Shelter and Exposure

FINALIST of Himalayan Thermal Bath

+ FINALIST

Himalayan Thermal Bath

Shelter and Exposure

Team

Name: Joseph Henke

Instagram: @joseph.henke.1

Nationality: United States of America

Institution / Company: Washington University in St. Louis

Travelling down a local path along Lake Gosaikunda, five minutes from the village, the entance to the themal bath is tucked between two 20’ boulders. When turning south away from the holy lake there is a visual reveal of both this entry and a view down the valley to Bharaiv Kunda and the Himalayas.

The building is in harmony with the mountainous habitat by embracing the rocky terrain and incorporating it into the material of the building. The building is pierced by the boulders below and the wellspring of the hot springs. The baths are organised on the site according to the movement of water circulating from both Gosaikunda and the geothermal spring.

The outdoor connections are made of lighter wood construction from trees in the lower valley. Embedded in the hill, the interior is constructed of local rock surrounding the site. A new type of concrete mix is developed on the site itself, created through scientific research for lunar and martian construction, which found that a strong concrete can be made from potato starch and the sulfureous soil found near geothermal activity. A small potato farm is established to grow material on site.