Trockener Steg
DESIGNED BY "ARCHITEKTUR + DESIGN”
The Matterhorn glacier ride starts high up at the sort of altitude where you’d normally expect to find the mountain station. This imposing installation situated on Trockener Steg at 2'923 metres above sea level is the valley station. From the outside it has an elegant modern look, thanks to its photovoltaic panels. Step inside and you will be amazed by the flawless design of the main hall.
WHERE AESTHETICS AND FUNCTIONALITY COMBINE
With its timber structures, the station has a warm and aesthetically pleasing ambience. The design of Swiss pine and spruce is more than a counterpoint to the concrete of the old station building: wood is a sustainable local building material ideally suited to the construction of the station, and so this design fits in perfectly with Zermatt Bergbahnen AG’s policy on sustainability.
The regularly spaced rows of photovoltaic and glass elements give the station a light, modern appearance. The large areas of glazing ensure that plenty of sunlight finds its way into the building so that there is hardly any need for artificial lighting.
The impression of size also derives from the fact that at night and in stormy weather the cabins can be safely garaged in the valley station, where they are protected from the elements.
CLEAN ENERGY THANKS TO PHOTOVOLTAICS
The photovoltaic systems on the south- and west-facing sides of the valley station generate electricity sustainably and without harming the environment. The high levels of UV radiation at almost 3'000 metres above sea level and the way the sun reflects off the white covering of snow make the solar panels an effective source of energy. The energy generated goes directly into Zermatt’s public electricity grid.
PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM ON Trockener Steg:
| Number of solar modules | 485 |
| Total surface area covered | 781.4 square metres |
| Total output | 138.23 kWp |
| Annual CO2 savings | 23.5 tonnes |
| Operational from | 30 January 2018 |