Archinect
Montalba Architects, Inc.

Montalba Architects, Inc.

Santa Monica, CA

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White Pod

Eighteen individual geodesic domes, called Pods, that make up the resort borrow materials and forms of the natural world to achieve structural and spiritual harmony with the surrounding ecosystem.

The pod design was inspired by the concept of Zen as well as Wu Ting movement theory, which postulates that "everything is connected, everything is energy.” The 5 movements (or type of energies) are each connected to an element; the translation to the earth, the exchange of energy to the water, the evolution of time to the wood, the inner energy to the metal, and finally the external energy to fire. The interconnectivity and the notion of ritual of the five natural elements informs the Pods’ interior. A central circle - that conceptually represents the cycle of time - is shifted and duplicated to create a relative positioning of programmatic spaces. The wooden walls are curved to define these spaces and finished with precise details. The focal point of the primary space is a recessed bed surrounded by a tatami mat and a raised tub echoes this positioning at the core of the circular bath. Human ritual lies at the heart of Pod construction, and in the midst of breathtaking mountain views, it has become a transformative experience.

 
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Status: Built
Location: Monthey, CH
Firm Role: Architect