Via Diala

Via Diala is a proposal to rehabilitate and give new importance to a series of mineral springs around the town of Scuol in the Engadin. The different interventions are conceived in the continuity of the theoretical research Natural Design – cultivating an architectural thought. They explore how the study of nature can be a central element in the conception of an architectural design. Being difficult to access, the sites are connected through pathways on stilts opening new perspectives to the eye. Conceived in the image of the springs, the wooden structures flow along the surface of the terrain like the ocher traces of the oxidized iron left by the mineral water. The stilts reduce the impact on the sites to a minimum, facilitating their access without harming their fragile ecosystems. The structures are composed of light elements that can be assembled on site, avoiding the intervention of heavy machinery. At chosen points, the pathways offer places to sit, inviting the visitor to take a moment of contemplation. Elsewhere, the structures lead to small pavilions, providing more sensorial experiences of the springs. The more solid elements of theses interventions behave like the stratified lime mounds formed by the accumulation of calcium from the evaporation of the mineral water. Through this approach, the constructions not only grow out of the ground, they enable their users to experience the environment whilst being a part of it.