restaurant aletschbahnen eggishorn, fiesch - 1st prize in a competition

client:

aletsch bahnen ag

programme:

160-seat restaurant, rooftop bar, exhibition hall, commercial kitchen, service areas, underground connection to the cable car

dates:

competition in 2024

construction work in 2025-26

collaborators:

barbora pisanova

consultants:

general coordinator: sutter ag, liestal

civil engineers: labag lauber bauingenieure, zermatt

civil engineers specialising in permafrost: baucon zt gmbh, vienna

hvac engineers: laber iwisa, naters

electrical planning: enerpeak ag elektro engineering, visp

building physicist: pirmin jung, thun

scenography: elebnisplan schweiz, lucerne

lighting designer: reflexion, zurich

concept

the eggishorn site offers one of the most striking vantage points over the aletsch glacier. however, to fully appreciate the glacier’s entire extent, visitors must currently descend below the ridgeline and proceed along a stony path.
the construction of a substantial platform that connects the summit cable car station to the optimal viewing point of the aletsch glacier ensures that all visitors have simple, secure, and immediately identifiable access. this access is suitable for groups of lightly equipped visitors as well as mountaineers who wish to experience the panoramic view before beginning their hike.

the expansive lower level is dimensioned to accommodate significant flows of visitors disembarking from the cable car. circulation is naturally distributed among the exhibition space, restaurant, rooftop belvedere, and adjacent trails or ski slopes — preventing congestion in both summer and winter seasons.

the exhibition space is situated on the lower, semi-underground level of a substantial structure. the façade is constructed from natural stone quarried on site, which serves to convey continuity with the craggy terrain.

in the space between these two elements, the restaurant is situated on a mineral base and protected by a wood-clad platform. floor-to-ceiling glazing offers an immersive dining experience with uninterrupted alpine views.

the services are concentrated centrally, leaving the entire façade available for guests and maximising seating capacity with a view for the restaurant and the modular seminar space.

the central kitchen ensures rapid and efficient service.

location
the building’s longitudinal alignment along the ridge ensures minimal intrusion on the adjacent “bln schutzzone” (protected landscape area), with its western edge lying closest to the boundary. the northern side maintains space for the existing “horli-hitta” structure, while the southern alignment avoids interfering with the cable car route, allowing operations to continue during construction.

materiality
given the complex geological environment and extreme climatic conditions, as well as the intricate installations necessary for the construction of the concrete upper station, it is logical to employ the same construction method for the restaurant: a reinforced concrete structure.