Malga Zambana is located near Trento in northern Italy, on the slopes of the Paganella mountain in the ski resort of the same name. When the local council put forward a proposal incorporate a restaurant into the structure — which sits at an altitude of 1,792 metres — it was decided, given its poor state of repair, to demolish the existing building and start afresh.
The new Malga Zambana was designed with sustainability in mind, highlighting the importance of choosing materials with a low environmental impact and ensuring a short supply chain when sourcing and assembling the structural components and finishing details.
All above-ground walls are clad in cross-laminated timber panels, while the primary and secondary roof frame are made of fir plywood.
The west- and south-facing façades are covered in ash-coloured larch panels.
The northern wall and roof stand out for their use of titanium-zinc zintek®, in the Natural Earth Brown hue from «The Color Line» series.
Question of choices
This project proves once again how genuine, long-term sustainability is not an abstract concept, but a practical endeavour stemming from visions and choices that incorporate the entire process from design through to implementation.
