Materials are among the most important aspects that shape human experience throughout the bathhouse stressing the rituality of bathing. Stone is applied on both the interior, exterior, and programming elements such as stairs using a unified system of organization that allows enough variety of patterns that gives the building a monolithic monumental appearance. This unification creates a sense of continuity within and through the building which emphasizes the rhythmic balance of Therme Vals. In Therme Vals, light and shadows are used as if they were a physical building material and the presence and absence of light produce an “atmospheric condition”[2] as described by Jun’ichiro Tanizaki, one of the major writers of modern Japanese literature. The manipulation of light within the interior spaces as it enters through delicate gaps in the ceiling during daytime produces a mystical effect of serenity. Also, the projected light among the different layers of walls creates dark ends to the corridors thus stimulating ambiguity and suspense when navigating through the different spaces of the building. Therme Vals allows for a better comprehension of the visual effects of light and shadows on our perception, emotions, and thoughts. Consciousness of the cohesion of stone, light, water, and skin experienced physically and visually is not something one can avoid at Therme Vals; it is a crucial part of the experience.

As Gernot Bohme, a German philosopher and author describes it, atmosphere is shaped through both the presence of a physical embodied experience and cognitive matters including perception, emotion, and memory.[3] In Therme Vals, the interplay of the different elements such as form, movement, and materials provide something more than what is visually apparent to the mind, they rather also provide a place for memories and emotions to be encountered. In Therme Vals, the subject and object become unified in the moment of celebrating the ritual of bathing.