Social media robs us daily of every form of darkness.
We are constantly surrounded by various kinds of light—whether from the laptop, the television, the display on the train, or our own smartphone.
With our concept, we offer people the chance to look into the distance—away from the ever-present screens that dominate our everyday lives.
We have transformed this guiding principle into a design. Visitors are invited to consciously choose to visit the Gumpe. Here, it becomes possible to immerse oneself and escape from daily routines. This is achieved through a calm, darkened atmosphere.
Path layout
From the inside of the mountain, visitors move through uneven, slightly disorienting tunnel passages into an unfamiliar space—until they finally emerge outside the mountain, arriving at an infinity pool. Visitors enter the building via a staircase, where the changing rooms are immediately located at the entrance. The path then leads them deeper into the mountain. This path is far from ordinary—it is dark and uneven. The concept is to guide visitors away from the stress of everyday life and gradually bring them into a state of calm as they move toward the Gumpe. This is achieved through the dimly lit corridors. Here, visitors must focus solely on the path, which is difficult to see and includes multiple staircases. The design intentionally creates disorientation, with the path winding around several corners to obscure the exact location. To heighten the sense of anticipation, the path leads visitors into progressively deeper water as they approach the Gumpe and its panoramic view. Before entering the panorama room, a massive natural stone block partially obstructs the view of the path ahead. Despite this, there is sufficient space between the block and visitors’ heads. This gentle disorientation builds excitement and anticipation for the Gumpe and its breathtaking panoramic view. The return journey mirrors the outward path, but with one key difference: on the way back, visitors gradually approach daylight. This allows the eyes to slowly readjust to the light. From the water, visitors follow the path back to the building’s entrance, returning past the changing rooms and ultimately exiting back into their familiar daily life.