Designed by Francesco Faccin for the Autonomous Province of Trento, ‘Pancalpina’ is a gentle insertion into the Alpine landscape that provides emergency response amongst the frigid conditions. ‘Pancalpina’ looks like any other bench you'd expect to find along an alpine hiking trail. Built from locally sourced larch timber and designed to blend quietly into the landscape, it offers weary adventurers a place to pause and reflect on the view. Hidden beneath its simple form is a potentially life-saving piece of infrastructure for hikers who are caught unprepared by the rapidly changing mountain conditions. The bench, provides vital emergency support without compromising the relatively untouched beauty of the Alpine landscape.
‘Pancalpina’ Integrated within the bench is a compact survival kit containing essentials such as thermal blankets, a torch and emergency equipment. Additionally, the bench can transform into a temporary shelter, where the wooden structure becomes the frame for a lightweight tent, allowing stranded hikers to assemble a temporary refuge from rain, wind or snow while waiting for rescue. Every component has been developed with durability, ease of maintenance and local production in mind, working with regional craftspeople and manufacturers to ensure the bench can withstand harsh alpine conditions for years to come. ‘Pancalpina’ aims to provide quiet yet impactful support that embeds itself respectfully and purposefully into the landscape.
