Smart Shelter.
client
bring.bg: “Shelter of the Future” Vitosha National Parkusers
Tourists, skiers, snowboarders, hikerslocation
Vitosha mountain, Bulgaria
The Challenge
Three factors from the deep-dive research formed the shelter’s design:
- it has to be smart and hidden when not needed, as many of the shelters in Bulgaria are destroyed by vandalism.
- it has to shelter people in extreme weather conditions as temperatures in Vitosha can drop more than 20 degrees in one hour, which makes the mountain dangerous and often times underestimated
- situated in Vitosha National Park, it has to be light and sustainable, with a minimal footprint
Design solution
The shelter has to be smart in order to protect the mountaineers, but also itself from unwanted behavior.
Its aluminum coating reflects the ambiance and remains hidden in good weather. In case of bad weather conditions, the shelter transforms into a beacon, with lights and sound that make it extremely easy to find even in the thickest of fogs. In this mode of operation, a person walking inside would automatically activate the floor heating and video connection with the mountain rescue service. The low-positioned windows would invite him to sit on the warm floor and in case that the group is large, hammocks inside the walls are easily pulled out and house more people. Also, water and shoe-drying containers are placed at the entrance.
The shelter is self-sustainable and produces energy through solar panels and a wind turbine and stores it into a high-capacity battery; its use is prioritised only for emergency cases and critical life support. Sensors for weather conditions and occupancy govern the shelter’s different energy modes. If threatening human behavior is detected, a signal is immediately sent to the local mountain service and a video connection is established.
Its body is extremely lightweight and is inspired by airplane construction. In order to have a minimal footprint, its modules can be transported via helicopter and assembled on-site.
Credits:
arch. Krassimir Krumov, arch. Ivanka Ivanova
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