Therme Vals by Peter Zumthor

DATE

01.09.2025

The Therme Vals, designed by Peter Zumthor and inaugurated in 1996, is one of the most renowned works of contemporary Swiss architecture.

It is visited during the trip to Switzerland included in the MArch Advanced program in architecture, design, and business administration, and is located in the small alpine village of Vals, in the canton of Graubünden.

These thermal baths offer not only a bathing experience but also a unique sensory and architectural journey. Zumthor envisioned an architecture that would not impose itself on the landscape, but rather emerge from it, using local stone —Vals quartzite— as both structural and expressive material, achieving complete integration with the mountainous surroundings.

The building is partially embedded into the hillside and presents a sequence of interior spaces that evoke the atmosphere of a grotto or sanctuary. Visitors move through a world of dim light, controlled illuminations, rough surfaces, and muffled sounds that appeal to all the senses. The spatial design consists of a series of stone volumes housing different pools, saunas, and resting areas, interspersed with narrow openings through which natural light penetrates. This fragmentation allows each user to discover their own path in an intimate, unhurried experience.

More than a wellness center, the Therme is an exercise in essential architecture, where every decision serves the atmospheric quality. Zumthor does not seek to impress with spectacular forms, but with the density of the spatial experience: the temperature of the water, the weight of the stone, the reverberation of sound, and the light filtering through the slits in the ceiling. His work follows an almost artisanal logic, in which material and place dictate the final form. The result is an architecture that seems as if it has always been there—silent, yet profoundly eloquent.

With the Therme Vals, Peter Zumthor cemented his reputation as one of the most sensitive architects of his generation, earning the Pritzker Prize in 2009. This project not only redefined the concept of a thermal bath but also demonstrated that architecture can be an act of contemplation and respect for place. Its influence extends far beyond Switzerland, becoming a model of how to build with authenticity, precision, and emotion. Today, the Therme remains a pilgrimage site for architects and lovers of spaces that move without raising their voice.