projects | Viabizzuno progettiamo la luce

there are magical places where you can find your inner-self, discover a feeling of wellbeing you didn't even know existed, focus on your thoughts and open your eyes to unexplored horizons. one such place is vals, a mountain village made famous by its spa facilities, designed by the architect peter zumthor; one of the most significant examples of the architectural tourist phenomenon. a mountain town turned into a tourist resort by its architecture and the facilities it is able to offer. the village of vals is located at an altitude of 1250 m above sea level, at the bottom of the valley of the same name, in the surselva region south of ilanz, in graubünden. the village square is still surrounded by old walser houses with roofs made of sheets of quartzite. the architecture of this place has retained a character befitting of the raw materials, colours and historical elements, fitting in beautifully with the characteristics of a valley which owes its wild appearance and the diversity of its landscapes, in such a small area, to the strength of water. over millions of years, the erosion caused by glaciers and rain has formed this very closed valley. vals' main attraction is definitely its spa water spring, which bubbles up at a temperature of 30°C and is the only one in graubünden which springs up directly from the ground. the spa centre, designed by peter zumthor and made with locally quarried quartzite, enhances the natural elements, stone and water, further enhancing the feeling of wellbeing. this building rises in the valley like a timeless and simply elegant architecture, observing the same compositional principle adopted by the architect when he was commissioned by the city of vals to design the path along the river running through the town. an introspective landscape path which runs between the village and the watercourse, between manmade and natural elements. the lighting design of this place was particularly stimulating and complex: it generated sentiero di vals, a light fitting forged in a single piece of steel, a line which rises up from the ground and bends with an anthropomorphic curve, inspired by the enchanted world of nature, but also by the order and rigor that govern it. elements which are featured in a simple but sinuously shaped object, the product of complex study but with the utmost respect for the nature that surrounds it. the complex study of the shape took a very long time and implicated the close collaboration of peter zumthor's design studio with the Viabizzuno engineering and development department; the architect created a 1:1 scale model from which Viabizzuno created a 3D scan used to further create a prototype, finally creating the production model faithful to the original. the entire project was characterised by maniacal attention to detail, making it possible to turn a largely aesthetic shape into a complex and highly technological object, to the point of being forged in a single piece. among the various finishes of the palo sentiero di vals, there is one which has been designed specifically to match the path of the same name: this finish, scurodivals, chosen by the architect upon inspiration by the village church roof, features a shade which blends the grey and green of the local stone, the nuances that characterise the whole, wild and rocky valley. besides the custom designed finish, the diffusers have also been conceived especially for this fitting: an 8° spot diffuser and a more diffused 40° version; for the work in vals, since the valley is long and narrow, a diffuser was designed to create a carpet of light, covering an area of 8x2 m. the effect achieved is that of a cloak of light that accompanies the path, without glaring or reflecting on the wall that runs alongside it, emphasising the poetic itinerary and the beauty all around.