This accommodation for mountain climbers is situated in the Alps. On plan the building comprises four wings enclosing a square core.
To withstand the high wind and snow loads the steel structure was designed as a rigid portal frame system in both directions. Each of the four sides of the core comprises two frames with hinged feet, one upon the other, interconnected at their corners by the cantilevering portal cross beams and stiffened by horizontal bracings. The bottom portal frame extends 7.80 m through two storeys but the top portal frame is only one storey in height. The span of the frames is 10.00 m. The floor beams, the cantilevers and the roof structure are attached to this square portal frame system. Two main beams span in each direction across the space between the cross beams of the portal frames and cantilever 5.60 m beyond them. At the points of intersection of these beams in the interior of the structure they are rigidly connected to four columns.
Spanning between the main beams are secondary beams to which galvanised steel troughing units are welded which serve to carry the timber floor. Beams also span across the space between the cross beams of the top portal frames and cantilever beyond them. The main beams of the roof structure are connected to the ends of these cantilevers. The four sloping sections of the roof are staggered vertically in relation to one another so that the steel purlins at the top of the roof are connected at different levels to columns which transmit their load to the beams of the floor below or to the four internal columns The purlins in turn carry rafters consisting of rolled steel sections.
The cladding of the facade consists of timber panels with internal thermal insulation and vertical window openings with double glazing.
Notes:
the Alps Àëüïèéñêèå ãîðû
hinged adj. øàðíèðíûé
mountain climber àëüïèíèñò