Bivouac: Minimal Architecture

architect Miha Kazelj
project BIvouac, Mt Stol Above Breginj Village, Slovenia
written by Janez Koželj

 

The construction of a bivouac in Muzce was a part of a programme to encourage cross-border communication between two regions: Terska Valley in Italy and Breginjski Kut in Slovenia. The project was financed by the European Union’s PHARE Fund within the context of support to the development of small enterprises. The grant included the planning and laying out of hiking and cycle trails, an information stand for tourists and the construction of a bivouac. The aim of the construction of a bivouac was to put up a small piece of architecture at a strategic point in the wide tourist infrastructure network. It is to be used as a refuge and is located in the centre of a thirty kilometre-long mountain trail that extends across the mountain ridge from Kobarid, along Ko­ba­riški stol to Muzce in Italy. This very modest, low-cost bivouac was put up by three climbers who cam­ped on the ridge during the actual building process.