Fountain of youth

The demand for constant productivity and mental stress defines modern urban life. We are digitally hyper-connected, yet isolation and sensuality have become rare. Overstimulation from noise, screens, and artificial environments affects not only the working population but also retirees and those unable to work. Today’s emphasis on productivity can lead to social isolation at any stage of life.

In the 19th century, Swiss Kurhäuser emerged as alpine care institutions offering refuge from the "unhealthy" city. These spaces combined physical and mental well-being, creating social microcosms centered around healing water. Many have since evolved into wellness resorts or rehabilitation centers, but their purpose remains unchanged: they offer an escape, accessible only to the wealthy.

Affordable physical recreation exists in cities but lacks the mental escape and calm of these historical institutions. Urban life prioritizes efficiency over mindful experiences, and leisure remains fragmented.

How could an urban institution provide sensory reconnection for a wider range of society? What if luxury were defined by sensuality rather than financial status?

A modern bathhouse redefines luxury on a social and experiential level, challenging the hierarchy between care providers and receivers.

Traditional spas hide their technical systems, reinforcing a division between maintenance and leisure. Here, maintenance is visible and celebrated, fostering interdependence between visitors.

The corridor becomes a key spatial element, linking maintenance, leisure, and social interaction. Flowing water activates the space, creating sensory engagement.

In summer, the institution transforms into a fountain for the city, offering relief from urban heat. Its facade opens to the surroundings, celebrating water and continuity in a public and playful way. As part of Zurich’s Quellwassernetzwerk, it acts as a water buffer in emergencies, reinforcing fountains as essential social spaces.

Project by: Julia Filippo, Laura Schneider, Luna Grünenfelder, Meret Renold

Teaching team: Anna Puigjaner, Dafni Retzepi, Ethel Baraona Pohl, Lisa Maillard, Luis Úrculo, Pol Esteve Castelló, He Shen

Design Studio: Autumn 2024