7132 Hotel in the Swiss Alps40 photos

"7132" is the postal code of the mountain alpine village of Val, and now also the new name of the hotel.

The first thermal resort was opened here in the summer of 1893. The municipality of Val purchased the spa hotel in 1983 with the intention to renovate and expand it. The project was carried out by globally renowned architects Peter Zumthor, Tom Meyne from the firm Morphosis, Tadao Ando, and Kengo Kuma. They created a true masterpiece using 60,000 local quartzite slabs — the building was soon recognized as an architectural monument after completion.

Rooted into the mountainside, the hotel complex is clad in thin quartzite slabs that give the walls a layered appearance, making them look like part of the mountain rock. Thermal water flows through pipes from mineral springs into a network of baths located within the complex.

The uniqueness of the building becomes apparent through examination of its roof. The concrete slab elements are not tightly connected; gaps of 8 cm between them are filled with glass. This creates a duality in spatial perception: the concrete makes the roof appear heavy, yet due to the openings between the blocks, it seems to float.

Photos: Global Image Creation