Project overview

Perched 1360m above sea level in New Zealand’s Lewis Pass, the Brass Monkey Hut is a remote alpine shelter designed by architect Graeme Jacobs of Jacobs Architects. The project challenged standard backcountry design, combining architectural vision with durable, low-maintenance materials – such as Moddex’s Ezibilt stairs – ensuring safe, practical access in extreme conditions.

Challenges

With extreme altitude, snow loads, and limited site access, the client required materials that were lightweight and easy to install, and could endure the extreme mountain conditions. A more durable solution was needed to replace typical timber stair treads, which become greasy and slippery over time. The stairs to the hut needed to be modular for easy road and helicopter transport, and simple enough to assemble on-site with minimal tools.

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Moddex solution

Moddex supplied the pre-engineered Ezibilt stairs with high-grip, durable materials, designed for fast, no-weld installation, which was a perfect option for such a remote location. The modular system was easily transported by helicopter and installed with minimal tools, overcoming the logistical challenges of the high-altitude site.

“The modular system is great, as it makes site installation easy. Very little additional work was required to install the steps, only two small concrete pads were needed. On a remote site where pad holes are dug by hand and the concrete is mixed and poured manually, it’s important to minimise this kind of work,” says Graeme Jacobs, Jacobs Architects.

Project details

Project: Brass Monkey Hut

Location: New Zealand

Architect: Jacobs Architects

Products Used: Ezibilt ™ EB140 Ramp, Walkway & Stair Solutions

Architecture & Design Team

Moddex

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