Rituals of Stone; Reactivating a Granite Quarry Through Spa Architecture

Abstract

Abandoned granite quarries along the west coast of Sweden are cultural landscapes shaped by the historic stone industry. On Bohus-Malmön, these excavated terrains carry spatial, material and historical values that offer potential for new forms of public use. The project investigates how architectural interventions can amplify the experience of the landscape and use it as a setting for wellness, where stone, water and movement structure a sequence of rituals. The study focuses on Uddestensbrottet, a quarry with dramatic excavations and proximity to the sea providing conditions for a site specific spa environment. The research was conducted through a research-by-design methodology combining site analysis, prece-dent studies and iterative spatial exploration. The physical and cultural context of Bohus-Malmön and Uddestensbrottet was studied through historical research of stonemasonry on the island, photographic documentation, 3d modelling and on-site observations. Architectural references including Leça da Palmeira Swimming Pool, Therme Vals, Amangiri Resort, Quarry No. 8: Book Mountain and the Fuen-te Santa Spa competition proposal were examined to understand how architecture can interact with landscape, choreograph bodily movement and frame sensory experiences of water and stone. From this case analysis, an iterative design process was conducted using sketches, drawings and 3d-modeling. These methods helped understand the quarry as a geometric structure, as well as its material qualities and spatial connection to the adjacent context. The resulting proposal aims to demonstrate how the quarry´s existing geometry, material presence and landscape can struc-ture a sequence of ritual spaces embedded within the quarry. The movement through the spa unfolds as a series of spaces guiding movement by an axis, framing interior and exterior spaces. The thesis illustrates how architecture can reinterpret abandoned industrial quarry landscapes by building upon their spatial logic rather than erasing it. In Uddestensbrottet, the quarry excavations become the framework and demonstrate how abandoned quarries can be transformed into destinations for recreation and reflection, while preserving the historical traces and material character that define the cultural landscape of Bohus-Malmön.