With its oval shape, the new Gouter Hut will not leave anybody indifferent. "Its futuristic shape is an architectural audacity to fit technical constraints of the environment", said one of the designers Christophe De Laage. 100% self-sufficient in electricity, heat and water. With wind & solar captors and the capability to melt snow, the new Goûter hut is "a construction with the values of sustainable development". The outer shell, composed of stainless steel parts, was designed to withstand winds of 240 km/h. This construction yard, initiated by the company of guides of the Grand Massif, shall be completed by June 2012. Next summer the wooden structure will start being prepared in the Chamonix valley. This construction will be built on a ridge of ice, gneiss and schist, and it's a real challenge. It has undergone extensive "geotechnical" studies. "The ridge did not collapse in 10,000 years, there is no reason to believe that it could happen today", said Olivier Percie (geotechnical engineer). 417 separate studies were conducted on each of the 54 piles that support the foundation of the shelter. Le Dauphiné
