Built at a high altitude on the summit Dormillouse, at 2,908 masl in the upper Valle di Susa, between Italy and France, the bivouac Matteo Corradini is a mountain shelter designed by Andrea Cassi and Michele Versaci. The construction of the shelter was an idea of Paolo Corradini and his family in memory of their son, a passionate mountaineer. The refuge is a black prism – inspired by the black body that in physics absorbs the energy and re-irradiates it in the surrounding – with an hexagonal elevation.

Aiming to offer support to ski mountaineers and hikers, the bivouac guarantees high insulation performance during winter and summer thanks to its metallic cladding, while inside the space is made of Swiss pine, a perfumed and easy-to-process wood used for making cradles and bedroom coverings in the Alpine tradition. Wooden steps are located on the two sides around a central table – three on each side – becoming beds during the night and seats overlooking the valley during the day.

Two windows on northern and southern sides resemble telescopes to observe the panorama. Made of prefabricated modules, the bivouac has been installed in a short time, after reassembling the parts on the construction site.