Restored Belvedere of Sestriere: A Brutalist Refuge at 2,658 Meters

The Belvedere of Sestriere, a dodecagonal concrete shelter built in 1931 at 2,658 meters, has been restored by architect Paolo Luigi Grassi. Originally part of the first ski lift system for the Sestriere resort, conceived by the Agnelli family, the Belvedere was abandoned for decades. Purchased by a private owner in 2015, the structure was in ruin. Grassi's restoration preserved exposed concrete, added solar panels and rainwater storage for energy autonomy, and left the original yellow plaster unreinstated. The interior features oak, fabric, and black steel furnishings, with a snowflake-shaped wooden roof structure now visible. The project aims to inspire similar restoration of other rationalist mountain buildings, like the Sises arrival station.