<h1>Mountain Hut Monte Rosa, Switzerland</h1>

The chalet, nicknamed "Mountain Crystal," was created in just 5 months and now adorns the glacial area of the Swiss canton of Wallis/Valais. The five-story wooden structure offers a unique view of the panoramic massif of Monte Rosa, Gornergrat, and Matterhorn and stands in a unique landscape at an altitude of 2,883 meters. It resembles a wedge of rock amidst eternal ice and shows the way to climbers. The accommodation capacity of the mountain lodge is up to 120 beds.

Radiating, energy self-sufficient building, when viewed from above, resembles a polished rock and from below a tower clad in titanium-zinc sheet metal. All parts, down to the last screw, were transported here by helicopter. This includes 420 prefabricated wooden structure elements.

The southern façade of the "Mountain Crystal" is fitted with photovoltaic panels that provide the building with the necessary operational energy, and solar collectors for water heating. The chalet utilizes passive solar energy by combining all the glazed elements of the façade. Here, the spiral glass strip is particularly striking, as it follows the sun's rays and guides heat into the chalet. Thanks to the use of VELUX roof windows with low-energy triple glass 65, which has a heat transfer coefficient Uskla = 0.5 W/m²K and a solar heat gain coefficient g = 0.46, thermal losses are minimized, positively affecting the overall energy balance of the building. Given the project's complexity, all VELUX roof windows with enhanced air permeability were installed as prefabricated parts, composed of a window and insulated framing. After all, they must function perfectly in temperatures ranging from -25 °C to +25 °C and at wind speeds of up to 240 km/h.

More information at www.velux.cz/