Architecture of Encounter,?Exploring Formalism and Phenomenology Through The Thermal Alps

In the heart of the majestic Swiss Alps, nestled amidst nature’s grandeur, lies an architectural masterpiece known as the Thermal Alps, which offers a unique spa experience that transcends the traditional notion of architectural space. It was designed by the Pritzker-winning architect Peter Zumthor and since his finalization, has been explored by several architects who are fascinated by the building’s unique atmospheres and how it triggers the senses in a unique manner.

The purpose of this short essay is to analyze architecture and its impacts in the human experience as a result of the interaction of the built environment as a visual phenomena, through formalist principles. I will explore Zumthor's design decisions to gain a better understanding of the relation between experience and the built environment, and how phenomenological and formalist approaches can aid in this understanding.?

As a standing rock in a cliff, The Thermal Alps, is able to integrate into the context through its rough contrasts. Covered in stone, the linear module adapts into its surroundings, the natural materials covering the structure travel into the interior through hollows, giving it the appearance of a single volume. Ceilings, lighting, humidity, materials, sound, and temperature have been designed in order to facilitate perception of the surroundings and evoke emotions. In their distribution, the spaces are meticulously planned to provide guests with comfort and peace, allowing them to relax and unwind.

Architects are primarily responsible for creating built environments for their inhabitants, which is why buildings must be experienced in order to fully appreciate them. Therefore, an architecture piece should be viewed as a place to be visited physically, so that all perceptual resources in our body are engaged in order to acquire an understanding of the piece. The phenomenological perspective of the work of ?architecture can be seen in the work of ?the philosopher Heidegger, who emphasized the necessity of engagement with the world as a mode of undertaking and the need for human experience as a means of comprehending the world around us.?

However, in recent years, architecture has not been explored by its effect of presence, but rather by images presented through different forms of media that are not capable of conveying the intrinsic value of the space. As information has become increasingly fast and plentiful, we have been forced to examine architecture from a semiotic point of view, giving it meaning within a system of codes and rules, limiting our interpretations.?

We cannot confine the spatial impact of architecture within the boundaries of codes and rules since that would only result in the eradication of individual experiences. As Henrich Wolfflin demonstrated in Renaissance and Baroque, architecture can be viewed from a comparative perspective, making links between mental images acquired from past experiences and architectural form. Our experience of living in a built environment will be enriched through this formalist perspective of viewing and analyzing architecture.

According to Peter Zumthor, ‘all his projects start not only with an idea but with a strong mental image, and a visualization of a bodily or physical event’. The architect has been able to control the atmosphere and invite people into experience by looking into their individual gallery of memories and creating a relation with the physical realm through experience. While there are many ways to perceive information from the surroundings, it is always important to do so from a critical perspective and understand why we see the world the way we do.

Bibliography

• Wolfflin H, Simon K and Murray P(1992) Renaissance and Baroque, Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
• Gorner, Paul. Heidegger’s being and time: An introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2007.?

Media ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

• Verasu, @verasu.s, Instagram, February 12th, 2019. Pilgrimage #peterzumthor ? #thermalvals #switzerland https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt1MOP1HmVu/.?
• White, @skylyte, Instagram, October 20th, 2015. Brushing that hot plunge gettin ready for the cold one #thevals #zumthor #switzerland #alps #therme #baths #thermalvals #architecture, Photo cred: @thatkaiserkid https://www.instagram.com/p/9EyeF2pj28/. ? ?
• Ceriani, Andrea. Thermal Vals / Peter Zumthor. February 11, 2009. Archdaily. https://www.archdaily.com/13358/the-therme-vals/5fc140b963c017d62c001220-the-therme-vals-photo. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
• The Therme Vals. YouTube, 2014. https://youtu.be/DpkpiK4o-cw?si=k-TlHBM0QyjWRbyV.