At the Hubertus hotel they have added a new architectural feature, a spa in the shape of a town that is built up and down.
Architecture is closely linked to engineering. There is no doubt that one without the other would not reach the high levels of effectiveness to which we are accustomed. And when they both hold hands, there is a mysterious friend: magic. Taking into account this, today we present some images that will generate joy and mystery in your eyes.
They correspond to the expansion of a hotel where we were recently enjoying its spectacular pool and its commitment to the Alps, through the use of elements that integrate with the environment. Its creators, the NOA architecture studio, are responsible for that performance, and also for the one we present to you today.
A spa that is in the air
The first time I saw it I couldn’t get the silhouette of this unique construction out of my mind. The new addition to the hotel is a spectacular spa, which is located at one end, and which is reached by crossing a small bridge. However, the most incredible thing is not that the wellness room is on the other side of a bridge, but that it is in the air and is shaped like a town.
Anyone who enjoys this unique structure will do so in a cantilevered extension of the hotel. A space with several houses on the top and others on the bottom, as if it were a strange reflection. And I say strange because the lower shapes appear different than the higher shapes, both in length, width and finish.
Its shape imitates a town
The magic is evident in the cantilever, since the spa is supported by two larch trunks, which suspend the structure at 15 meters high. The game of upstairs and downstairs is made up of several rooms that are stamped with walls and ceilings made of wood and metal, with an abundance of vertical lines, brise soleil type, to facilitate identification, as well as protect from the sun and give it a more genuine appearance.
Both form and function are very well linked. Who doesn’t associate the mountains with the classic gable-roof cabins? Who doesn’t associate well-being with water, and water with reflection? Is there anyone who doesn’t associate water and mountains with moments of pleasure and saunas? And finally, who doesn’t associate architecture with incredible views?
The structure is covered so that it blends into the landscape
The Hub of Huts, as they call it, is transformed from an exercise in daring construction to a Zen refuge for the hotel’s users, a very small, but very pleasant mountain village, with simple lines. Obviously, this is achieved with the fusion of materials. For example, what the town hides is a steel structure that transfers the loads to the pillars, made of metal covered in larch, and to the rest of the building.
The upper part of the village has two swimming pools, showers and a changing room, while the reverse part of the village has two saunas, showers and an outdoor pool. The water treatment systems, as well as all operating mechanisms, are hidden in the stepped seats of the saunas, covered in cozy wood, with incredible views of the mountains.
This spa is an architectural landmark
Of course, you will have noticed that the material with which the entire unique town is covered is none other than aluminum, a metal that protects, is light, and easy to color with different colors. In this case, the brown tone fits perfectly with the philosophy of the place and the typology of the built element.
Other tones that abound in the building are earthy or beige, such as the ceramic flooring in the hallways, or wood tones, such as the white oak floor in the interiors. The small town already has followers, but, above all, it has a wonderful look as an architectural landmark that not even sulfur can take away.
*Photographs courtesy of Alex Filz