refurbishment of the 'cabane du trient' cabin, trient, competition 1st prize

project owner:

club alpin suisse, section les diablerets

collaborators:

barbora pisanova, delphine preisig

programme:

rebuilding of 9 dormitories, caretaker's flat, refectory, upgrading of traffic routes

dates:

competition 2019

project 2021

volume sia 416:

1290 m3

representatives:

kälin & associés sa / acrowatt heating and ventilation engineers

refurbishment of the historic building of the cabane du trient

structure

the floors were reinforced with 3-ply slabs and the roof structure was renewed. A concrete chain-link system brought the old masonry up to seismic standards.

external structure and energy

the current uninsulated roof displaying the after-effects of a storm in 2018 is being replaced. the entire west side is covered with photovoltaic solar panels (150m2) integrated into the roof and 30m2 of thermal solar panels are being installed on part of the east side. all the rest is covered with copper cladding. the thermal solar panels currently installed on the south side of the annex may be replaced and their surface area increased to 16m2 for greater efficiency. on the inside, the stone walls are lined with 16 to 20 cm of insulation and new triple-glazed windows with high light penetration improve the overall thermal balance. by freeing up the facades from encumbering fixtures, the renovation of the historic building will mean that the 1934 construction will regain its heritage appearance and original look.

Heating

solar thermal panels are used to heat the refectory and water for the showers and the kitchen (particularly to preheat the water for the dishwasher). radiators under the benches in the refectory distribute the heat. a wood-burning stove in the cloakroom is used to dry guests' clothing and to heat the winter room during the off-season.

fire safety

in order to comply with fire protection standards, it is imperative to be able to leave the dormitories using a safe escape route. to meet this requirement, a new exit has been created directly from the corridor on the first floor leading to the north-western side of the roof, which is usually free of accumulated snow. a light staircase made of duckboards provides access to the ground above, whatever the snow conditions.

upgrading of the 2006 annex to make it compliant: by replacing the window in the staircase with a door, it makes it possible to exit the annex dormitories onto the new escape route. this measure is improved by building a firewall between the dormitory corridor and the staircase, which opens onto the refectory. on the ground floor, the annex refectory is also fitted with a proper emergency exit by enlarging a window to the north.

Interior

 the main staircase is reversed and made bigger. the entire layout of the first floor and attic is being refurbished (partitions, beds, mattresses and storage space). the interior flooring is made of duripanel on the ground floor and 3-ply pine panels in the dormitories. the benches and tables in the refectory will be preserved and restored or replaced with identical ones. these renovations, together with the redesign of the dormitories, will reduce the number of places available from 121 to 90 guest places and 9 places in the winter room. there will be 6 places available for the caretaker and their assistants.