Project Details
Project Description
The Thermal Baths and Spa in Bad Albling, designed by Behnisch Architekten, were built between 2005 to 2007. From the beginning, the facility was very popular with visitors, so the client desired additional floorspace, particularly more room for relaxation and resting areas.
This two-story extension is a continuation of the original design concept of the main thermal baths building and inserts itself into the existing built context. The large expanse of the glazed façade permits a maximum sunlight and is similar in construction to the existing façade of the original building. Wood, concrete and tiles in the interior reflect the material theme of the original building and imbue the new addition with an atmosphere that is at once vibrant, bright, and cozy. Tiles used in the original building are also used in the new resting areas in order to create a natural bridge between old and new.
The extension is the central hub and passageway from which visitors can access the existing indoor and outdoor sauna areas, linking the old and the new buildings. It also represents the gateway to the new resting zone which features a timber construction that swings outward to embrace the annex in the south. Reclining beds populate the resting zone as well as along the west- and south-facing facades.
From the central entrance hall – an area which stretches across two stories and is furnished with various seating possibilities – a wide, open staircase leads to the upper story. This upper level has been designed as part gallery, part large open flexible space. Reclining benches and other seating furniture are used to define different zones in the space. In the large, western part of this area the furniture can be arranged as needed, while the eastern section offers a choice between a fixed or flexible furniture arrangement.