The Breathing Hearth is a high-altitude shelter sheathed in ETFE cushions that capture solar energy to sustain its self-sufficient systems. Since its commercial emergence in the 1970s, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) has become recognized for its tensile strength, optical clarity, and remarkable durability under extreme conditions—qualities that make it especially suited to bivouac architecture. Resistant to tear propagation and easily repaired with adhesive tape, each ETFE cushion is lightweight and modular, designed to be carried and maintained by mountaineers.
Borrowed from aerospace engineering, ETFE’s exceptional payload efficiency echoes Buckminster Fuller’s vision of “doing more with less,” aligning material innovation with ecological responsibility. Over the past three decades, more than a thousand ETFE façade and roof structures have been realized—particularly in Central Europe—ensuring local material accessibility within the Alpine region. Its near-complete recyclability supports circular use, with spent foils downcycled into granules for reintegration into the manufacturing cycle.
The shelter’s envelope features a modular cushion system, paired with integrated shading that mitigates nocturnal radiant sky cooling. Internally, the structure follows a symmetrical central-plan layout: a sunken hearth—comprising a table with an integrated electric cooker—anchors the space, encircled by beds positioned either directly on the floor or elevated on a wooden frame at 1.4 meters. A vestibule with storage and framed views marks each end of the oval axis.
Primarily serving as a nighttime refuge, The Breathing Hearth is conceived as an extension of the human body—absorbing energy, regulating light, and offering thermal comfort through a primal hearth. At its core, it reimagines the act of sheltering as both a physical necessity and a quiet tribute to human presence in the vastness of nature.
The Breathing Hearth is a high-altitude shelter sheathed in ETFE cushions that capture solar energy to sustain its self-sufficient systems. Since its commercial emergence in the 1970s, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) has become recognized for its tensile strength, optical clarity, and remarkable durability under extreme conditions—qualities that make it especially suited to bivouac architecture. Resistant to tear propagation and easily repaired with adhesive tape, each ETFE cushion is lightweight and modular, designed to be carried and maintained by mountaineers.
Borrowed from aerospace engineering, ETFE’s exceptional payload efficiency echoes Buckminster Fuller’s vision of “doing more with less,” aligning material innovation with ecological responsibility. Over the past three decades, more than a thousand ETFE façade and roof structures have been realized—particularly in Central Europe—ensuring local material accessibility within the Alpine region. Its near-complete recyclability supports circular use, with spent foils downcycled into granules for reintegration into the manufacturing cycle.
The shelter’s envelope features a modular cushion system, paired with integrated shading that mitigates nocturnal radiant sky cooling. Internally, the structure follows a symmetrical central-plan layout: a sunken hearth—comprising a table with an integrated electric cooker—anchors the space, encircled by beds positioned either directly on the floor or elevated on a wooden frame at 1.4 meters. A vestibule with storage and framed views marks each end of the oval axis.
Primarily serving as a nighttime refuge, The Breathing Hearth is conceived as an extension of the human body—absorbing energy, regulating light, and offering thermal comfort through a primal hearth. At its core, it reimagines the act of sheltering as both a physical necessity and a quiet tribute to human presence in the vastness of nature.