Ross Lovegrove's Alpine Capsule
After a bout of radio silence, Ross Lovegrove makes a welcome return to the world of conceptual design with his latest project, the Alpine Capsule.
The capsule – designed for one-night stays – is audacious not so much for its visual reference to Anish Kapoor, but for its, literally, breathtaking location 2,100m above sea level in Piz la Ila in Italy’s Alta Badia region.
Encased in acrylic and a special mirror finish, the 8m-diameter dome will – thanks to solar technology and wind turbines – be entirely weather controlled and energy independent, offering overnight guests a cosy wraparound view of the Dolomites.
Construction on the capsule is due to commence in 2010, though other details (such as cost, completion date or even the mode of transportation to the top) remain sketchy. But for those of us who are already inspired to take in an alpine view or two, here are our favourite spots in which to whet the appetite while waiting for Mr Lovegrove’s silvery folly.
Todd Saunders and Tommie Wilhelmsen’s extraordinary 30m long lookout platform is set 600m above Aurland Fjord. Only a glass barrier stands between visitors and the void at the end of the lookout.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
SkiHaus, various location across the Swiss Alps
Richard Horden’s lightweight aluminium alpine hut predates Lovegrove’s bubble by two decades. Dropped into place by helicoptor. the mobile, fully insulated SkiHaus is powered by sun and wind, making it a favourite of mountain climbers and skiers.
Niesen restaurant, Switzerland
Architects Aebi & Vincent’s renovations for the Niesen take full advantage of the restaurant’s Swiss Alps setting. Weather permitting, the verandahs and generously proportioned timber deck offer giddy mountain views to go with your fondue and Raclette.
Innsbruck firm Astearchitecture carefully balanced a perforated platform literally over the edge of the Mount Isidor glacier. The experience is a fluid sculpture that is both beautiful and yet terrifyingly exhilarating to experience.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
A landmark show by ‘the godfather of the modern collectible design movement’ opens at Ralph Pucci, New York
Parisian designer Hervé Van der Straeten unveils a large new collection at Ralph Pucci, celebrating 20 years of collaboration with the New York master
By Hugo Macdonald Published
-
The Spirit of Paimio brings new life to the modernist landmark
The second edition of the Spirit of Paimio conference, ‘Reimagining Community’, brings together a group of architects, writers, designers, astrophysicists, and artists to think and talk about what it means to be in community at the sanatorium turned Modernist site
By Billie Muraben Published
-
Kohler plunges into the world of wellness with an ice bath for your home
Kohler has teamed up with Remedy Place to design an ice bath for the home, marking the brand’s first move into the wellness space
By Kelsey Mulvey Published