peter pichler architecture presents vertical chalet installation at milan design week 2021

peter pichler goes to milan design week 2021

on the occasion of milan design week 2021, peter pichler architecture exhibits a small-scale representation of the firm’s newest hospitality project ‘vertical chalets six senses’, developed for the alpine region and implemented for the first time on a site near kitzbühel, austria.

the five chalets presented at the fuorisalone exhibition, an event curated by interni magazine, are located in the courtyard of the statale university in milan, and will be displayed at the exhibition until the 19th of september.

the five chalets installation in the courtyard of the statale university

all images courtesy of paulo riolzi and peter pichler architecture

a radical hospitality project for the alpine region

the prototype structure by peter pichler architecture draws inspiration from local vernacular architecture in austria, while reinterpreting it in a contemporary way. setting the connection between humans and nature as its fundamental criterion, the project seeks to activate and amplify human senses with the use of simple and local materials while encouraging individuals to slow down and live in the moment, engaging in an immersive spatial experience within nature. the building introduces an innovative approach towards sustainability and a new progressive form of tourism where the relationship between humans and nature stays at its center.

the 1/20 scale model presented at the fuorisalone exhibition is a craftsmanship piece created by italian model maker antonio la colla. the landscape platform is made of wooden strips of 18 mm section, wedged and glued between them, while the chalets are made of spruce. the structure consists of a diagrid exoskeleton wrapped in a second ‘skin’ of overlapping wooden strips, designed to filter the light inside the living spaces and ensure privacy while creating an extraordinary spatial experience, almost like a birds nest. during the day the structure filters the sunlight and creates a joyful effect of light and shadow, while at night it allows the houses to shine like lanterns in a forest.