.ket bureau - .lacum respira, the lake pavilion of St. Moritz - Sankt Moritz - Switzerland

2026-01-13

St. Moritz is a place where nature not only surrounds the city, but also intertwines with its life, becoming an integral part of it. Here, snow-covered hills and dense coniferous forests flow like a picturesque carpet, leading to a world of silence, light, and pure air.

The lakeshore is the jewel of this scene: a cascade of slopes, each bearing the imprint of age-old traditions and love of winter festivals, sport, and contemplation.

The project’s challenge is to approach this place with sensitivity and delicacy; to create an architecture that does not dominate, but becomes part of the cultural and natural context of the city, and a place where the breath of the lake and the mountains can be heard in every line and every material.

Architecture and context

A key tool in the project was the study of traditional Swiss architecture — its understated expressiveness and deep connection to nature. The aim was not to reproduce the past, but to be inspired by it, combining traditional principles with contemporary aesthetics and functionality. The architectural response is born from the landscape - from the language of the mountains, the plains, the lines of the lake, the contrasts between wood and snow, light and shadow. The form of the building is not an object, but an extension of the natural line. It gently repeats the curves of the relief, not intruding, but complementing. The sloping silhouettes of the buildings give the impression that the architecture has grown here by itself — as part of the visual rhythm of the mountains. It is not an accent, but breathes in unison with the place: poetic, balanced, contemplative. The project emphasizes the landscape, responding to it not with scale, but with respect, while continuing the Engadin tradition of wooden architecture.

Structure and interior

The complex is designed as a flexible system of spaces suitable for year-round events, both indoor and outdoor. Functionally, the area is divided into four key zones: • parking lot, • a service block and a restaurant, • a spa complex, • a pier with a multifunctional conference space and panoramic rooftop areas. The main idea is to create an architecture in which the inside and outside flow into each other. The spaces are not divided — they overflow. Wide glazing lets light and landscape into the interior. The simplicity of the layout emphasizes the complexity of perception: from the open, almost theatrical restaurant hall to the intimate, hidden spa area; from the transparent conference space to the narrow bridge passage leading to the open stage in front of the mountains. The pier here is not just an element, but a symbol: a gateway between the city and the lake, like a neck connecting the body to the head.

Materials and sustainability

The entire architecture of the complex is made of locally sourced wood. The main structure of the buildings is made of glued ash wood, which utilizes its strength and thermal qualities to the fullest. The pier and columns are of larch. As a strong counterpoint to the organic forms, the foundation is concrete. The choice of materials is subordinate to the spirit of the place. Their natural colors and textures allow the buildings to dissolve into the landscape. The wood is protected with natural oils and eco-friendly products that are resistant to moisture and UV light. Natural light and cross ventilation are utilized to the maximum - both for comfort and to reduce energy costs. This project is not just architecture. It is a gesture of silence. It is a form that listens. It is the breath of a lake that has become a space.

About .ket bureau

.ket is an author's bureau founded in 2020 by two like-minded people — Karen Bilian and Tigran Danielian. The bureau is based in Moscow and Yerevan, with designs carried out worldwide. The practice covers a wide range of creative fields including residential and public buildings, urban planning concepts, private homes, interiors, exhibition design, and concept art.

.ket’s approach to architecture is not limited to the framework of any stylistics or doctrines, always seeking the synergy of identity of place, deep analytical research, tradition, and distinctiveness in architecture.

Key achievements include winning the international competition «Cultural Winery» Podere Fedespina in Tuscany, recognition at the international Loop Design Awards in two categories, finalist of the international competition «Gyumri Market and Culinary School» in Gyumri and «Spaces for Fashion» in Biella. Also, winners of the DNA Paris Design Awards 2025 in the category Architecture — Cultural Architecture, winners of the BLT Design Awards 2025 in the category Architectural Design — Cultural and finalists of the Golden Trezzini Awards 2025 in the category Best Architectural Design for Museum.

Photo credit: .ket bureau