***Each month bob colle
ction in
troduces diverse spaces th
emed with
a given subject for th
e month. S
o far
over twenty-six th
emes have been intro
duced. Detaile
d inform
ation can be fo
und from bob IN
DEX on p.174.
The term ‘spa’ seems toderived from the name of city Spa famous for hot spring in Liege of Belgium
or from the first le
tters from French words ‘sante per aqua’ m
eaning water good for health. Originally
the term used to refer to health im
provement and disease treatment using water, b
ut recently it h
as
regarded important to
contemporary men as ‘wellbeing’ and new life
style become issues. This kind of
space reflects people’s hope to escape from unbalance coming fro
m competition & speed and problem
of stress in contemporary society and to have wellbeing of body, spirit and soul. T
hus, spa facility will b
e
highly demanded in the future as social welfare and wellbeing life
are highly regarded. In order to
meet this
demand, space for spa is the field where various development and designs are expected thus, the designers
should take note of alternative space design in contemporary era.
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Design_Alberto Apostoli Design team_Francesca Morini, Anna De Guidi, Martina Miatto Client_Consolini
Hotels Location_Belfiore Park Hotel - Porto di Brenzone, Verona, Italy Built area_140m2 Completion_April
2011 Finishing materials_Floor / Porcelain tile + Teak wood, Wall / Local stone (Garda lake stone), Ceiling /
Plaster ceiling + Bamboo decoration Photographer_Maurizio Marcato Editor_Park Minsun
The Belfiore Park Hotel in Brenzone, on the Venetian side of Lake Garda, offers Ayurvedic
dimension by opening a new wellness center spread along an entire floor of the hotel and
named the <Dhara Wellness>. The project aimed to create a balance between the classical
elements of the spa by carefully studying spaces, forms, materials, colors and lights. By taking
advantage of the local materials, the particularities of the location and a natural spring that was
discovered during the construction, the spa obtains a sensorial environment that is alive with
every construction detail and material that was specially designed for it. Following a characteristic
horizontal element made with bamboo canes that run along the entire floor leading to the spa, one
enters, or rather ‘filters in’, a socializing room that is neutral and contemporary. A large olive tree,
originally from the land adjacent to the Hotel, is placed within the structure during the intervention
and this element gives additional natural atmosphere. The geometrical and emotional core of
the spa is a basin of water that is constantly replenished by the natural spring whose waters
are utilized almost as a lining as it flows directly onto the bare stone. Within the basin, there is a
shower that is made by a particular element that is the local stone and a special Kneipp treatment
composed by single pools that are also made in the local stone. The sauna, another strong
element of the centre, is created entirely in stone and is characterized by a large glass partition
for the unusual transfer to the basin of water. Alongside the sauna is a vapor bath, covered by
a special mosaic in resin whose parts ‘digitally’ recreate the intertwined branches of the lemon
trees. The relax area is positioned at the end of the centre and offers a magnificent view of the
lake that is only a couple of meters away. Text by Alberto Apostoli
S P AD H A R A W E L L N E S S
General view of environmental friendly spa area
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Waves shaped of ceiling structure connects the spaces softly
View towards the sauna
Waterfall from the wall
View towards the outside relax area
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Digitally created lemon tree mosaic tile decorates the steam sauna
Reflective surface of mirror walls make modern atmosphereView of relax area
1 RECEPTION
2 MASSAGE ROOM
3 MEN’S LOCKER ROOM
4 WOMEN’S LOCKER ROOM
5 BATH SPA
6 WATER
7 OUTSIDE RELAX AREA
8 RELAX AREA
9 STEAM SAUNA
10 DRY SAUNA
11 SHOWER
RENDERINGSKETCH
FLOOR PLAN
2
2
1
3 4
6
11
5
6
9
8
7
10
0 1 5 10
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Design_Alberto Apostoli Design team_Francesca Morini, Beatrice Negri, Francesca Zerman, Anna De
Guidi, Michele Sempreboni General contractor_Escape srl Graphic_AlPhaOmega Location_Centro
Commerciale Italmark - Pisogne (BS), Italy Built area_118m2 Completion_2010 Photographer_Luca
Morandini Editor_Park Minsun
<Art Peté> is located in the Italmark a shopping center in Pisogne, in the province of Brescia. The
common space is central and at the core of the architectural model where one can relax and drink
refreshing fruit juices and calming teas and where to organize small events. The furniture plays
with emotions and familiarity; the choice of the wood and glass as design elements communicate
security and allow the client to breathe the clean air from a simple, fresh and elegant decor. The
graphics on the outdoor windows invite the customers to look in. The glass partitions are built with
graphic applications that depict natural and relaxing themes that favor a sense of abandonment
and complete wellbeing on the clients’ part. The reception has a glass case that exposes products
and merchandising, an element that is reflected throughout the entire space as is evidenced by the
wooden shelves. This style is also applied along the walls as an element of design and a feature
that augment the emotional state of the client, and the environmental fusion is created. Green and
beige are the predominant colors of the interiors; the soft lights decisively dilute them and make it
seem as if people were catapulted into a protected forest. Text by Alberto Apostoli
S P AA R T P E T É
Environmental friendly atmosphere of space with wooden and green finishes
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Natural element of graphic on the wall
View of a treatment roomMake-up area
1 RECEPTION
2 MAKE-UP AREA
3 ROOM FOR BODY
4 ROOM FOR FACE
5 ROOM FOR HAIR
RENDERING
FLOOR PLAN
3
3
2 1
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