According to rumours, actual miracles happen in this region. Take Friedrich Nietzsche, who stated that “Italy and Finland came together to form a union” in the Engadin. The interplay between the cold mountain range and the lovely valley appealed to this philosopher of vivid polarity. Where else could he have possibly formulated the beautiful oxymoron of the heroic idyll? Of his beloved Hermitage in Sils Maria, he wrote: “1800 m above sea level and 6000 feet above all things human.” The first number precisely describes the elevation of the Hotel Maistra 160 in Pontresina. The second explains the state of mind among many guests – taking a break from their daily routine. The new building is quite a big deal, housing beds for 200 guests and costing 35 million Swiss francs. It is situated on a steep slope and contains three floors above and five below the entrance level. Irene and Martin Müller are the managers of the hotel, initiated by Bettina and Richard Plattner and designed by architect Gion Caminada. Many consider the latter as someone who prefers timber construction. The stone building will be a surprise to them. The term polarity aptly describes his design.
The interior essence
Caminada describes his approach as “near-identical continued building”. Referring to Heidegger, he considers spaces as “vessels for an essence borne of the site” and sites as accumulators of people, landscape, pathways, stories, views inward and outward. Pontresina and its historic glory comprise a complex fabric that almost permits Caminada to manufacture a paradox: remaining close to the source while extending the farthest reach. His endeavour originates in the site, with the aim of appealing to strangers – who then become guests – and the locals alike. The building displays an air of self-confidence; the formation of spaces matters. Project manager Jean-Luc Wagner describes the project: The upper three floors comprising guest rooms are structured by load-bearing walls. On the ground floor, the placement of columns is determined by long spans. On the three lower levels housing the wellness area, wall plates reappear, while columns are arranged in short intervals on the two lowest floors. We might add: a dense core of concrete, with load bearing natural stone walls facing the great wide open.
Swiss pine and terrazzo
Caminada states, “the house shelters; it is comfortable, entertaining, accessible – it wants to be beautiful.” It offers alternating spatial qualities, all of which possess a definitive character. A stone-clad corridor leads visitors into a bright room. It is defined by Swiss pine and pastel hues, with the exception of the painted ceiling and its floral motif by Martin Leuthold. This is complemented by an unobstructed view of the mountains from the balcony or, in a focused form, from the privacy of the “Stuvetta”.
The entrance is situated in the centre of the facade oriented towards Via Maistra, the main traffic artery of the town. A court of honour distances it from the street, its mirror image a mediterranean piazza facing the valley floor. The bright entrance level space receives daylight from three sides and features a clear height of 4 m. Two rows of columns consisting of solid blocks of Bodio Nero structure the interior according to the classical proportions of 3:2:3. White terrazzo with chips of jade provide a sense of weightlessness. The concrete ceilings of the central nave alternate with fabric coffers above the perimeter spaces. The prevailing stone is juxtaposed by the other materials: oak for the windows and wall panelling, walnut for the reception counter and the central partition structure. It delineates the bar on its obverse, maintaining a private character in contrast to the open space of the dining hall. Magnificent crystal chandeliers by Martin Nievergelt hover above the large windows.
Whoever considers this experience too spacious can find shelter in the adjacent room, clad in Swiss pine and delimited by a coffered ceiling with dark blue panels. The succession of spaces continues with a lounge featuring cooler hues, large windows, terrazzo, concrete walls like velvet, a large format painting by Louise Bourgeois and a leather clad folding screen. The hotel library is situated next to it, communicating the client's interest in culture and heritage and offering select furniture for relaxation. The results are exquisite, propelled by the regional origin of the natural stone and the diligence and sophistication of local craftspeople. Nevertheless, the cult of tectonic architectural perfection does not intrude upon the observer. The designer commands his craft. Moulding is employed expertly, rough concrete is complemented by elegant fabric.
Who intends to visit the wellness area must delve deep into the mountain. Here, a succession of spaces unfolds, surrounding a double storey cloister with an oculus that reveals an unobstructed view of the heavens. Here as well, bodily relaxation meets the physical appeal of Swiss Arzo marble. The latter is contrasted by a stainless steel pool and a steam bath consisting of night black basalt, courtesy of artist Reto Müller.
Imaginary windows
All means of access include corridors without daylight. Caminada is actually quite fond of them. His intention is to provide the lightless circulation spaces with an elementary form. In cooperation with Christian Kathriner, he found inspiration in de Chiricos sun-drenched plazas. They are lined with buildings adorned with windows revealing nothing other than the deepest of deep black in their interiors. Such rows of imaginary windows framed by white marble turn the corridors into memorable spaces.
The house further contains yoga rooms, a creative box for crafts, the “Pöstli” room in the basement, the youth club and the event space below grade. All of them feature their own access. Bettina Plattner states: “We aren’t only a hotel, but also a cultural centre, indebted to the town. It was important to us that we can be accessed easily. The large windows have an inviting character. Everybody can look inside.”
Warm jewel case
The house precisely does what Engadin houses have been doing for centuries: To magically insert a warm jewel case, the “Stüva”, into a cold stone volume. The density of stone, the density of place – Caminada enriches this situation with the experience of wood. Stone is the material of the facades. Its structure demonstrates the strict tectonic character of a timber frame. The wall elements, fixed in place with large bolts, echo the assembly of wood shingles. The interplay between the verticality of columns and balcony railings on the one hand and the walls on the other resembles a dance; the diverse range of building materials used for the facades are its dancers. This is what Gottfried Semper meant when he formulated the concept of “Stoffwechsel” or metabolism. Based on this notion, he intended to defend the freedom of the art of building against the verity of form.
The house is a counterworld in contradiction to everyday life. The changing scenes represented by the characteristic spaces invite visitors to become players of a game. Echoes of the Grand Hotel at the Fin de Siècle become perceptible. Polychromy drives out monochrome boredom. Near-identical continued building, metabolism and the play of games become the ground upon which the art of building stands. Semper stated that “every act of creating art on the one hand, and every act of enjoying art on the other is based on a certain carnival mood.” His carnival candle haze drifts throughout this house.
