This building sits in a river valley amongst the forests of Wuling Mountain, a scenic area north of Beijing. The site abuts a steep rock cliff to the west, and to the east opens out to an expansive view of the valley’s alluvial plains, and beyond them a continuous range of mountains. The immediate environment presents a dense growth of poplar trees, and the ground is covered with reeds and weeds, with a stream slowly meandering across. Nearby are a few linearly scattered traditional villages, as well as a holiday resort under construction.

The project envisioned the bathhouse as a steaming hot spring machine placed lightly upon the natural slope. To minimize interference on the original raw landscape, the main body of the structure is raised off the ground, in such a way that the programs can be distributed vertically. This arrangement limits the building’s footprint, in the process creates a series of unique spatial experiences through the visual relationships that are established at different heights with the surrounding trees, the rock cliff, and the mountains beyond. While respecting the nature around, the bathhouse is mechanistic in form, echoing industrial ruins still existing in the area.