Hills in mountain

Flowing Heights

Project type | Academic Studio | ARCH 6010 Pr. Luis Pancorbo

Year | 2021 Fall Program | Hot Bath, Recovery center

Location | Bath County, Virginia

Surrounded by Blue Ridge Mountains, warm springs used to be one of favorite bath for President Thomas Jefferson, famoused for its curing and relaxing physical therapy due to the natural elements in the spring. With trails and natural reservations around it, it is a place where tourists will pass by and stop on it way for relaxation and recreation.

This is project is nspired by the flowing shape of the river in the nature. It experiment with timber’s shape to interact with human’s spaces and the location of the pools in between. Flowing Height was a place welcoming people from those who are recovering from diseases, travelers of the trails around, to any people who would like to be cured by the nature in the beautiful blue ridge mountains.

Flowing Heights | Hanting

Shadow are being casted to bring the feeling of people walking in the woods, fading the boudaries between builidings inside and outside.

The shape of the building lead a sequence for visitor to experiement this place. From the beginning, visitors are able to learn some historical background of local and the historical bath on site from the exhibition lobby before they really get into the space.

The shape of the building lead a sequence for visitor to experiement this place. From the beginning, visitors are able to learn some historical background of local and the historical bath on site from the exhibition lobby before they really get into the space.

While experiencing this place chronologically, visitors can also enjoy the space vertically through the changes of the altitude. From ponds being digged into the gound, to the ponds that hanging up on the top end of the building to enjoy the same feelings similar to mountain climbing.

The shadows at different points of time of the day became the drawing of this area, giving people different experience than traditional enclosed builidings.

While experiencing this place chronologically, visitors can also enjoy the space vertically through the changes of the altitude. From ponds being digged into the gound, to the ponds that hanging up on the top end of the building to enjoy the same feelings similar to mountain climbing.

1 Reception

2 Exhibition

3 Bathroom

4 Men Warm Spring

5 Park

6 Swimming pool with Cafe

7 Women Warm Spring

8 Sauna Room

9 Swimming pool with Fish therapy

10 Restaurant

1 Reception

2 Exhibition

3 Bathroom

4 Men Warm Spring

5 Park

6 Swimming pool with Cafe

7 Women Warm Spring

8 Sauna Room

9 Swimming pool with Fish therapy

10 Restaurant

The Timber materials are being used to represent how the woods are shaping the the mountain ranges, which is the most common topology in this site.

The timber inserted with window to give a best view for the the tilting rythmn of the wood in different areas of the building. The mounted timber transit from lower down to the ground to the higher up to the water, letting different space volume define the functions of the builiding. The density of the timber creates the privacy space for different parts of the building in needs.