DESIGN NAME: Downtown CitySpa
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Day Spa Facility
INSPIRATION: 'All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost, the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost, ' J. R. R. Tolkien. A contemporary day spa activity, playing conceptually with location over ancient ruins, the dyadic nature of old and new, roots as indication of interconnection and the concept of gold as indication of luxury.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The design concept refers to an urban spa environment that offers spiritual and physical stimuli to city dwellers or travelers that choose to stay in the luxury hotel accommodations located in the proximity. It is located in a modernist building built over ancient ruins completely remodeled to adapt to its new use.
Taking into account excavation as the tool of uncovering old layers of urban life and precious unfinished beauty, the wellness facility introduces the traveler guest to a conceptual approach of the city while offering herbal or jet lag treatments. The city dweller is welcome as well, to leave behind the hectic city life and approach the urban fabric through the travelers perspective.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: Drawing inspiration from its location, new city over ancient ruins, it brings the visitor conceptually the element of excavation. The reception area is conceptualized as a crack in a rock, a monolithic volume treated with minerals and lava plaster used by archaeologists. The linear led lighting on its ceiling draws a clear difference between contemporary and old, while hinting travelling in time and space. The circulation has been arranged around an atrium similar to inside courtyards found in ancient city dwellings, while the custom made sitting area is designed as wall openings covered with antique leather and buttons resembling copper voting coins. All the herbal and luxury treatments are offered in private rooms around the circulation corridors, while offices, lounges and dressing rooms are organised around the atrium.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: It took, 6 months from commission to project completion, and involved structural interventions since it is located in Athens, Syntagma square in an old meta modernist building. The project is part of OPEN HOUSE 2016, organization that opens to the public buildings or designs of interest.
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: Designed using 3D cad & algorithmic NURBS software, while Advanced manufacturing and vacuum enrichment process was used for the mineral powders, pigments and varnishes. CNC and 5-axis mill work technology was used for the construction of the pleated monolithic volumes of the reception area. The aging of structural and supporting elements demanded advanced concrete re-reinforcement techniques and resin injections.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: The floorplan is around 600 square meters, located on the third floor of a meta modernist building.
TAGS: Spa, Wellness, City Center, Metamodern, Ancient, layers, minerals, gold, excavation
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: It is important to write some text for the research text-field. If you could, try to explain the design research in very detailed yet by using a language understandable to outsiders of your field, try to use natural language and try to give complete answers. You can enter up to 500 Characters. Please talk about the following in the exact order:
Bibliographic and web Research was conducted in order to define a more impressionist view of a historic city centre and information was collected on adaptive building re-use. The aim was to be able to contribute constructively in building remodelling, and create a creative language for the guests of the facility. Research was also contacted in contemporary spa and wellness facility in order to define patterns of functionality, operation, flows and perception of services.
CHALLENGE: The historical city center and the building imposed a limitation in terms of structural elements in order to adapt its use to a contemporary facility optimizing the latest advances in technology. An challenging fixture was also to describe the city conceptually avoid the elements of folklore that would contradict the contemporary ethos of a wellness and spa facility.
ADDED DATE: 2016-02-22 19:00:25
TEAM MEMBERS (4) : BllendDesignOffice, Helen Brasinika & partners, Architectural & Lighting Design, BllendDesignOffice, Helen Brasinika, Research & Corporate identity, MG Constructions, Construction and G. Theocharopoulos & S.Sotos, Electrical Installations
IMAGE CREDITS: George Fakaros, Unique Imaging
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