Alpine huts: Architectural innovations and development in the High Tatras until the first half of the 20th century

For man, the mountain environment was a source of raw materials and a place of economic activity until the end of the 18th century. This paper examines how the exploration of mountain valleys lead from the first ascents to the peaks to today’s exploitation of the mountain environment. We are currently following efforts to protect the unique environment of the mountains and to preserve the architectural heritage of the 20th century. In the paper, we look at the architecture of the High Tatras of the first half of the 20th century, which is lost under the coatings of today. The article traces the line of innovation in the 20th century and examines the causes and consequences of the origin and development of architecture in the alpine environment, with a focus on changes in the paradigm of social thinking in the relationship between architecture and the original landscape. The subject of the paper is mapping of the architectural heritage embedded in the unique environment of the world natural heritage of alpine terrains in the High Tatras and the study of the settlement process with innovative technologies and materials that have enabled architecture to enter difficult terrains. As industrialization, mechanization and electrification have greatly simplified and streamlined the construction process, the work identifies not only the development of new design, technological and material solutions, but also the resilience of the environment to innovation. It focuses on the analysis of innovative progress and monitors its development in contact with the mountain architecture from the moment of planning, work implementation and possible construction changes. The work focuses on the typology of mountain huts and the process of their architectural design.