ‘Each structure has been oriented towards its most expansive view.’

visualizations by Peter Pichler Architecture + Visualarch

peter pichler’s new twist on alpine design

Designing the four ski stations, Peter Pichler Architecture revisits the architectural tradition of its Alpine context. The team incorporates the familiar pitched stone roofs and timber interiors and balconies into the proposal to maintain a sense of harmony and continuity with its surroundings. These traditional elements are reimagined with a contemporary approach, as a sloping rooftop twists into a curving parabolic surface, emphasized along the interiors with an expressive and rhythmic timber structure. While the four stations each take shape with this same architectural language, each responds in its own way to the complex terrain, lending a unique experience for visitors at each station.

‘Another primordial aspect was highlighting the cultural heritage of the site, as it includes World War I trenches found in situ,’ the architects continue, describing the project’s relationship with the heritage of its site. ‘These have been safeguarded and integrated into the project, where glazed openings and walkable transparent paths ensure they are exposed.‘

a sustainable approach

To promote sustainability, the projects structural components will be made from native and natural materials including timber and stone. This deliberate decision minimizes the ecological footprint of the building while harmonizing with the landscape. Unlike the conventional approach, the four stations will have distinct identities based on their respective sizes and purposes.

With this array of ski lifts, Peter Pichler Architecture proposes a playful vision of how architecture can be used to enhance the natural environment and cultural heritage of its site. The design aims not only to introduce a functional work of infrastructure for visitors but also to provide a contemporary atmosphere that responds to its surrounding context.

project info:

project title: Ski Stations

architecture: Peter Pichler Architecture | @peterpichler_architecture

location: Ponte di Legno, Italy

PPA principals: Peter Pichler, Silvana Ordinas
design team: Peter Pichler, Daniele Colombati, Maria Pachi, Niklas Knap, Federica Rizzo
status: Competition Entry
ground floor area: 4,360 square meters
visualizations: Peter Pichler Architecture + Visualarch | @visualarch.eu