Rehabilitation of the Babele Chalet

Authors’ Comment

The rehabilitation project of the Babele Chalet starts from the necessity of recovering the architectural value and original identity of the construction through a careful intervention on the relationship between the building and the mountain landscape. The existing structure is based on the old body built in 1937, following the project designed by A.D.M.I.R. (Association of Hikers of the Beloved Mountains of Romania) and revised by architect Octav Doicescu, to which an extension was later added in the 1970s. The project proposes reconsidering this configuration, aiming to recover the initial character of the chalet and simultaneously respond to contemporary usage requirements. The intervention pursues the removal of the 1970s extension and a return to a volumetry close to the original one. The geometry of the spaces, the architectural elements, and the existing materials are conserved and restored wherever possible, so that the intervention retains as much as possible of the authentic character of the construction. The approach does not pursue a strict reconstruction of the 1937 form, but rather the recovery of its architectural and spatial values. The function of a ridge tourist chalet is preserved and adapted to current standards of comfort, safety, and operation. Contemporary interventions are introduced punctually, through a discreet and controlled language that differentiates itself from the existing construction without entering into competition with it. The new elements are subordinated to the recovered architecture and aim for the coherent integration of contemporary needs into the existing structure. An important role in the elaboration of the project is played by the natural context of the site. The chalet is located in the immediate vicinity of the Babele and Sphinx natural rock formations in the Bucegi Mountains and within a protected area, which imposes special attention regarding the impact of the intervention on the landscape. At the same time, the specific conditions of the mountain environment, such as altitude, exposure to winds, precipitation, and snow accumulation, represent decisive factors for the proposed architectural and constructive solutions. Therefore, the project pursues a balance between conservation, recovery, and contemporary intervention, preserving the function and character of the chalet and valuing its relationship with the landscape.

Note: In situ measurements (the survey) and the photographic material used to document the existing state were obtained with the permission and through the courtesy of the property owners at the time the diploma project was carried out.