What will ski resorts
look like in a future where it doesn’t snow? As the climate warms up, the
character of snow is being transformed from a natural phenomenon to a
manufactured commodity. The Swiss ski
industry has responded to the loss of snowfall by retreating to the upper
reaches of the Alps. Whilst guaranteeing long ski seasons, the additional
infrastructure required to sustain this remote touristic enterprise creates
significant burdens.
The Old Bern Snow Mountain Paradise
compounds the urban and alpine landscapes, redefining the ski empire of
Switzerland in a warmer world where snow is scarce. Draped over the centre of
the city, the Snow Mountain creates a unique skiing experience for both
tourists and the inhabitants of Bern. The Mountain is not a solution to
the problems facing the entire ski alpine empire, nor is it a replacement for
what has been lost. It proposes a new way of building both cities and ski
resorts. Through the use of environmental technologies and spatial
interventions, the city becomes an ideal place for an artificial snow dependent
ski resort to thrive.
Not
only can the skiing experience be radically altered by this proposal, the
experience of the city is also redefined. The environmental benefits of using
snow to provide thermal comfort for inhabitants of the city are vast. The light
and spatial qualities within the Snow Mountain are a spectacle that transforms
the city over which it is placed and the seasons are accentuated and heightened
by the proposal.
