"Villa Vals" by Kate Gowman, ,

In Vals Switzerland, adjacent to Zumthor’s Theme, there is a secret carved into the mountainside. Because the topography is in an avalanche zone, the entrance to this home (Villa Vals by SeArch Architects) is through their barn, of which I am standing under its overhang to capture this photo. In the case of an avalanche, the barn has steps to an underground tunnel leading up to the home. In the wee hours of Christmas Day, I woke to falling snow and rushed out to capture the quiet purity of this home and the village of Vals. Magical!