Wellness Retreat, Swiss Alps
Building the "Memories"
A dwindling connect with nature and the ever increasing chaos mingled with a technologically influenced, sedentary lifestyle – devoid of a human touch, is leading humans to turn to external means to get some semblance like a Wellness Retreat.
These are one of the most sought after activities to catch a break from the busy and mind numbing daily urban corporate lives. These retreats offer a tucked away, noise and stress free environment to its patrons for them to come and indulge in spending quality time. They are the perfect avenues to rest, recharge and reflect on the lives with the help of various means different ways and would require spaces that would enable them to do so effortlessly.
Site
The site is located in one of the most sought after scenic locales in the world that is the lap of the Swiss Alps. The Swiss Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain Range system that lie in Europe. It is nothing short of magical in itself with bountiful natural beauty and quaint living. At the centre of this fantasy lies the region’s fold architecture, its bucolic cottages, rugged mountain huts and timeless alpine villages. Swiss culture is characterized by diversity in its wide ranging customs and traditional artworks which the public indulges in actively to keep in touch with their identity. The architecture here needless to say consists of some of the most world class construction. It differs from the different Alps that we see in Europe, the local traditional one here comprising of the exquisite Swiss Chalets with their quintessential
Devising the Program
The approach begins with an idea of creating a healing environment in the arms of nature- for humans to focus on their inner wellness. Therefore one of the main concerns while designing was to understand the existing culture of the people there and by identifying the need for them in the first place to go to these retreats. This led to understanding that human psychology can be deeply affected by what they see around them. The spaces that we built hence need to enable the user to make a lasting connection and carry it with them even as they move away from it. One of the most effective ways to do this is by engaging the motor skills that is the hands.
Material Palette and Structure
The built typology was a mix of permanent and incremental structures that bind together into a holistic environment that is adaptable to time and individual user preferences. The whole built mass was kept minimal with it scattered in clusters upon the lush vegetated site. Creation of an aura of such a minimal, experiential, interactive and sensorial environment would help enhance one’s attention, cognition and psychology. The material palette was also kept to the locally sourced wood and available stone which are used to build the chalet houses around but the expression was changed and kept minimal to suit the entire scheme.