On the ridge at the top of the Aiguille Rouge summit in Les Arcs, at 3,226 meters altitude, L’Aiguille Rouge Walkway by SG Architecte is a thin steel structure, delicately placed on the wild, steeply sloping site of the Crête de l’Homme in Savoie, created on behalf of the Société SCI Alpine Excellence.
L’Aiguille Rouge Walkway has recently been awarded a 2022 International Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The development of Aiguille Rouge has been split into three main phases: the 2018 creation of the walkway, the 2019 renovation of the base station, and the 2020 creation of a panoramic solarium, zip wire, and cafe. A few short steps away from the cable car top station, on the rocky outcrop, the mountain ridge separates the municipalities of Villaroger and Bourg-Saint-Maurice / Les Arcs. Here, where the slope levels off, is the ideal location to build a promontory.
Situated on the fringes of the Hauts de Villaroger national natural park, the ground must be preserved to protect the indigenous plants growing in the area. The structure, therefore, has only three points of contact with the ground: one at the point of the existing structure, and one at the center of the new structure where the two cantilevered walkways meet, the third linking to the ridge.
Free of any size constraints, the architects chose the shape of a symmetrical cross to allow pedestrians to move freely around the structure as they wish, avoiding the cul-de-sac effect and making the most of the two, equally stunning views of Mont Pourri and the Beaufortin. In this breathtaking setting, the viewpoint was designed to be as transparent as possible, in order to accentuate the truly spectacular backdrop, using a minimalist structure that is as close to invisible as possible in this vast landscape. Metal was the material of choice, with galvanized steel used to resist very aggressive weather conditions.
Situated next to the cable car station, it improves visitor flow and extends out over the void, offering unique views of the Les Arcs ski area, the Beaufort in the mountains, and the Mont Blanc.
Using a thin steel structure minimizes its impact on the landscape and evokes the materials used in the cable car station.
The V-shaped structure with the purlins arranged in a star shape meets both the technical construction requirements and the desire to have the least possible impact on the site both visually and technically. This metallic framework, composed of bolted parts, uses an architectural style that is reminiscent of the cable car itself.
The whole structure was built in the workshop then an aerial crane (helicopter) was used to transport it in nine sections each weighing twenty tons. The transparency was enhanced by using Jakob metal web netting for the side rails and glass at each end, creating the illusion of a spectacular high-altitude diving board. The metal grating underfoot has wider spacing as the visitor moves towards the ends of the walkway.
Project: L’Aiguille Rouge Walkway Architects: SG Architecte General Contractor: Bellet Industrie Client: Société SCI Alpine Excellence Photographers: Raj Bundhoo
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