Draw inspiration from natural surroundings

The more harried life becomes, the more people seek a serene and rejuvenating spa experience. So much so that the $40-billion-plus spa industry has experienced two decades of double-digit growth. Interior architectural design firm Wilson Associates describes some trends in spa design that are spurring this growth.

Design beyond expectations
“People used to think of spas like medical treatment rooms, so they tended to feel like doctors’ examining rooms,” says James Carry, principal and design director. According to Carry, spa reception areas and lobbies–like hotel lobbies–are becoming grand architectural spaces with mood lighting, ceiling design and detail. “The hotel guest expects their spa experience to be on a whole new level,” he says.

Top of the cliff retreat  The Spa at Little Dix Bay, British Virgin Islands, blur the line between outside and inside spaces. Photography: Michael Wilson

Resort within a resort
Premier spas are not only graced with their own impressive architectural features, but some also offer custom-made treatment programs. At the Montage Royal Island, scheduled to open in the Bahamas in 2010, each guest will experience several layers of immersion in their spa visit. Design architect Michael Crosby says, “The landscaping design places the spa guest amidst luscious gardens and courtyards where nature provides a tranquil, sustaining environment.”

Spa suites
Instead of sterile treatment rooms and separate men’s and women’s dressing rooms, many of the spas that Wilson Associates designs feature spa suites with individual showers and changing facilities, relaxation and lounge areas and treatment beds. The double-story Health Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong has 18 marble treatment rooms, all of which include a private bathroom. Two harbor-facing spa suites come with a private vitality pool, relaxation day beds, a flat-screen LCD TV and a private bar stocked with healthy snacks and herbal refreshments.

Faraway retreat Spa suites at The Inn at Palmetto Bluff Spa, Bluffton, S.C.

Indoor/outdoor spaces
Wilson designers believe there is a connection between relaxation and nature. At the Spa at Little Dix Bay in Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, louvers at the windows and doors create large openings that draw in the outdoors. At Amara, the day spa at the Park Hyatt Dubai, United Arab Emirates, each treatment room features its own private garden with a rain shower for the ultimate in rejuvenating treatments.

Catering to all five senses
Savvy designers know it is not enough for a spa just to look good. At the Kempinski Dubai Spa, United Arab Emirates, Wilson Associates sought to cater to all five senses:

• Sight: Floating panels in the lobby attract guests toward the spa.
• Smell: A restaurant placed beyond the check-in counters enhances the experience with the smell of freshly baked bread and coffee, drawing guests to the outlet.
• Touch: Highly textured walls add sensory pleasure.
• Taste: Tempting juices and snacks are offered at a food outlet beyond the check-in counters.
• Hearing: The soothing sound of water is provided by a vertical water wall and a variety of water features.

New technologies
Wilson’s designers incorporate sophisticated new technologies such as sensory enhancers, mood lighting as well as wet and dry treatment techniques into their designs. While nature continues to inspire their designs, the spa environments they create are increasingly sophisticated and electronically controlled, a winning combination.

Specializing in interior
architectural design, Wilson Associates was founded in 1971 and today employs more than 350 professionals around the world. For more information visit www.wilsonassoc.com.