Peter Zumthor is one of my favorite architects.
But getting there is probably the ultimate pilgrim’s nightmare. Even from Lucerne, considered one of the best starting points in Switzerland because of its central location, we had to change trains three times and catch a 30 minutes bus ride.
Finally arrived and we couldn’t locate the bath house. Had to keep asking for directions because we’re still skeptical. After working our way to the reception (very inaccessible), checked in, dumped our luggage in the room, we saw this …
This looks remotely familiar, it has to be it!
Then, we found the entrance …
Thankfully Zumthor is still slowly renovating the place. We reserved the cheapest rooms, the so-called “Outhouse”.
Check Out Our First-Class 5 STAR Outhouse
I’ve been talking most of the time, so this will be a Jeff Blog Special on, The Vals Therme Bath House!! Presenting, Jeff the Architectural Critic !!
Primitive, yet, finely crafted, is perhaps the most adequate description of the bathhouse. To use these two seemingly contradictory terms simultaneously I am interpreting Zumthor’s design at two levels; first, that the experience one gets from bathing in that space is very much in tune with the basic human needs for shelter, privacy, prospect, light, darkness…etc, at its crudest sense; and that the craftsmanship in the handling of materials, plans, fenestration, thresholds, passages and the landscape, elevates the crude human needs into a spiritual indulgence……enough architecture for now…..what i mean to say is…….what a nice bathing experience it was………..
- by Jeff the Critic
After bathing, we bumped into Zumthor’s wife and had a short but very good conversation!
