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resort design
The Swiss figured out mountain
architecture long ago: design simple,
low-slope gable roofs minimizing
opportunities for leaks, while retaining
snow for additional insulation. Enter the
buildings from the gable ends to protect
inhabitants from falling ice and snow.
House animals on the ground floor to
provide heat for humans above. Use
durable stone at the building base where
walls come into contact with snow and
moisture. Form followed function. The
Swiss chalet design is simply iconic.
At the turn of the previous century,
Americans complicated mountain
resort design
architecture. Trains opened up the US
wilderness to well-heeled tourists escaping
the infernal summer heat of the country’s
industrializing cities. A romanticized
national park-style architecture was born
using natural materials and steep roofs to
evoke the landscape’s majestic power. The
problem was that great buildings, such as
the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone
National Park, Wyoming, were built for
summer use only. Little thought was given
to wintertime roof dams, sliding snow and
large, destructive icicles. Today, however,
technology is the driving force behind an
increased awareness of the environment
Natural
selection
and the industry is witnessing the next
revolution in mountain architecture. Once
again, form is starting to follow function.
Beyond green Green buildings are already old hat. The
concept is actually more evolutionary than
revolutionary, proposing that construction
should be as environmentally sensitive as
possible. Proper building orientation,
on-site water retention, solar gain, natural
day-lighting and ventilation are old ideas
given a new twist due to rediscovery or
improved technology. Green design,
moreover, redresses man-made problems.
Advances in technology and a greater understanding
of a resort’s surrounding environment are
transforming mountain architecture
Chemical off-gassing wasn’t a problem
before the development of the building
industry in the 20th century.
More radical thinkers such as the
International Living Future Institute
envision construction in a larger context
based on biophilic design models, or an
instinctive relationship between living
systems and the environment. Buildings
are no longer viewed as inert consumers of
Earth’s raw materials. Instead, they are
living organisms, responding to circadian
rhythms, generating energy and serving as
educational tools to future generations.
Like all living things, buildings aren’t
meant to live forever. They will grow old
and decay, to be reborn through recycling.
Buildings are also starting to be designed
to adapt to different seasons and changes
in use. This is particularly true in
mountain resort settings that are
increasingly four-season destinations.
During winter, buildings hunker down to
conserve resources. During summer, they
shed their conservative nature and open to
the outdoors to provide seasonal food and
beverage and facilitate diverse outdoor
activities including weddings, special
events, hiking, biking and gravity-based
zip lines. Such flexible buildings will
address multiple visitor needs while
pushing the resort’s bottom line.
Water is an invaluable commodity at
mountain resorts given the critical
importance of snowmaking in response to
climate change. Snowmaking ponds are
already large cisterns reclaiming run-off for
this purpose. Resorts also consume a large
amount of power due to their snowmaking
and lift operations. Moving forward, resort
operators will come under pressure to
consider net zero water and energy systems
as responsible stewards of relatively
unspoiled mountain environments. Solar
and wind power will become the norm and
require proper building orientation and a
reconsideration of roof forms. Geothermal
systems provide both heating in winter and
cooling in summer. Roofs are now being
designed to harvest water for domestic and
landscaping uses throughout the year.
Main: Incorporting butterfly roofs into
mountain building designs is one way to
create a more sustainable operation
Up to 60% of millennials will pay more
for a product if it is eco-friendly. This
demographic insists on doing business
with companies embracing social good and
importantly, according to industry
specialist Dave Belin of RRC Associates,
this group already accounts for 27% of
snow sport visits in the USA. According to
the National Ski Area Association, the
main reason for a summer trip to the
mountains is to enjoy the scenic beauty.
It is critical for operators to recognize
that the mountain environment is the true
attraction. New developments and planned
attractions cannot come at the expense of
the environment or those elements of place
that make resort settings unique. Air travel
and lifestyle trends have transformed
mountain environments from their natural
isolation. Moving forward, successful
destinations will preserve their essential
mountain character, choosing health,
recreation and wellness over crowds and
ever increasing commodification. <<
Above (left): The steep roof design of the
Old Faithful Inn fails to cope with the
various pitfalls of winter weather
Above (right): Mountain architecture
was originally perfected by the Swiss
The environmental aesthetic
New building technologies are creating an
environmental aesthetic. In the mountains,
high-tech flourishes are punctuated by
sustainable timber, stone, metal and glass.
Modern mountain resort architecture will
replace traditional building forms because
technology will insist on it. Low slope and
butterfly roofs will replace steep,
symmetrical gables. Natural rock
outcroppings, local land forms, sod roofs
and indigenous colors all lend themselves
to buildings that sit in nature rather than
impose upon it. Another design trend
involves using building elements for
educational purposes. For example,
building structures that teach users about
snow or wind loads, or the importance of
water within the ecosystem.
Bull Stockwell Allen
No. 505
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Winter Sports Technology International
NOVEMBER 2014
Winter Sports Technology International
NOVEMBER 2014
067