Network of Architecture has added seven new Alpine chalets in an expansion of the Zallinger resort in northern Italy.
The studio, also known as NOA built the chalets in a dramatic alpine meadow in South Tyrol.
Located on one of the main ski slopes of the Seiser Alm, the area was originally occupied in the mid-19th century by a hut, a cluster of seven barns that were later replaced by a single large building, and a church that remains intact.

NOA saw the project as an opportunity to "return to the roots of the place", said partner Andreas Profanter.
The architects extended the accommodation of the winter retreat with seven new chalets and a wellness area, and also updated the original structure used by the hotel.

The architects felt it was important that the hotel's offering could be improved without disrupting the strong natural qualities of the site. The idea of a retreat but also of a refuge was considered throughout the project. "The Zallinger is situated right at the borderline of accessible mountain pastures and very rough unaccessible terrain," Profanter told Dezeen.
"These extremes collide to make the Zallinger unique."

The layout, structure and appearance of the new buildings all take their lead from the site's history. The new chalets respect the original plan of barns on the site, while traditional South Tyrolean techniques were used, such as wooden shingles for the roofs.

The distinctive facades, built with stacked blo...