S H E L T E R
Matej Hakár

S H E L T E R

Grau Architects as Architects

The main organizers of the project (KSK, KRT, Vyšný Medzev, KST Hikemates) also wanted to support the development of domestic tourism in this way. The proposed shelter serves as a refuge for tourists who decide to go the SNP route or just as a meeting place for year-round tourism enthusiasts in this area and was an initiative by a tourist club hikemates. When designing the object, we were not looking for a new spatial concept, rather we chose a familiar, simple and practical model. Functionally, the interior of the cabin is designed as utilitarian as possible, free from unnecessary elements, so that it provides optimal comfort given its purpose.  The entire building is wooden, the construction is made of plywood boards and beams, the interior is lined with stained and varnished plywood, and the exteriors are spruce boards stained black.

KSK: Košický samosprávny kraj - https://web.vucke.sk/sk/

KRT: Košice región turizmu - https://www.kosiceregion.com/en/

KST Hikemates: https://www.hikemates.com/blog/nova-utulna-jana-kruteka-vo-volovskych-vrchoch/

photo_credit Matej Hakár
Matej Hakár
photo_credit Matej Hakár
Matej Hakár

LOCATION

The proposed shelter is located 30 km east of Košice, in the cadastral territory of the village of Vyšný Medzev. It is located on a red turist path, a short distance before the Jedľovec saddle in the direction of the Kloptaň hill. The altitude of the place is 850 m.a.s.l. and it is surrounded by a young mostly deciduous forest.

photo_credit Matej Hakár
Matej Hakár
photo_credit Matej Hakár
Matej Hakár

BASIC DESCRIPTION

The proposed shelter should serve as a refuge for tourists who decide to go the SNP route or just as a meeting place for year-round tourism enthusiasts in this area. 

photo_credit Matej Hakár
Matej Hakár

CONCEPT

When designing the shelter, we were not looking for a new spatial concept, rather we chose a familiar, simple and practical model. Functionally, the interior of the cabin is designed as utilitarian as possible, free from unnecessary elements, so that it provides optimal comfort given its purpose. 

photo_credit Matej Hakár
Matej Hakár
photo_credit Matej Hakár
Matej Hakár

FUNCTION AND OPERATION

The building is set back from the terrain to protect it from moisture. The pitched roof protrudes above the entrance and, together with the side facades, creates a lee. The pragmatic floor plan is based on the functionality and practicality using of shelter. At the entrance, in its right part, there is sleeping on the crossbars for the entire width of the space in two height levels with an additional third, the highest in the gable. On the left side there is a seat for eating and opposite a small stove. The recognized load-bearing structure in interiors offers us the possibility to insert a shelf anywhere and thus creates a place for storing food and parts of shelter.

photo_credit Matej Hakár
Matej Hakár
photo_credit Matej Hakár
Matej Hakár

CONSTRUCTION

The primary structure of the shelter consists of six frames made of double spruce laths 140x50mm. The frames are visible in the interior and the space between them is used for shelves and hangers. The frame structure is hinged and reinforced from the inside with 18 mm thick pine plywood stained black-grey. Subsequently, a horizontal grate made of spruce prisms 100x60mm filled with thermal insulation 100mm thick is placed on it. The entire insulation layer is covered with a vapor-permeable foil, which is covered with a ventilated wooden facade made of a 140x20mm spruce board on a grate made of a 40x40mm spruce prism. The facade is treated with a dark colored oil stain. The roof structure is made of a 140x50mm spruce prism with an upper and lower cover of 18mm thick pine plywood filled with 140mm thick thermal insulation. An insurance waterproofing film is applied to the roof, followed by a grid for galvanized sheet metal with a corrugated profile. The foundations are realized on road panels 3000x1000x220mm, on the leveled place of installation of the shelter, with transverse spreading prisms 140x160mm anchored through feet 140x125x120 using an M12mm rod anchored to the panel with a chemical anchor.

photo_credit Matej Hakár
Matej Hakár
photo_credit GRAU
GRAU
photo_credit GRAU
GRAU
photo_credit GRAU
GRAU

MATERIALS

The entire building is wooden, the construction is made of massive sheets and beams, the interior is lined with stained and varnished plywood, and the exteriors are spruce boards stained black.

photo_credit GRAU
GRAU
photo_credit GRAU
GRAU
photo_credit GRAU
GRAU
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