CHOREOGRAPHING FLOW

ALPINE ARCHITECTURE ON THE SPEARHEAD TRAVERSE

CHOREOGRAPHING FLOW

Haley Adams

Bachelor of Applied Science

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Architecture in the Faculty of Graduate Studies, School of

Architecture and Landscape Architecture, The University of British

Columbia

Committee:

Leslie Van Duzer (Chair)

John Hemsworth

Laura Killam

Matthew Soules (GP1 Mentor)

Figure 1: Turns on the Spearhead Traverse. Author, 2023.

© May 2024

iii
 What motivates people to ski in the backcountry? To brave the elements
and venture into mountainous terrain? To endure hours of uphill
struggle and cold air? This project would argue it is in pursuit of a flow
experience, an exceptional state where time wraps, distraction fades,
and the only existence is the union between the skier and the snow-
clad wilderness. If the pursuit of flow is the reason thousands of skiers
venture into backcountry mountain ranges, is there value in designing to
support the psychological cycle of struggle, release, flow and recovery?
This project will consider the flow state as a choreography, with specific
moments of immersion and awareness choreographed into the four
day Spearhead Traverse in the Whistler Blackcomb backcountry. This
project is a celebration of our humanity and our capacity as adventurers,
fusing psychology and architecture in the aim to elevate the pursuit of
flow in this mountain journey.

ABSTRACT
iv v
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ........................................................................... iv HUT 1 - THE VALLEY ........................................................................... 39

Table of Contents ............................................................. vi
List of Figures .................................................................. viii
Thesis Statement ............................................................. x
BACKGROUND: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF OPTIMAL EXPERIENCE .......... 03
Experiencing Flow ........................................................... 03
Ski Touring as Flow .......................................................... 05
A Pause in Flow State ...................................................... 07
PRECEDENT STUDIES ......................................................................... 09
Precedent Studies: Overview and Methodology .............. 10
An Architecture of Distraction ....................................... 11
An Architecture of Dialogue ............................................. 15
An Architecture of Attention ............................................ 19
Immersion + Connection in the Valley of Hut 1 .............. 40
Site Section ..................................................................... 41
Section ............................................................................ 43
Plans ............................................................................... 45
Experiential Section ........................................................ 47
Models ............................................................................. 49
HUT 2 - THE RIDGE ............................................................................ 51
Silence + Reflection on the Ridge of Hut 2 ..................... 52
Site Section ..................................................................... 53
Section ............................................................................ 55
Plans ............................................................................... 57
Experiential Section .................................................... 59
Models ............................................................................. 61

HUT 3 - THE CLIFF ............................................................................. 63

SUMMARY + SCHEME .......................................................................... 21
Celebration on the Cliff of Hut 3 .................................... 64
Precedent Takeaways + Project Formwork ..................... 22
Site Section ..................................................................... 65
Section ............................................................................ 67
THE SPEARHEAD TRAVERSE ............................................................. 23 Plans ............................................................................... 69
Site + Program Introduction ........................................... 24 Experiential Section ........................................................ 71
Introduction to the Traverse + Huts Initiative ................ 25 Models ............................................................................. 73
Safety on the Spearhead Traverse ................................. 27
Traveller Experience ........................................................ 29
BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................... 75
Consideration: Gentrifying the Alpine ............................ 31

MATERIALITY ...................................................................................... 33
Seriality Through Materials ............................................ 34
Concept Development ..................................................... 35
Building Systems ............................................................. 37

vi vii
 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1: Turns on the Spearhead Traverse. Author, 2023. iii FIGURE 23: Model, Nighttime - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024. 49

FIGURE 2: Skiers in the backcountry. Author, 2023. 04 FIGURE 24: Model, Daytime - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024. 50
FIGURE 3: Cycle of optimal experience. Author, 2023. 8 FIGURE 25: Traverse and ridge location. Author, 2024. 52
FIGURE 4: Patterning - Gypsotheca in Possagno. Author, 2023. Contains 12 FIGURE 26: Site Section - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024. 54
photos by Museo Gypsotheca, 2023, https://www.museocanova.it/ FIGURE 27: Section - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024. 56
FIGURE 5: Reconstruction of Querini Stampalia Library first floor level 14 FIGURE 28: Plan, Level 0 - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024. 57
change. Author, 2023. FIGURE 29: Plan, Level 1 - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024. 58
FIGURE 6: Layered Rules, Atelier Nishikata. Author, 2023. Contains 16 FIGURE 30: Section, Sleeping Under the Skylight - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. 59
photos by Atelier Nishikata, 2014, https://atelier-nishikata.info/ Author, 2024.

FIGURE 7: Repetition Variation, Atelier Nishikata. Author, 2023. Contains 18 FIGURE 31: Model, Daytime - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024. 61

photos by Atelier Nishikata, 2014, https://atelier-nishikata.info FIGURE 32: Model, Daytime - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024. 62

FIGURE 8: Moments of alignment in Adolf Loos’ Villa Muller, Prague. 20 FIGURE 33: Traverse and cliff location. Author, 2024. 64

Author, 2023. FIGURE 34: Site Section - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024. 66
22
FIGURE 9: Choreography of Flow. Author, 2023. FIGURE 35: Section - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024 68
FIGURE 10: Hut system on the Spearhead Traverse. Author, 2024. 26 FIGURE 36: Plan, Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024. 69
FIGURE 11: Figure 11: Avalanche hazard on the Spearhead Traverse. 28 FIGURE 37: Section, Reflecting on the Traverse - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. 71
Author, 2024. Author, 2024.

FIGURE 12: Figure 12: Ski touring on the Spearhead Traverse. Author, 32 FIGURE 38: Model, Daytime - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024. 73

2023. FIGURE 39: Model, Nighttime - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024. 74

FIGURE 13: Avalanche hazard on the Spearhead Traverse. Author, 2024. 35 FIGURE 40: Model, Nighttime - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024. 74

FIGURE 14: Wall Section. Author, 2024. 37 FIGURE 41: Presentation Day. Emma Garm-Straker, 2024. 75

FIGURE 15: Elevation. Author, 2024 38 FIGURE 42: Presentation Day. Emma Garm-Straker, 2024. 75

FIGURE 16: Traverse and valley location. Author, 2024. 40 FIGURE 43: Presentation Layout. Author, 2024. 75

FIGURE 17: Site Section - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024. 42 FIGURE 44: Presentation Day. Emma Garm-Straker, 2024. 76

FIGURE 18: Section - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024. 44

FIGURE 19: Plan, Level 0 - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024. 45
FIGURE 20: Plan, Level 1 - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024. 46
FIGURE 21: Section, Communal Table, Summer - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. 47
Author, 2024.

FIGURE 22: Model, Daytime - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024. 49

viii ix
 Choreographing flow: redefining the ski touring experience on British
Columbia’s Spearhead Traverse through design facilitating moments of
release and recovery.

THESIS
x xi
 BACKGROUND: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF OPTIMAL EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCING FLOW

Imagine you are skiing down a slope and your full attention is focused

on the movements of your body, the position of your skis, the air

whistling past your face, and the trees running by. There is no room in

your awareness for anything else; you know that a distracting thought

might get you buried face down in the snow.

If skiing does not mean much to you, this complete immersion in

an experience could occur while you are dancing, playing euchre, or

reading a good book.1 It may occur when talking with a friend, or while

playing with a baby. Moments such as these provide flashes of intense

living against the dull background of everyday life.

These exceptional moments are what Hungarian-American psychologist

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has termed “flow,” a highly focused mental

state.2 The metaphor of flow is one that many people have used to

describe the sense of effortless action they feel in moments that stand

out as the best in their lives.3 It is a flow experience that travellers seek

when they partake along a multi-day journey across the mountains.

Figure 2: Skiers in the backcountry. Author, 2023.

1
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.. Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life.
New York: Basic Books, 1998.
2
Csikszentmihalyi, “Finding Flow.”
03 3
Csikszentmihalyi, “Finding Flow.” 04
 BACKGROUND: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF OPTIMAL EXPERIENCE
SKI TOURING AS FLOW

1 ience
The occurs
experience
whenoccurs
we confront
when tasks
we confront
we havetasks
a chance
we have
of completing.
a chance of
The allure of ski touring, gliding through untamed slopes and
There
completing.
must be aThere
challenge/skills
must be a challenge/skills
balance. balance.
navigating rugged terrain isn’t merely about conquering the snow-

covered landscapes; it’s an invitation to immerse oneself in a deeply

2 We
Wemust
mustbe
beable
abletotoconcentrate
concentrateon
onwhat
whatwe
weare
aredoing
doing
exhilarating and enjoyable experience. Ski touring offers more than just

physical exertion – it presents an opportunity for individuals to embrace

3 The
Theconcentration
concentrationisispossible
possiblebecause
becausethe
thetask
taskhas
hasclear
cleargoals
goals
a flow state, where time warps, distractions fade, and the only existence

is the union between the skier and the snow-clad wilderness.

4 The
Thetask
taskprovides
providesimmediate
immediatefeedback
feedback

The studies of psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi have suggested

5 One
Oneacts
actswith
withanan
effortless
effortless
involvement
involvement
that
that
removes
removes
from
from
awareness
awareness
that the phenomenology of enjoyment has eight major components. 4
the the
worries
worries
andand
frustrations
frustrations
of everyday
of everyday
life life
When people reflect on how it feels when their experience is most

positive, they mention at least one, and often all, of the following eight
6 Enjoyable
Enjoyable experiences
experiences allow
allow people to
to exercise
exercise aasense
senseofofcontrol
controlover
criteria.
overtheir
theiractions
actions

The combination of all these elements creates a sense of deep

7 Concern
Concernfor
forthe
theself
selfdisappears,
disappears,
yet,
yet,
paradoxically,
paradoxically,
thethe
sense
sense
of self
of self
enjoyment that is so rewarding people feel that expending a great deal
emerges
emerges
stronger
stronger
after
after
the the
flowflow
experience
experience
is over
is over
of energy is worthwhile simply to be able to feel it. 5

8 Sense
Senseofofduration
durationofoftime
timeis is
altered;
altered;
hours
hours
pass
pass
by by
intointo
minutes
minutes
andand
minutes
minutes
stretch
stretch
out out
intointo
hours
hours

4
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Basic Books, 2008.
5
Csikszentmihalyi, “The Psychology of Optimal Experience.”

05 06
 BACKGROUND: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF OPTIMAL EXPERIENCE
A PAUSE IN FLOW STATE

Flow state is the perfect balance between effort and ease, engagement

and letting go. But it can also be experienced as a pendulum – in swinging

to the highest of highs, it must also swing back. After experiencing a

flow state, suddenly all the feel good neurochemicals have exhausted

themselves. They take a while to replenish.

Flow is a four-part cycle, and one must move through all four parts

of the cycle before they can return to the flow state itself.6 Flow is not

something that can be turned on or off; it’s part of a four-stage cycle

underpinned by the release of specific neurochemicals. According to

Csikszentmihalyi, these phases consist of struggle, release, flow,

and recovery.7 Struggle, release, and flow are all part of the ski tour

experience; and through the design of three alpine shelters along the

traverse, moments for pause and recovery will be choreographed into Figure 3: Cycle of optimal experience. Author, 2023.

the experience. Reset is essential in order to be able to return to the

flow state of the traverse the next day. As one exits the flow state, one

regains awareness of surroundings. At the front end of the cycle is struggle, where the brain is overloaded

with information. From struggle you move into release, where conscious

This project will focus on heightening that absolute sense of awareness processing is traded for a more efficent sub-conscious processing.

that “breaks” the automatic, subconscious state of flow in order to Moving into flow, there is a release of nitrous oxide which flushes

create a reset from the experience, essentially designing to heighten stress hormones from the system and releases them with feel-good

awareness of the body and surroundings with the goal of choreographing performance enhancing chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine. At

a flow state experience of immersion and release along the traverse. the end of the flow cycle is the recovery phase.

6
Steven Kotler. The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance
Michigan: Brilliance Publishing, 2014.
7
Csikszentmihalyi, “The Psychology of Optimal Experience.”
07 8
 PRECEDENT STUDIES: OVERVIEW AND METHODOLOGY

Approaching this project as a choreography of flow, the shelters designed

could be considered moments of release from the immersiveness of
the traverse. To create these moments of release, an architecture of
awareness is designed; awareness of the body, of the mind, and of the
landscape. In the following studies, the works of designers who succeed
in creating this awareness in their projects is explored.

AN ARCHITECTURE OF DISTRACTION CARLO SCARPA

Scarpa’s work is one of intricate details. It is an approach that is the

opposite of a modernist elimination of ornament and a rational use of
materials and systems. This is a “distracted” architecture that reveals
itself in patterns, textures, and carvings of space.

AN ARCHITECTURE OF DIALOGUE ATELIER NISHIKATA

This is an architecture that creates a conversation inside of it. Through

the use of intentional asymmetry and rule breaking, this approach to
design forces a delay in comprehension and forms an internal dialogue
within the space.

PRECEDENT
AN ARCHITECTURE OF ATTENTION ADOLF LOOS

An architecture of attention is one of sweet spots, luring the user

to a specific spot to experience an effect or a view. This is created

STUDIES
through symmetry that demands attention and locks the body into the
architecture, heightening awareness of the body and the surroundings.

09 10
 PRECEDENT STUDY: GYPSOTHECA, POSSAGNO
CARLO SCARPA: AN ARCHITECTURE OF DISTRACTION

TECHNIQUE - MATERIAL PATTERNING

In the following precedents, elements contributing to an “architecture

of distraction” are explored as a means to heighten the awareness of
the user. Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa used many techniques in his
buildings that fostered a heightened awareness of space and material,
engaging the body and mind. Scarpa’s use of texture, material,
patterning, and level change invites users to engage deeply with the
architecture.

In the works of Carlo Scarpa, patterns, involving a change in material,

are used at times to dissolve the object-like quality of volumes, walls or
surfaces, as well as create a juncture to something else.8 Scarpa’s 1957
Gypsotheca in Possagno is an addition to a 19th Century basilica. Within
this building is a strong theme of patterning with the materials used, as
a means of making one aware of their structural integrity as a material
and not simply as ornamental display.

For example, the glass brick pattern, found within the masonry fill wall
of the Gypsotheca, challenges the reading of this wall as a solid. Scarpa
placed glass blocks in an irregular pattern in the sandstone block infill
wall, bringing in light but also challenging it as a continuous surface
and making one aware of the dimensionality of the sandstone block.9

Figure 4: Patterning - Gypsotheca in Possagno. Author, 2023. Contains

photos by Museo Gypsotheca, 2023, https://www.museocanova.it/

8
Ellen Soroka, Connections in Design: A Generic Attitude, PhD diss., Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 1979.
9
Soroka, “Connections in Design.”
11 12
 PRECEDENT STUDY: QUERINI STAMPALIA LIBRARY
CARLO SCARPA: AN ARCHITECTURE OF DISTRACTION

TECHNIQUE - LEVEL CHANGE

Level change is an active tool that is used in Scarpa’s projects. The

changes in level are also irregular across the Querini Library. Had the
level change between the platform and the lecture hall been straight
rather than irregular, the relationship between the spaces would
have been less ambiguous; straight level changes would underline lecture hall

their difference as two separate events, while the irregularity of the

compositions gives it a simultaneity of reading. It lets the lecture hall
flow up to the platform and the platform flow down to the floor. This
ambiguity of space challenges the mind and the awareness of the body
in the space.10

20

Figure 5: Reconstruction of Querini Stampalia Library first

floor level change. Author, 2023.

0 10 20 30m
10
Soroka, “Connections in Design.”

13 14
 PRECEDENT STUDY: THE WHITE ROOM, TOKYO
ATELIER NISHIKATA: AN ARCHITECTURE OF DIALOGUE

TECHNIQUE - LAYERED RULES

location of beams and openings north elevation
breaks rhythm of joints

In the works of Tokyo-based architecture firm Atelier Nishikata,

techniques like layering and varying rules create a conversation within
the space, and are explored here as a method of heightening awareness.

For every project, an architect establishes a set of rules for a project,

informed by geometry, context, and program. For example, there are
rules for the dimensions of floor plans, the size and position of windows,
the joints in the claddings, and so on.11

While it is not unusual to create rules for different components, what is

unusual is the intentional lack of resolution between them. In the works
of Atelier Nishikata, the intentional disconnection between architecture
components forces a delay in comprehension and creates an internal
dialogue within the space.
south elevation

The cladding in Atelier Nishikata’s White Room follows two conflicting

rules, one for the horizontal ledges and another for the vertical seams.
The ledges enclose the room at three heights, while the vertical
joints disrupt the continuity of the horizontal lines. The pattern of the
vertical joints is repeated on all elevations of the room, and without
any consideration for the location of beams or windows or doors, this
misalignment creates a complex relationship within the room.12

0 1 2 3m
11
Leslie Van Duzer, Almost, Not: The Architecture of Atelier Nishikata. ORO Editions, 2021.
12
Van Duzer, “Almost, Not.”

15 Figure 6: Layered Rules, Atelier Nishikata. Author, 2023. Contains photos by Atelier Nishikata, 2014, https://atelier-nishikata.info/ 16
 PRECEDENT STUDY: MOTO-WASHITSU, TOKYO
ATELIER NISHIKATA: AN ARCHITECTURE OF DIALOGUE

TECHNIQUE - REPETITION VARIATION

At the beginning of every project, Atelier Nishikata introduces a set of

similar elements, for example, repeating a square plan, or centering
rooms around a column. Once they have created a relationship between
spaces by establishing sameness, they introduce variation, so that no
two rooms are ever identical.13

In the moto-washitsu, or traditional room, there are two L-shaped

spaces of the same size. While the rooms have identical reflected floor
plans, variation has been introduced to the spaces. The guest room and
kitchen both have differently positioned doors to the hallway, and the
kitchen has a unique second opening to the dining room. Both rooms have
differently positioned
identical window-door openings facing the garden, but the asymmetry
doors to hallway
of the two spaces frames the apertures differently. The guest room has
no built-in furnishing, whiles the kitchen is differentiated by its fixtures.
The context and programming of the spaces create difference in the
repeated elements.14

built-in furnishing creates

asymmetry of two spaces.

0 1 2 3m
13
Van Duzer, “Almost, Not.”
14
Van Duzer, “Almost, Not.”

17 Figure 7: Repetition Variation, Atelier Nishikata. Author, 2023. Contains photos by Atelier Nishikata, 2014, https://atelier-nishikata.info 18
 PRECEDENT STUDY: VILLA MULLER, PRAGUE
ADOLF LOOS: AN ARCHITECTURE OF ATTENTION

TECHNIQUE - LOCAL SYMMETRIES

In the following precedent, an “architecture of attention” is explored in

the works of Adolf Loos, who successfully is able to capture the attention
of the user through the use of local symmetries in his buildings. Loos’
mastery lies not in intricate detailing that invigorates the mind, but in
his deliberate use of symmetrical elements and strategic framing of
views. Through the manipulation of local symmetries, he heightens
attention to the body’s engagement with the architecture and the
exterior landscape, creating moments that prompt a deeper awareness.

Adolf Loos, who may seem out of place following the study of two
architects who proudly display intricacy, entices attention through a
different avenue – his masterful orchestration of local symmetries.
Loos moves the user from one local symmetry to another, arresting
attention with specific views along the way. These are moments that
lock the body into the architecture, heightening attention to the body
and the surroundings.

This is done expertly in Villa Muller, in Prague, where along the

circulation of stairs, the user is moved from local symmetries aligning
through the living room and framing deliberate views to the exterior.

19 Figure 8: Moments of alignment in Adolf Loos’ Villa Muller, Prague. Author, 2023. 20
 PRECEDENT TAKEAWAYS + PROJECT FORMWORK

The previous precedent studies, examining the work of Carlo Scarpa,

Atelier Nishikata, and Adolf Loos, all demonstrated methods of
capturing the awareness of the user. In the context of this project, which
seeks ways to “break” the cycle of flow along the traverse, further
methods of heightening awareness are implemented into the design of
the three alpine shelters spaced across the Spearhead Traverse. Using
a series of prefabricated designs, altering “shifts” to the set of three
are introduced to heighten awareness of the traveller’s position in the
landscape.

BREAK

BREAK

BREAK
HUT 1

HUT 2

HUT 3
2500 m

SUMMARY +
2000 m

SCHEME 1500 m
0 km 4.5 km 9.0 km 13.5 km 18 km 22.5 km

21 Figure 9: Choreography of Flow. Author, 2023. 22

 SITE + PROGRAM INTRODUCTION

The Spearhead Traverse is a 34km long hiking and skiing route that
connects Whistler to Blackcomb mountains. The full route is typically
undertaken in 2-4 days. Due to the traverse’s proximity to the Whistler
Blackcomb ski resort, it is a very popular area for hiking in the summer
and backcountry skiing in the winter. The traverse can be undertaken
from either end, starting at Whistler or at Blackcomb gondolas. Most of
the activity in this park simply occurs as days hikes in and out of either
end of the park.

Arising out of the popularity of the park and of people undertaking the
traverse with tents, the Alpine Club of Canada formed the Spearhead
Huts Committee. This initiative has the goal of building and maintaining
a network of shelters to connect Whistler to Blackcomb mountains.

The Graduation Project closely aligns itself with the on-going progress
of the Spearhead Huts Committee, and its vision of designing, building,
and maintaining a network of alpine dwellings on the Spearhead
Traverse in the Whistler Blackcomb Backcountry. The project will work
in parallel with the Spearhead Hut Initiative in determining the project’s
siting and programatic elements.

THE SPEARHEAD
TRAVERSE
23 24
 PROGRAM + SITE
THE SPEARHEAD TRAVERSE

INTRODUCTION TO THE SPEARHEAD TRAVERSE

For the Graduation Project, program and site are situated within the

Spearhead range east of the Resort Municipality of Whistler. Currently,

the Spearhead Traverse is used by both winter and summer backcountry

users, following the traverse from starting from Blackcomb Mountain,

around the back of the Fitzsimmons Range, and back through Whistler

Mountain and into Whistler Village. The traverse is also approached

from the reverse direction, from Whistler to Blackcomb. Alternatively,

discrete parts of the route close to the resorts of Whistler and Blackcomb

are skied or hiked upon. The majority of backcountry activity occurs just

as short day trips outside of the boundaries of Whistler and Blackcomb.

0 1 2 3m

0 25 50 75 100 m

Figure 10: Hut system on the Spearhead Traverse. Author, 2024.

0 1 2 3 km
25 26
 PROGRAM + SITE
THE SPEARHEAD TRAVERSE

SAFETY ON THE SPEARHEAD TRAVERSE

The traverse provides various types of experiences to winter and

summer travellers. The map included here depicts terrain safety. Light

grey colouring represents simple terrain, that has little avalanche risk

and is accessible to many people. The darker grey colours on the map

represent complex and challenging terrain, indicating the path could

require glacier crossings, and likely passes into hazardous avalanche

terrain. Travelling to the outer reaches in the steep and glaciated terrain

therefore comes with more risk and requires more experience to safely

navigate.

0 1 2 3m

Simple

Complex
0 25 50 75 100 m

Challenging
Figure 11: Avalanche hazard on the Spearhead Traverse. Author, 2024.
0 1 2 3 km
27 28
 PROGRAM + SITE
THE SPEARHEAD TRAVERSE

TRAVELLER EXPERIENCE

The placement of the huts and their size and ability to accommodate DISTANCE
reflects the difficulty of the terrain and the experience of travellers

along the route. Given that there are more beginner backcountry users Within half day travel from access point (resort, road, trailhead) or next
than experienced ones, and that people are more likely to stay for one hut in the system.
night close by than venturing out deeper into the range, the huts closer

to the ends of the range should provide more accommodation than the
ACCESSIBIITY
hut in the middle of the range.

Accessible to summer travellers (free of major snow field and glaciers).

The following requirements therefore exist for the site locations of each
Accessible to winter travellers located along route with shallow slopes.
of the shelters along the Spearhead Traverse:

ACCESS

Reasonable access to location from both directions along the trail (not
at the bottom of a valley, the site keeps the traveller at a high elevation).

29 30
 PROGRAM + SITE
THE SPEARHEAD TRAVERSE

CONSIDERATION: GENTRIFYING THE ALPINE

By building overnight accommodation in the backcountry of the world’s

most visited ski resort, the system could risk gentrifying the alpine. The

intention of the Spearhead Hut System is to reasonably accommodate

overnight travellers in the backcountry, not to destroy the experience

that people seek for when travelling in the backcountry.15 The

architecture must balance the need for shelter, while not attracting an

unsustainable amount of travellers that would turn this hut system into

an extension of the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort.

By limiting the size of the buildings and how many people they sleep

to 20-24 people at Hut 1 and 10-12 people at Hut 2 and Hut 3, the hut

system will reasonably accommodate thousands of backcountry users

each year, without luring a constant stream of visitors.

Figure 12: Ski touring on the Spearhead Traverse. Author, 2023.

15
Chad Manly, The Trace in the Wilderness, Thesis diss., The University of British Columbia, 2011.
16
Manly, “The Trace in the Wilderness.”

31 32
 SERIALITY THROUGH MATERIALS ACROSS THE SITES

A key component of the design process for this project was working
through seriality. Explored in this process was how subtle shifts
to the system through which a building is designed can enhance
different experiences of connection, reflection and awe as the traveller
progresses along the traverse. As the buildings are assumed to be built
using prefabricated construction, given their remote locations, similar
components and dimensions needed to be used across the three sites.
Through the manipulation of these components, moments of awareness
on the traverse were able to come to life.

In the following sets of diagrams, manipulations of the clerestory of

the building and the footings of the building work to create different
experiences while the bodies of the structures remain repeatable and
the same. The painted CLT facade, reflecting the landscape of each of
the sites, is a consistant height across the three buildings. The buildings
differ in the way they touch down on the site, and in how the clerestory
grows or shrinks to create a different experience in the space.

In each of the three huts, polycarbonate clads the facade and extends
upwards to create a lantern space that provides daylight to the shelters
during the day and acts as a glowing beacon at night, guiding stray
travellers to shelter.

MATERIALITY
33 34
 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
MATERIALITY

SERIALITY OF FACADE + LANTERN DESIGN

Figure 13: Avalanche hazard on the Spearhead Traverse. Author, 2024.

35 36
 BUILDING SYSTEMS
MATERIALITY

POLYCARBONATE FACADES + CREATION OF THE LANTERN

Roof

The roof is created with a rigid foam

insultation sandwhiched between an
exterior sheet of plywood and an interior
layer of clt.

Roof Lantern

A polycarbonate ‘lantern’ rests between

the walls and the roof. It is formed
by a polycarbonate facade system.
This clerestory acts as a lantern for
the room below, lighting the interior
during the day and acting as a glowing
beacon in the mountains at night. This
polycarbonate system has a higher
thermal performance than triple glazing,
yet weighs less.

Walls

Clt is exposed on the inside of the building,

while the exterior layer of plywood is clad
with an additional skin of polycarbonate.
Colours of the landscape are painted
onto the exterior clt structure, and are
ghosted by the polycarbonate skin.
This system is lightweight and highly
insulative.

Floor

The floor is insulated with rockwool, and

lined with clt and plywood on either side.

Sub-floor structure

The sub-floor waffle structure rests on

top of the footings and can accomodate
their irregular siting.

Helical screw piles

Screw piles form the foundation for

the buildings. The location of these
members can be adjusted to suit the
terrain of each site.

Figure 14: Wall Section. Author, 2024. Figure 15: Elevation. Author, 2024.

37 38
 IMMERSION + CONNECTION IN THE VALLEY OF HUT 1

Located in a valley just a short hike from Whistler’s gondola, this first
Hut in a series of three focuses on immersion in the site and connection
with other travellers as a means of creating awareness of the traveller’s
positioning at the entrance to the Spearhead Traverse.

HUT 1 - THE VALLEY Figure 16: Traverse and valley location. Author, 2024.

39 40
 SITE SECTION
HUT 1

IMMERSION IN THE VALLEY

After a two hour journey across Whistler’s backcountry hills, the

traveller arrives in the valley of Hut 1. Nestled down in the snow between

Fissile Peak and Cowboy Ridge, the shelter emphasizes the internal

experience; creating awareness through dialogue and conversation

with travellers who have journeyed from across the world to partake on

this hike.

Figure 17: Site Section - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024.

0 1 2 3m

0 25 50 75 100 m
41 42
 SECTION
HUT 1

CONNECTION + DIALOGUE

Down in the valley, the footings of the building stay short to emphasize

the focus of the space on an internal experience of looking in and

looking to others in the building. At this site, the polycarbonate lantern

extends itself all the way into a floor. Here, the lantern has become a

space to socialize. The lantern wraps itself around a table for 20 people.

In the summer, this table slides outside to a west facing patio. As the

sun sets over the valley, the focus is on the table and the experience of

meeting and eating with travellers from around the world. After a day

of trekking, awareness of the self and the landscape is created through

this means of connection with strangers.

Figure 18: Section - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024.

0 1 2 3m
43 44
 Figure 19: Plan, Level 0 - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024. Figure 20: Plan, Level 1 - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024.
0 1 2 3m
45 46
 Figure 21: Section, Communal Table, Summer - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024.

47 48
 Figure 22: Model, Daytime - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024.

Figure 23: Model, Nighttime - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024. Figure 24: Model, Daytime - Hut 1, Valley Dwelling. Author, 2024.

49 50
 SILENCE + REFLECTION ON THE RIDGE OF HUT 2

Positioned up on a ridge, safe from avalanche hazard in the most

challenging and remote part of the traverse, Hut 2 seeks to create
a release from a mentally and physically taxing day on the traverse
through silence and reflection.

HUT 2 - THE RIDGE Figure 25: Traverse and ridge location. Author, 2024.

51 52
 After scaling mountains, traversing glaciers, and passing cautiously

through avalanche terrain, the weary traveller arrives at Hut 2, perched

on the shoulder of Mount Macbeth. At this stop, in the most remote and

silent part of the traverse, awareness is created through silence and

reflection.

0 1 2 3m

Figure 26: Site Section - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024.

0 25 50 75 100 m
53 54
 Up on the ridge, the lantern space is still occupied - however the roof

has come down, and instead of being a space for group gathering, it is

now a place for silence, sleeping and reflection in the most remote leg

of the traverse.

Skylights have been added to the room. The experience in the lantern

is a very casual one; travellers can grab their mat or sleeping bag and

unwind under the stars. Awareness of one’s positioning in the landscape

is created through this connection through to the sky, creating a

grounding and reflective space.

The building touches down lightly on the ridge, creating outdoor shelter

and providing shade for visitors.

Figure 27: Section - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024.

0 1 2 3m
55 56
 Figure 28: Plan, Level 0 - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024. Figure 29: Plan, Level 1 - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024.
0 1 2 3m
57 58
 Figure 30: Section, Sleeping Under the Skylight - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024.

59 60
 Figure 31: Model, Daytime - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024. Figure 32: Model, Daytime - Hut 2, Ridge Dwelling. Author, 2024.

61 62
 CELEBRATION ON THE CLIFF OF HUT 3

The last stop on the traverse, Hut 3 seeks to create a visual connection
to the site of Hut 1 as a means of celebrating the accomplishments of
the journey and heightening an awareness of time and distance passed.

HUT 3 - THE CLIFF Figure 33: Traverse and cliff location. Author, 2024.

63 64
 After traversing the final leg of the Spearhead Traverse, travellers

arrive at Hut 3, sitting on a cliff below the face of Mount Pattison. At

this final site, the shelter is a place to celebrate the accomplishment of

the traverse.

0 1 2 3m

Figure 34: Site Section - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024.

0 25 50 75 100 m
65 66
 At this site, each family or group of travellers has their own lantern. The

lantern is no longer a floor, and has now come down to the scale of the

family in the form of a clerestory. Each family has their own lantern for

sleeping, eating, gathering, and celebrating.

What makes this site so incredible is its positioning on the cliff, looking

out across the entirety of the traverse. Standing on the site, the traveller

is able to look out across the valley and see Hut 1 where they started the

hike, days before. The lantern is elevated off of the site to best position

the building to capture the view of Hut 1, down in the valley at the

beginning of the traverse. Awareness at this final stop in the traverse

is created through that interlocking moment between the traveller and

the view to Hut 1, enabling the traveller to visually see the distance they

have accomplished.

Figure 35: Section - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024.

0 1 2 3m
67 68
 Figure 36: Plan - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024.
0 1 2 3m
69 70
 Figure 37: Section, Reflecting on the Traverse - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024.

71 72
 Figure 39: Model, Nighttime - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024.

Figure 38: Model, Daytime - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024. Figure 40: Model, Nighttime - Hut 3, Cliff Dwelling. Author, 2024.

73 74
 Figure 41: Presentation Day. Emma Garm-Straker, 2024. Figure 42: Presentation Day. Emma Garm-Straker, 2024.

Figure 43: Presentation Layout. Author, 2024. Figure 44: Presentation Day. Emma Garm-Straker, 2024.

75 76
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anderson, Ben. “The Construction of an Alpine Landscape: Building, Representing and Affecting the Eastern
Alps, c. 1885 – 1914.” Journal of Cultural Geography, no. 29, 2012: 155-183.
https://doi.org/10.1080/08873631.2012.683288

Boudreau, Patrick. “Flow States in Adventure Recreation: A Systemic Review and Thematic Synthesis.” Psy-
chology of Sport and Exercise, no. 46, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
psychsport.2019.101611

Brandle, Kurt. Emotion and Reason in Architecture. Design Research, 2023.

Canadian Wood Council. Introduction to Wood Building Technology. Ottawa, 1997.

Corner, Donald. Passive House Details: Solutions for High-Performance Design. Routledge,
2017.

Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life.
Basic Books, 1998.

Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper Collins Publishers, 2008.

Dorward, Sherry. Design for Mountain Communities: A Landscape and Architectural Guide. Van Nostrand
Reinhold, 1990.

Faculty of Architecture, ETH Zurich. New Monte Rosa Hut – Self-sufficient building in the high Alps. GTA Ver-
lag, 2010.

Kariel, Herbert. “Alpine Huts in Canada’s Western Mountains.” Canadian Geographies, no. 36,
1992: 144-158. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1541-0064.1992.tb01127.x

Kirchner, Walther. Mind, Mountain, and History. Journal of the History of Ideas: Vol. 11, No. 4, 1950: 412-447.
https://doi.org/10.2307/2707590

Kotler, Steven. The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance, Michigan: Bril-
liance Publishing, 2014.

Manly, Chad. “The Trace in the Wilderness.” Thesis diss., The University of British Columbia,
2011.

Meuser, Philipp. Prefabricated Housing: Construction and Design Manual. Dom Publishers,
2019.

Musgrave, Lucy and Cumberlidge, Clare. Design and Landscape for People. New York:
Thames & Hudson Inc., 2007.

O’Connor, Bill. Alpine Ski Mountaineering -Vol 2 – Central and Eastern Alps. Cicerone Press, 2003.

Reichwein, PearlAnn. “The Alpine Club of Canada’s ‘Mountain Heritage’: Adventure and Advocacy in the Twen-
tieth Century and Beyond.” The International Journal of the History of Sport,
vol. 34, no. 14, 2018: 1501-1520. https://doi.org/10.1080/09523367.2017.1344643

Shearcroft, Geoff. The Joy of Architecture: Evoking Emotions Through Building. Multiform: Architecture in an
Age of Transition, no. 91, 2021: 109-117. https://doi.org/10.1002/ad.2660

Sokol, David. Nordic Architects. Arvinius Forlag, 2008.

Soroka, Ellen, “Connections in Design: A Generic Attitude” PhD diss., Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
1979.

Van Duzer, Leslie. “Almost, Not: The Architecture of Atelier Nishikata.” ORO Editions, 2021.

77 78