7132 Therme

In Vals, Peter Zumthor’s thermal baths seem less placed on the mountainside than cut into it. Completed in 1996, much of the complex disappears beneath a planted roof. Inside, some 60,000 slabs of local Vals quartzite shape the walls, passages and pools, with daylight entering through precise openings overhead.

There is no prescribed circuit. You move between different water temperatures, enclosed stone spaces and the outdoor pool, where the valley suddenly comes into view. Thermal bathing in Vals was documented long before Zumthor arrived, and that local relationship with water still gives the building a sense of purpose beyond architecture alone.

Day access is limited and relatively expensive, and Vals requires a proper detour. Once admitted, there is no individual bathing time limit before closing. Phones and cameras are banned throughout the baths, which suits a place that rewards attention to material, light and movement more than documentation.