Alpine Countries Research Articles

Implementing the green infrastructure concept in practice: an example of the EU-strategy for Alpine Region

ABSTRACT This article reflects on the development of green infrastructure as planning concept and inspects the status of the concept’s implementation under the umbrella of the EU-strategy for the Alpine Region. Qualitative methods, including policy analysis and interviews, were used to evaluate the understanding of the concept among relevant stakeholders from Alpine countries. The results show that there is little agreement with regard to understanding the concept, and that there was a lack of common practice towards its implementation in the 2014–2020 EU budget period. The macro-regional setting consists of the macro regional strategy and the financial support for projects and measures provided via the Alpine Space Programme and The Alpine Region Preparatory Action Fund (ARPAF). The policy analysis reveals that some of the Alpine countries were more pro-active and have either integrated the concept into existing policies (nature protection, planning, environmental policies and so on) or possess GI specific legislation. It was concluded that the existence of various perceptions and views on the concept hinder the successful implementation of the concept and its integration into lower governance levels. Thus, for now, the implementation of GI in the macro-regional context depends upon individual initiatives of the states, regions, or/and local communities.

Mapping of Energy Communities in Europe: Status Quo and Review of Existing Classifications

A lack of aggregate analysis concerning energy communities exists in the academic literature. The authors utilized a combination of literature reviews and desk research to fill this gap. The existing debate on the classification of energy communities was summarized and aligned. Discovered classifications were used to analyze the status quo of the sector. The authors found nearly 4000 energy communities with 900,000 members in the European Union. On average, there are 844 members per one energy community. Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United Kingdom are at the forefront of the movement. Different countries have different primary sources of renewable energy utilized by energy communities, and membership structures vary based on the energy source and corporate purpose of the energy community together with the sector’s maturity in a certain country. Predominantly, hydro and biomass are used by energy communities in Alpine countries, solar energy is used in Germany, Spain, and France, wind in the Netherlands and Denmark, and different renewables in the United Kingdom. More members have joined the hydro, biomass, and wind communities than solar communities. Each country has national and regional associations of energy communities. In addition, intermediary actors, researchers, and consultancy agencies have shown a growing interest in the deployment of the movement. Achieving a conformity of business models Europe-wide would probably be impossible and pointless. Distinct geographical, institutional, and policy context-specific conditions stimulate diversity rather than conformity.

ProForM: A simulation model for the management of mountain protection forests

Protection from gravitational natural hazards such as snow avalanches and rockfall is among the most important ecosystem services provided by forests in steep mountain terrain such as the European Alps. These so-called “protection forests” often have to be actively managed to ensure a sustainable ecosystem service provision in time and space. For studying these slowly developing ecosystems, dynamic forest models are important tools to assess the effect of management on the protective function. However, existing models focus on the current protective effect and in many cases neglect aspects of stand resistance and resilience to large disturbances, which are important factors for maintaining the long-term protective function. Therefore, we developed ProForM, a new dynamic forest model aimed at (1) reproducing stand dynamics of managed temperate mountain forests and (2) assessing their protective function in detail. ProForM is a structurally simple model that contains mechanistic formulations of basic demographic processes but was developed mainly with empirical data. It is spatially explicit and was developed with a focus on regeneration dynamics. The model is parameterized for four tree species (Picea abies, Abies alba, Fagus sylvatica, and Acer pseudoplatanus) and four elevational zones, ranging from mixed species submontane to spruce-dominated subalpine forests. ProForM was calibrated with and validated against independent data from long-term forest inventories from Switzerland. It exhibited a satisfactory performance in reproducing measured basal area, stem number, diameter distribution and mean crown ratio at the stand level, comparable to the performance of other, typically more complex models. Illustrative example simulations demonstrate the assessment of the protective function of a stand against gravitational hazards according to multiple criteria used in forestry practice in Alpine countries. ProForM is a valuable new tool to study the impacts of management on the protective effect of mountain forests, and to inform forest managers.

Alpine wineries: the case of a “production system” in South Tyrol

Within the context of agricultural production, vinification has peculiar characteristics due to the sort of “sacredness” of wine and its aging process, which takes place in dedicated spaces. Starting from the end of the 20th century, the figure of the architect has been increasingly involved in the design of the wine-making buildings. Whatever the reason driving many companies in this direction, this has had global resonance and even affected the Alps: among the Alpine countries, this phenomenon has been particularly prevalent in Italy and especially in South Tyrol, a territory where contemporary architecture has been gradually emerging and where architectural competitions are more common, contributing to improving the quality of the projects. The region has put local architects at the center: they have actively participated in this intense work on wine cellars, albeit without denying the pre-existing buildings; thus, they preserved the original production volumes and mainly intervened with extensions. However, an already well-established tourism sector has reduced the depth of this process – which has taken place rapidly and in a geographically limited area – as interventions have often focused on attracting the attention of tourists. In many cases, this approach has led to an excess of shapes, technologies, decorations and colors, creating something that resembles a sort of wine theme park. However, there are some exceptions to this phenomenon that are worth discussing.

Tracking decision-making of backcountry users using GPS tracks and participant surveys

Snow avalanches are a significant natural hazard representing the primary risk of death to backcountry travelers in many alpine countries. Careful use of backcountry terrain through effective decision making can mitigate the risk of dangerous snowpack conditions, but requires relevant knowledge and experience.We present the results from a large-scale crowd sourced data collection method from backcountry users. Using GPS tracking via a smartphone application, coupled with online surveys, we investigate the intersection of geographical complexity, backcountry experience, demographics and behavioral biases on decision-making while navigating hazardous winter terrain. We use data from 770 GPS tracks, representing almost 1.3 million GPS points, as a geographic expression of a group's resulting decisions, and use them to quantify and understand their decision-making process.Our analysis focuses on the change in terrain use as quantified using the Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES), and time spent in avalanche terrain, as a function of experience, avalanche hazard and other group factors. We show that self-identified experts rate themselves as significantly more skilled and also had higher levels of avalanche education. Experts also had an increased exposure to avalanche terrain overall, and also more severe terrain, as represented by median time in class 3 ATES terrain.

Hybridization between Alpine Ibex and Domestic Goat in the Alps: A Sporadic and Localized Phenomenon?

Simple SummaryThe Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) is a protected wild ungulate. The species is known to have a low genetic variability and to occasionally suffer from local population decline as a consequence of epidemic diseases. Another, less investigated, threat for the species’ long-term conservation is represented by the hybridization with feral domestic goats that may breed with ibex if abandoned in the mountain at the end of the summer pasture. Further reproduction and the spread of hybrids may jeopardize the genetic integrity of wild Alpine ibex. By means of an online survey and using a network of experts, we mapped unpublished evidence on observed hybridization events between Alpine ibex and feral domestic goats. The results of this study suggested that hybrids are currently distributed in several countries, and their presence is not a rare event, with some clusters including 4–20 probable hybrids. This calls for more studies clearly quantifying hybrids in Alpine ibex colonies, but also highlights the need for conservation actions aimed at controlling this phenomenon, such as the effective management of domestic herds grazing in Alpine ibex core areas and clear guidelines on hybrid management.The Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) is a mountain ungulate living in the European Alps. Although being currently classified as a species of Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN, a potential threat for its long-term conservation is introgression following hybridization with domestic goats (Capra hircus). Hybridization has been documented in Switzerland in captive and free ranging animals, although accurate data to assess the extent of this phenomenon in natural conditions in the Alps are lacking. Using an online survey and a network of experts, we collected and mapped unpublished evidence of hybridization events that occurred between Alpine ibex and feral domestic goats from 2000 to 2021. The results of this study showed that hybrids are distributed in most of the Alpine countries, and their presence is not a sporadic event, with some clusters including 4–20 probable hybrids. Our results illustrated the need for establishing a standardized and effective protocol to identify hybrids in the field (such as a formal description of the morphological traits characterizing hybrids), as well as clear guidelines for hybrid management. Even more importantly, this study also highlighted the need for actions aimed at avoiding hybridization, such as the effective management of domestic herds grazing in Alpine ibex core areas.

Visitors’ motivations to engage in glacier tourism in the European Alps: comparison of six sites in France, Switzerland, and Austria

Glacier tourism is an important form of travel in the Alps that is currently threatened by climate change. Previous studies have shown that glaciers are retreating worldwide, and media coverage has led to the development of last-chance tourism. However, few studies have focused on the European Alps, and glacier site visitors have not been segmented based on their motivations yet, hindering the understanding of different profiles. Therefore, using a latent class analysis, this study reveals that the 1330 survey respondents from six glacier tourism sites (Montenvers, Nid d’Aigle, Glacier Blanc, Rhône Glacier, Aletsch Glacier, and Franz–Josefs–Höhe/Pasterze) in three alpine countries (France, Switzerland, and Austria) can be segmented into four classes based on their motivations and other factors. Among them, the “last chance” and “climate visitor” classes were identified, representing between 50% and 57% of the respondents from the investigated sites. The results also indicate that visitors’ motivations are stable across sites and that glaciers are the object of last-chance tourism. This research contributes to the fields of glacier tourism and last-chance tourism by proposing a segmentation of visitors and allowing the generalisation of the presence of last-chance tourism for glacier tourism sites in the Alps.

Collecting and Exhibiting Traditional and Popular Alpine Folk Music in Austria—A Case Study

AbstractThis paper presents a case study dedicated to a particular genre of folk music popular in the Alpine countries, and its collection and display in Austria in connection with a project in which the author was involved. The theoretical and practical questions related to this study reflect the needs and challenges posed by this topic in terms of museum documentation and communication. The aim of the paper is to expand the current discourse in the field by discussing the relationships between this genre of music as an intangible social phenomenon and as tangible cultural heritage. The paper presents the case study in an international context of discussion on the display of music culture and the role of sound in exhibitions, and connects theoretical considerations with practical approaches.

Global cervical cancer research: A scientometric density equalizing mapping and socioeconomic analysis.

Cervical cancer has caused substantial morbidity and mortality for millions of women over the past decades. While enormous progress has been made in diagnosis, prevention and therapy, the disease is still fatal for many women—especially in low-income countries. Since no detailed studies are available on the worldwide research landscape, we here investigated the global scientific output related to this cancer type by an established protocol. The “New Quality and Quantity Indices in Science” platform assessed all relevant cervical cancer research published in the Web of Science since 1900. A detailed analysis was conducted including country-specific research productivity, indicators for scientific quality, and relation of research activity to socioeconomic and epidemiologic figures. Visualization of data was generated by the use of density equalizing map projections. Our approach identified 22,185 articles specifically related to cervical cancer. From a global viewpoint, the United States of America was the dominating country in absolute numbers, being followed by China and Japan. By contrast, the European countries Sweden, Austria, and Norway were positioned first when the research activity was related to the population number. When the scientific productivity was related to annual cervical cancer cases, Scandinavian countries (Finland #1, Sweden #4, Norway #5, Denmark #7), the Alpine countries Austria (#2) and Switzerland (#6), and the Netherlands (#3) were leading the field. Density equalizing mapping visualized that large parts of Africa and South America were almost invisible regarding the global participation in cervical cancer research. Our data documented that worldwide cervical cancer research activity is continuously increasing but is imbalanced from a global viewpoint. Also, the study indicated that global and public health aspects should be strengthened in cervical carcinoma research in order to empower more countries to take part in international research activities.

Des Dichters Abschied von der Welt. Das Conversio-Gedicht Ego quondam filius mundi specialis und der Archipoeta

In the last decades of the 12th century, an educated secular cleric retired from a successful career in the service of some high-ranking prelate to enter an unnamed monastic order. His decision and motives he made known in a Latin poem addressed to his friends. Though his career reflects the reality of life of many intellectuals in the High Middle Ages, the poem’s depth of content and thought as well as its virtuosity of language and form are astonishing. The poem Ego quondam filius mundi specialis (Chevalier 36996; WIC 5269), written in 42 Goliardic stanzas, is the subject of the present essay. An examination of the manuscript tradition, educational background, literary allusions and versification makes it clear that the unknown author ranks with the great modern poets of his time, such as Petrus Abaelardus, Hugh Primas, Alanus de Insulis, Petrus Riga, Peter of Blois, Walter of Châtillon and the Archpoet. Presumably of German extraction, he studied in France, where he became acquainted with the Latin songs from the circle of Petrus Abaelardus (Carmina Florentina) and the poems of Hugh Primas. While serving at some German-speaking ecclesiastical court in the Alpine countries, he probably came into contact with the circle of collectors and poets, from whose initial collections the Carmina Burana ultimately emerged. In addition to a number of allusions and parallels, it is the versification that gives a clear indication of the poet’s identity, who, most likely, is no other than the Archpoet, the brilliant poet at the court of Rainald von Dassel, whose biography and real name have so far eluded all investigations. These results confirm an assumption, which had already been made by Wilhelm Wackernagel in 1845, but fell into oblivion soon after. The essay is followed by editions of the poem Ego quondam filius mundi specialis (according to the three manuscripts: St. Gallen, Kantonsbibliothek Vadiana, Vadianische Sammlung, Ms. 455; Vorau, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. 401; Zürich, Zentralbibliothek, Ms. C 58) and the Christmas poem Dum sub mundi uespere dies inclinatus (Chevalier 36900; WIC 4964; Linz, Studienbibliothek, Handschrift 33 [olim Cc.II.15]; Vorau, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. 401; Zürich, Zentralbibliothek, Ms. C 58), which are transmitted together in the Vorau and Zurich codices. Whether both poems are the work of the same author is questionable. The identity of an Egidius Magnus, who is credited with the excerpts in St. Gall Ms. 455, remains in the dark.

The genomes of 204 Vitis vinifera accessions reveal the origin of European wine grapes

In order to elucidate the still controversial processes that originated European wine grapes from its wild progenitor, here we analyse 204 genomes of Vitis vinifera and show that all analyses support a single domestication event that occurred in Western Asia and was followed by numerous and pervasive introgressions from European wild populations. This admixture generated the so-called international wine grapes that have diffused from Alpine countries worldwide. Across Europe, marked differences in genomic diversity are observed in local varieties that are traditionally cultivated in different wine producing countries, with Italy and France showing the largest diversity. Three genomic regions of reduced genetic diversity are observed, presumably as a consequence of artificial selection. In the lowest diversity region, two candidate genes that gained berry–specific expression in domesticated varieties may contribute to the change in berry size and morphology that makes the fruit attractive for human consumption and adapted for winemaking.

An inventory of Alpine drought impact reports to explore past droughts in a mountain region

Abstract. Drought affects the European Alpine mountain region, despite a humid climate. Droughts' damaging character in the past and increasing probability in future projections call for an understanding of drought impacts in the mountain regions. The European Drought Impact report Inventory (EDII) collects text reports on negative drought impacts. This study presents a considerably updated EDII focusing on the Alpine region. This first version release of an Alpine Drought Impact report Inventory (EDIIALPS) classifies impact reports into categories covering various affected sectors and enables comparisons of the drought impact characteristics. We analysed the distribution of reported impacts on the spatial, temporal and seasonal scale and by drought type for soil moisture drought and hydrological drought. For the spatial analysis, we compared the impact data located in the Alpine region to the whole of Europe. Furthermore, we compared impact data between different climatic and altitudinal domains (the northern region vs. the southern region and the pre-Alpine region vs. the high-altitude region) and between the Alpine countries. Compared to the whole of Europe, in the Alpine region agriculture and livestock farming impacts are even more frequently reported, especially in the southern region. Public water supply is the second most relevant sector but overall less prominent compared to Europe, especially in spring when snowmelt mitigates water shortages. Impacts occur mostly in summer and early autumn, with a delay between those impacts initiated by soil moisture and those initiated by hydrological drought. The high-altitude region shows this delay the strongest. From 1975 to 2020, the number of archived reports increases, with substantially more impacts noted during the drought events of 1976, 2003, 2015 and 2018. Moreover, reported impacts diversify from agricultural dominance to multi-faceted impact types covering forestry, water quality, industry and so forth. Though EDIIALPS is biased by reporting behaviour, the region-specific results of negative drought impacts across the water-rich European mountain region demonstrate the need to move from emergency response to prevention and preparedness actions. These may be guided by EDIIALPS' insights to regional patterns, seasons and drought types.

Losing the Ground? Assessing Spatial Planning and Quantitative Soil Protection in the Alpine Region

The paper deals with the results of the study ‘Governance in the field of spatial development and quantitative soil protection in the EUSALP region’. The aim of the network analysis was to identify and understand the significant networks and spatial planning systems that influence quantitative soil conservation at different levels, with a focus on the national/cross-border level. The study area was the Alpine macro-region, based on the corresponding EU-Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP). The study was carried out using a participatory approach, involving numerous experts on spatial planning and soil conservation from all Alpine countries. In the present paper, the case of Austria is shown as an example. The project has revealed that instruments dealing with soil conservation issues are available, but implementation is lacking, and binding definitions and quantitative guidelines are missing.

Observed snow depth trends in the European Alps: 1971 to 2019

Abstract. The European Alps stretch over a range of climate zones which affect the spatial distribution of snow. Previous analyses of station observations of snow were confined to regional analyses. Here, we present an Alpine-wide analysis of snow depth from six Alpine countries – Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland – including altogether more than 2000 stations of which more than 800 were used for the trend assessment. Using a principal component analysis and k-means clustering, we identified five main modes of variability and five regions which match the climatic forcing zones: north and high Alpine, north-east, north-west, south-east, and south and high Alpine. Linear trends of monthly mean snow depth between 1971 and 2019 showed decreases in snow depth for most stations from November to May. The average trend among all stations for seasonal (November to May) mean snow depth was −8.4 % per decade, for seasonal maximum snow depth −5.6 % per decade, and for seasonal snow cover duration −5.6 % per decade. Stronger and more significant trends were observed for periods and elevations where the transition from snow to snow-free occurs, which is consistent with an enhanced albedo feedback. Additionally, regional trends differed substantially at the same elevation, which challenges the notion of generalizing results from one region to another or to the whole Alps. This study presents an analysis of station snow depth series with the most comprehensive spatial coverage in the European Alps to date.

Using Citizen Science to Document Terrain Use and Decision-Making of Backcountry Users

Avalanches represent the primary risk of death to backcountry skiers and snowmobilers in North American and European alpine countries. The best strategy for evading dangerous snowpack conditions that may result in an avalanche event requires skiers and snowmobilers to avoid or mitigate their use of hazardous terrain. Therefore, understanding terrain use is critical to understanding the causes of avalanche accidents. Secondary, post-event examination of accident data is inadequate for this understanding, and the logistical costs of user intercept surveys are problematic. Learning more about the behaviors and practices skiers and snowmobilers use to avoid avalanche fatalities or near misses is the primary concern of the avalanche education and research community. However, the topographical data required for analysis of skier and snowmobiler behavior with respect to terrain use is beyond the capacity of most backcountry skiers to provide via traditional surveys. This paper presents the use of a novel combination of user surveys and Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking to collect detailed terrain-use data from recreationists who voluntarily engage with researchers via active participation in citizen science research projects. We describe the methodology for these observations and present why they represent an effective approach to understand avalanche accidents.

Beyond the Expected\u2014Residual Risk and Cases of Overload in the Context of Managing Alpine Natural Hazards

Structural protection measures are designed to protect the population and infrastructure against natural hazards up to a specific predefined protection goal. Extreme events with intensities that exceed the capacity of these protection structures are called “cases of overload” and are associated with “residual risks” that remain after the implementation of protection measures. In order to address residual risks and to reduce the damages from overload events, a combination of structural protection measures with additional, nonstructural measures is required. Based on data collected through a literature review, a questionnaire survey, expert interviews, and an expert workshop we highlight the status quo as well as key challenges of dealing with residual risks and cases of overload in Alpine countries in the context of geohydrological hazards and gravitational mass movements. We present a holistic conceptual framework that describes the relationships of residual risks, cases of overload, and protection goals in the context of both risk governance and integrated risk management. This framework is valuable for decision makers aiming at an improved management of natural hazards that takes adequate account of residual risk and cases of overload in Alpine countries and mountain areas worldwide.

The impact of political decisions on the tourist accommodation occupancy – Central Europe in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic

Tourism is one of the most dynamically developing branches of many national economies, remaining to this day one of the most important industries in the world. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, or to be more precise, radical measures introduced by most governments to prevent its spread, have led to its collapse. The aim of the article is to look at the changes in the occupancy of tourist accommodation facilities (which resulted from political decisions) and to indicate which of these decisions seem most justifiable and relevant. When it comes to the research area, Central Europe was chosen as it is a region which, in the last few years, has recorded annual increases in international tourist traffic. Based on the results of the study conducted, we may state that all Central European countries have recorded a decrease in the occupancy of tourist accommodation facilities in the period from March to June 2020 (a decrease of app. 85% in comparison to the same period last year). Among the least affected by the crisis are Austria, Switzerland, and Slovenia. The situation in the so-called Alpine countries is due to the fact that their governments decided to unfreeze the economy quite early.

Open Spaces in Alpine Countries: Analytical Concepts and Preservation Strategies in Spatial Planning

Open spaces in the Alps are becoming noticeably scarcer, and the long-term consequences for humans and the environment are often overlooked. Open spaces preserve ecosystem services but are under pressure in many Alpine valleys due to demographic and economic development as well as corresponding technical and tourism infrastructure. This article conceptualizes and measures open spaces in Alpine environments. In addition to analyzing existing spatial planning instruments and the open spaces resulting from 2 of them—the Bavarian Alpenplan in Germany and the Tyrolean Ruhegebiete in Austria—we identify open spaces in Switzerland using a geographic information system. More generally, we discuss how spatial planning deals with open spaces. Results show that both the Alpenplan and the Ruhegebiete have contributed significantly to the protection of open spaces in the Bavarian and Tyrolean Alps since the 1970s. Indeed, both approaches prevented several development projects. In the Swiss Alps, open spaces cover 41.9% of the Alpine Convention area. A share of 40.3% vegetation-free open spaces shows that they are concentrated in high alpine areas. Of the open spaces identified, 64.6% are covered by protected areas. Hence, about one third of the open spaces still existing in the Swiss Alps need preservation, not only for ecological connectivity reasons but also to preserve them for generations to come. We conclude that different sectoral approaches for the conservation of open spaces for people and natural heritage in the Alps and other high mountain ranges should be better coordinated. In addition, much more intensive cross-border cooperation in spatial development and planning is needed to preserve open spaces throughout the Alpine arc.

Towards an integrated forest fire danger assessment system for the European Alps

In recent years the European Alps experienced higher temperatures, more heatwaves, and more severe wildfires. Improving fire danger assessment for these sensitive ecosystems is a core element of future-oriented fire management strategies in the face of climate change. While meteorological systems are common to predict fire danger in many countries, other factors such as vegetation, topography, lightning occurrence and human impact are generally not considered. We introduce an Integrated forest Fire Danger assessment System (IFDS) for the Alpine country Austria that includes i) daily fire weather index data, ii) a countrywide hazard map for fire ignition through human activities, iii) a lightning fire hazard map, iv) a high-resolution fuel type map, and v) a topography-based estimation of the fire hazard. The system was implemented as an online Web-GIS prototype. The objectives of this contribution are to describe the conceptual approach for the IFDS, to understand the predictive power of different data layers in fire danger rating and to identify potential improvements, especially regarding the role of vegetation and human influence. A first validation was done with 2018–2019 forest fire data. Some variants of the IFDS produced better overall prediction accuracy regarding forest fire ignitions compared to common fire weather indices. They typically performed relatively better when considering the number of false alerts as well. However, correlation between larger burned areas and higher index values was low. Conclusions for the implementation of the IFDS in other Alpine countries are discussed and recommendations for necessary and reliable datasets at high resolution are given.

Arhitektura oživlja

Slovenia is an alpine country: 11 percent of its territory is above 1,600 meters above sea level. The Slovenian Alps are dotted with secluded farms and clustered hamlets, and there are larger towns on the plains of the pre-Alpine regions. In the 1990s, Slovenia, together with other Alpine countries, acceded to the International Convention on the Protection of the Alps. Due to its small size, the Slovenian Alpine space is manageable, but very fragile and sensitive to various interventions, especially architectural ones. Namely, architecture directs the mentality and consciousness of people, and thus also cultural and economic development. Today, it is difficult to talk about revitalizing the Alps without mentioning tourism, which brings money to the Alpine environment and creates jobs. Unfortunately, the Slovenian alpine space is developing without a comprehensive urban and architectural development direction. Economic and tourism strategies are also vague. Individual examples of modern quality architecture are rather happy coincidence of the architect's sensitivity, experience and mastery, and the investor's cultural breadth. That is why the examples of good architectural practice that culturally and economically revive the Slovenian Alpine region and preserve its identity stand out all the more. They are distinguished by their attitude towards the environment – understanding and respect for the natural and cultural landscape, dimensions of volumes that are carefully integrated into the scenography of mountain ambiences, modern spatial design, selection of new natural materials, interpretation of traditional architectural heritage and preservation of local traditions and knowledge of our ancestors.