Perfect choreography of the French refuge for climbers

"Building in a demanding mountain terrain requires perfect choreography," says architect Jaques Félix-Faure about his third alpine project, Refuge de L´Aigle. His "ballet company," or more precisely, the architectural team that created this structure at an impressive altitude of 3450 m, received the prestigious award “Constructive Alps 2015” for its realization. This is a Swiss-Liechtenstein award granted for remarkable architectural projects for sustainable construction and restoration in the Alps. The distinctive look of the French refuge for climbers was created using roof and facade panels FX.12 by the company PREFA Aluminiumprodukte, which specializes in construction in demanding mountain conditions.



An altitude of 3450 m, wind speeds reaching 215 km/h, temperature differences of up to 40 °C, and extreme snow load – these are the toughest challenges that the creators of this building had to overcome. The reconstruction of the hut Refuge de L´Aigle, built in 1911 at the summit of La Meije in the Écrins natural park, required maximum precision and top execution of individual tasks from the entire execution team. The architectural team was led by French expert in alpine architecture, Jacques Félix-Faure, who is also an avid climber, allowing him to perfectly combine work with his hobby during the renovation of the hut.

Noah's Ark at an altitude of 3450 meters
“Building in such demanding conditions requires maximum performance in terms of design, execution, and the materials used,” says Félix-Faure from studio C 17 – Architekten. It was Félix-Faure who came up with the idea of keeping the old elements and surrounding them with a modern extension, which would provide a light visual contrast. “The original wood and beams of the old hut were secured with new foundations, and the wooden structure was newly clad to ensure that the building reliably withstands the wind and the whims of the weather, providing safety to those inside. The structure thus literally acts like Noah's Ark on a turbulent sea.”



The mountain hut gives the impression of "dancing" on the waves of the Écrins massif just 500 m below the summit of La Meije. The austere exterior architecture is complemented by a simple interior in a nautical style, which itself somewhat evokes an ark or a submarine. “The mountain hut has three sleeping levels for 30 people on an area of 65 m2 and nets where an additional 12 climbers can rest from battling the elements while seeking shelter in the hut,” adds Félix-Faure. When furnishing the interior, the goal was primarily to ensure that everything appeared simple and, at first glance, nice and friendly – because climbing is very much about friendship. “At the same time, we chose simple design also so that the attention of the hut's visitors would not be focused on the interior fittings but primarily on the beauty of the surrounding nature that surrounds the hut.”

PREFA in its element
For the exterior cladding and roof, PREFA facade panels FX.12 in light gray P.10 finish were used. “FX.12 is the only product that withstands extreme daily and nightly temperature differences, and its manufacturer, PREFA Aluminiumprodukte, has unparalleled extensive experience in implementing and equipping similar projects in high mountain environments. This ultimately proved to be a clear advantage,” explains Félix-Faure, referring to another successful project – the Hörnlihütte mountain hut on the Matterhorn. “PREFA has excellent alpine references. Moreover, in such demanding conditions, it is important to have a perfectly functioning team that one can fully rely on. PREFA Aluminiumprodukte fit excellently not only into the architectural concept but also provided exceptional support from the entire team – from roofers to carpenters to helicopter pilots,” adds Félix-Faure.


On the Edge
“In projects like this, almost everyone works at the edge of their capabilities,” expresses Félix-Faure's respect for his twenty-member team, who assembled parts of the structure in the valley and then transported them in packages weighing 650 kg by helicopter to the summit. “This is only possible with such building material as lightweight aluminum. Moreover, this is extremely durable. No other company could keep pace with PREFA in terms of product properties and processing. All aluminum elements are also easily recyclable and thus environmentally friendly. This is why PREFA products represent a great advantage when implementing projects in alpine environments. In addition, the company offers a 40-year warranty on its systems.”

Every piece is unique
“The breaks in the facade panels serve not only an aesthetic purpose but also a functional one,” assesses the result by the firm Altibois, which worked with PREFA products. The reason is the diverse properties of the roof and facade panels FX.12, the longitudinal and transverse breaks, and the heterogeneous texture, which emphasize the unique appearance of the entire structure. This allows it to blend perfectly into the surrounding rugged landscape. The manufacturing process ensures that each piece of the panel is uniquely embossed. The pattern of breaks does not repeat and remains irregular even over large surfaces. Technically, FX.12 achieves top properties. The panels are additionally reinforced at the edges, which allows for greater durability at the same material thickness.

The appealing look of the material also led the architect to abandon a large number of architectural elements for this project and to choose a more restrained minimalism. “Less is more. Because up high, everything is heavy,” says Félix-Faure about the durability, extreme performance, and successful conquest of the summit at La Meije.

Architect's Recommendation
“Up high, everything is challenging. If 20 people are to work on such a project at an altitude of 3450 m, everyone must know exactly what and when to do it. No time should be wasted, and constant attention to safety is essential,” specifies Jacques Félix-Faure, Architect at Atelier 17 C – Architekten.

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Product Range of PREFA FX.12 facade panel:

Brief Description: FX.12 – a unique roof and facade panel that allows for extraordinarily futuristic design with its longitudinal and transverse breaks in the surface. With two different sizes and the corresponding asymmetric appearance, the character of each house can be additionally emphasized. This product received the main award for the best exhibit at the Střechy Praha 2012 Trade Fair, named "Golden Tile 2012," in the area of innovation, interesting technical solutions, progressiveness, and exceptional quality at an affordable price.
Material: aluminum with a two-layer baked lacquer, thickness 0.7 mm
Dimensions: 1400x420 mm and 700x420 mm
Weight: 2.4 kg/m2
Colors P.10: dark brown, anthracite, brick red, dark red, moss green, light gray, prefa white, nut brown, streaked brown, sandy, slate
Technical Refinement: the standing edge groove serves multiple functions simultaneously: 1. optimally protects against leaking during heavy rain and moisture, 2. eliminates material expansion due to temperature changes, improves self-cleaning of the surface by allowing easy washing away of dirt.