Timber pavilion concept Lacum Respira on Lake St. Moritz

On the shore of Lake St. Moritz, .ket bureau proposes Lacum Respira, a low, timber built pavilion designed to sit with the Engadin landscape rather than compete with it. The project frames the lakeside as a year round public setting, shaped by winter light, mountain silhouettes, and the long local tradition of wooden construction.

The concept starts from a close reading of traditional Swiss architecture, not to recreate historic forms, but to carry forward its restraint and its alignment with nature. In plan and section, the pavilion follows the site’s natural lines. Sloping profiles track the relief and echo the surrounding rhythm of hills and mountains, keeping the building visually secondary to the shoreline.

Lacum Respira is planned as a flexible complex for events across seasons, with indoor and outdoor areas designed to operate together. The programme brings together a parking area, a service block with restaurant functions, a spa component, and a pier that supports a multifunctional conference space with panoramic rooftop terraces.

The spatial sequence focuses on continuity. Large glazed openings pull daylight and views into the interiors, while movement shifts between more open public rooms and quieter, more sheltered zones. Connections tighten into bridge like passages before opening again toward the lakeside platform facing the mountains.

The pier anchors the proposal’s relationship to the water. It extends the complex into the lake edge and marks a clear threshold between the city and the shoreline.

The project is designed primarily in locally sourced wood. The main structural system is specified as glued laminated ash timber, while larch is used for the pier and columns. Concrete is reserved for the foundation, setting a stable base beneath the timber volumes.

Finishes keep close to natural colour and texture so the architecture can blend into its setting. Timber protection relies on natural oils and environmentally conscious treatments formulated for moisture and ultraviolet exposure. Daylight and cross ventilation are positioned as primary comfort tools, supporting reduced operational demand.

Project Credit

Project name: Lacum Respira
Location: St. Moritz, Switzerland
Design firm: .ket bureau / @ket.bureau
Project date: 2025

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Founded in 2020 by Karen Bilian and Tigran Danielian, .ket operates between Moscow and Yerevan, working across residential and public architecture, urban concepts, interiors, exhibition design, and concept art, with a practice described as research led and attentive to place identity.