Works by great architects in Graubünden.
10.04.2025The canton of Graubünden is not only known for its magnificent landscapes and the high quality of its tourist infrastructure. It is well known as a popular excursion destination and a popular holiday region for northwestern Switzerland. But there are other good reasons – especially now in the spring season, when it is still frosty at higher altitudes – for excursions to Vals and the Surselva region in particular: the works of well-known Swiss architects.
Dominik Gehl, a software engineer from Lausanne with a passion for modern architecture and photography, has set out on a search for the traces of great Swiss architects for the Graubünden tourist organization – and found them in Vals and the Surselva.
Rudolf Olgiati, Valerio Olgiati, Peter Zumthor and Gion A. Caminada have created architectural highlights in the Surselva and in Vals, thereby shaping the appearance of the region – each in their own personal way.
We present here a small selection from the new architectural finds shown in the readable article.
Girls’ boarding school at the Benedictine monastery in Disentis
The author writes that the history of the Disentis Abbey dates back to the year 720 and that a grammar school and boarding school have existed there since the 19th century.
The girls lived in the lower house, which was designed by Gion A. Caminada. The five-storey building nestles against the hillside, giving each floor its own entrance. Particular attention was paid to the window niches, which serve as places of retreat.
Caplutta Sogn Bededetg, Sumvitg
With his project for the new chapel, world-famous architect Peter Zumthor has given the municipality of Somvitg an independent architectural work of art. In 1984, an avalanche destroyed the baroque chapel and the municipality decided to build a new one.
The exterior of the minimalist, tear-shaped chapel is completely covered with wooden shingles, reminiscent of the traditional architecture in the region. The interior is illuminated by glass panels in the upper part of the walls.
Therme Vals
Vals is a world-famous village at 1250 meters above sea level. Although the village is extremely attractive for tourists in both summer and winter, its fame is based on a magnificent architectural achievement by Peter Zumthor: the «7132 Therme & Spa».
Zumthor built his masterpiece out of 60,000 Vals quartzite plates. It was placed under a preservation order just two years after its completion. Since then, it has not only been used by wellness lovers, but also visited by crowds of architecture enthusiasts from all over the world.
The building contains seven different pools, each with its own atmosphere and water temperature.
Gasthaus am Brunnen, Valendas
The building known today as the «Gasthaus am Brunnen» in the picturesque village of Valendas is a 16th-century structure that is also home to a star-rated restaurant. Gion A. Caminada took on the challenging task of renovating the listed building, and the house was inaugurated in 2014. Caminada skillfully incorporated new elements into the historic building fabric and brought the infrastructure up to date.
The house enjoys great popularity thanks to its seven individually designed rooms and its 15 Gault Millau points.
You can find more about the architectural gems in Vals and the Surselva here in the original text.