A Shelter Above the Tree Line

The Casèra Gianin sits at 1,650 metres on a mountainside in the Zoldo Valley, part of the Dolomites. Built from stone and timber across two levels, the small structure once sheltered shepherds, their cattle and their tools. Its footprint is modest, around fifty square metres, but its walls have carried the weight of the slope for generations.

Reading the Damage

Years on the mountainside had taken their toll. The stone wall set against the slope carried constant pressure from the terrain, and water worked its way into the earth floor below. Left unchecked, this moisture threatened the stability of the masonry itself. Clinicaurbana’s task was to secure the building’s future without altering the face it shows to the valley.

Rebuilding from the Ground Up

New concrete foundations now support the masonry, paired with a drainage trench dug along the uphill side to redirect water away from the walls. Below the floor, a gravel bed holds a drainage system that carries off any remaining seepage. Concrete ground beams double as counterforts, bracing the stone walls from within. It is a quiet negotiation between old material and new engineering, one the studio handled without letting the concrete announce itself.

A Roof True to the Valley

Above, the roof has been restored in larch shingles, the traditional covering for this part of the Alps. The choice keeps Casèra Gianin visually aligned with the huts around it, while giving the structure better protection against snow and rain than before.

Living Inside Old Stone

Inside, the upper level has been insulated with rockwool, hidden behind larch cladding so the material stays out of sight. The result is a building that holds warmth without showing any sign of the work involved. Casèra Gianin now functions as a bivouac for those passing through the mountains, its stone walls carrying both its history and its second life forward.

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