Editor’s Recommendations The Hörnlihütte (Hörnli Lodge) at almost 15,000 feet (Photograph – Michel Bonvin)
Schöck has introduced a dedicated new solution – the Sconnex type W. It is a product that offers outstanding insulation performance, even at 10,000 feet on one of the most iconic mountains in the Alps.
LATEST INNOVATIVE SCHÖCK SOLUTION REACHES NEW HEIGHTS Minimising linear thermal bridges at the wall connection to the floor, or floor slab, has been a long-standing problem with reinforced concrete construction. Around 40% of all thermal bridges in a building are caused by walls and supports, which in turn are responsible for about 10% of heating energy losses However, Schöck has now introduced a dedicated new solution – the Sconnex type W. It is a product that offers outstanding insulation performance, even at 10,000 feet on one of the most iconic mountains in the Alps.
Scaling the Italian-Swiss border at almost 15,000 feet, the Matterhorn is both one of the most recognisable of the Alpine peaks and one of the most challenging. For mountaineers, the favoured access route is along the Hörnli Ridge, a few kilometres to the south-west of Zermatt in Switzerland. Which is why, near the foot of the ridge at just over 10,000 feet, the Hörnlihütte (Hörnli Lodge) was first built there as a base camp in 1880, followed by the Hotel Belvédère in 1909. The two were merged in 1987 and although the buildings have
A 130-seat dining room provides a 180° panoramic view. (Photograph – Michel Bonvin)
been subject to a number of changes since their original construction, by far the most ambitious and challenging project is the recent demolition of the Hörnli Lodge, replaced by a completely new state-of-the art structure, incorporating the Belvedere.
The High Alps is a harsh working environment Since the Hörnli Lodge is not connected to public utilities, natural resources like solar energy and the water supply are crucial. The sloping roof is now equipped with solar panels and a natural meltwater pond nearby provides the water source, which is pumped to an underground storage tank before purification. On the ground floor of the lodge a 130-seat dining room provides a 180° panoramic view and untreated
The construction teams and all materials were flown in using helicopters. (Photograph – Michel Bonvin)
38 Construction UK Magazine - June 2022
