The mountains are finally becoming the domain of the 'homo citadinus', surrounded by wide open spaces. They are energised by architecture of the region: folklore and fake rustic move over to make way for real al flavour… Altitude is what enables you to rise above your daily responsibilities, eliminate pressure and fill your lungs with energy, letting you give modern life, with all of its trials and tribulations, the slip. 'ack to the roots is a way of getting back in touch with our humanity and taking a more humble look at nature.The Alps represent a small corner of para-urban paradise, ideal for a quick get-away for those needing to be energised, for the New-Greens and the modern 'Bourgeois Bohemians'. New buildings in this environment are responding to contemporary desires and are inspired by the local flora and fauna, by the majesty of the mountain, the winds down in the valley, the tranquillity, the silence. They put nature squarely at the heart of architecture, for example by making large bay windows out of tiny alpine-style ones, or draping the sides of a building right down to the ground. The guest becomes a spectator, not merely of the surrounding panoramic views, but of the interior space and design. This inspired regional architecture gives the locality back its status and its references to nature, to colours and to structures. Stone hewn from the mountain or produced by glacial movement is used for slate roofs and floorings in Simplon granite or Vals stone. In these new high-altitude hideaways, essential spring and glacier water – the ultimate symbol of regeneration and the uplifting of the soul – runs through the spa’s veins. The earth is served 'A la Carte' in spa treatments or kneaded into the texture of products with evocative names. Wood – an ecological material par excellence – is present in its natural state in the supports, the facades and the furniture. Any architect venturing into this uncharted high territory where the wind of change is sweeping through will be inclined to mimicry, since before him, ancestral knowledge which defies words has come back to light and imbued the area with poetry and rural charm – Engstligental glasswork, the reappearance of an old engraving in need of restoration or a classic piece of mountain-style furniture. Specialised local craftsmen, whose heritage is apparent in their every gesture, are brought in. They may be obliged to include something more abstract such as the silhouette of a peak as a reminder of the Alps engraved on glass. But that is fine as it is this style movement that has brought Walser architecture and its trilogy of windows, Evolène barn doors, criss-cross effect on chalets in the Walliser region and the vintage feel of the wooden farm buildings in Megève and Chamonix back to life. Architects have even gone as far as to reuse old buildings, which are painstakingly dismantled to extract the essential raw materials. Designers are obviously also succumbing to this Mountain Spirit, creating cut-out sidewalls which play with light and shade and form a clearing by interlacing stylised cut-away pieces of wood, or a decorative fret-work opening made of birch and pine bark hung like works of contemporary art. Their 'trompe-l’oeil' murals, classy tissues arranged geometrically or on stylised grids, their tapestries that seem to come alive are all possessed of a soul that has come straight from the earth around them. This is a godsend for local agricultural products, which have become celebratory objects, at the heart of healthy rituals involving authentic recipes based on noble ingredients. The architectural torrent is irrigating former cooperatives, nourishing justified pride among long-forgotten craftsmen and celebrating the diversities of nature that is more than just countryside – all served up with mushrooms, edible plants, liquorice, fruits of the forest and even Simmental or Hérens beef…
