FOREST VALLEY HOT SPRING CENTER

Forest Valley Hot Spring Center is in the Rehe Valley, located in the north of Chengde city of China, where volcanic eruptions are the source of hot springs today. While most of the existing spas in the valley serve residents, B. L. U. E. Architecture Studio pursues a spa experience that appeals to a wider user. After touring the entire valley, the project team, decided at this point in the middle of the deep valley, is surrounded by the mountains and affected by the calm nature of the land. In addition to the calm of nature, the changing atmosphere; such as the constant change of temperature, the sound of water and the sound of bird in some places have created the design concept based on the free experience of nature. Designers who want to incorporate these natural experiences into the design tried to simulate the mountain range form with the combination of rising vertical solid towers and horizontal transparent glass boxes. Spas and plants in the landscape area have established a spatial relationship with each other like the organic form of the valley.
In the project, which consists of eight towers of different heights and angles in total, in the general plan scheme, the first floors serve to the spa pools, the second floors to the spa, pool and recreation areas, while the upper floors serve the service areas. In the area outside the towers, there are open landscape areas wrapped with glass boxes, while eight towers are connected from the first and second floors with walking areas and air corridors. While these corridors create circulation areas that aim to create the feeling of walking in the forest, the resting area positioned around the corridors, service areas and the walking experience are enriched.
Volcanic natural stone, which is used as a facade material to refer to the history of the region and express the energy of nature, was applied by adding a layer like a stratification of the surrounding vegetation. In the interior, the choice of bamboo, wood and stone materials strengthens the ritual feel of the spa experience. Forest Valley Spa Center offers a place and opportunity for modern age users to encounter and interact with nature in the fast-paced city life, where both slow experiences and nature-individual relationship become increasingly important.

CREDITS
Architectural Design: B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio
Interior Design: B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio
Client: SD Harvest Land Group Co, Ltd.
Project Team: ShuHei Aoyama, Yoko Fujii, Huiyong Yang, Jiaxi Li, Baiyi Chen, Lingxi Gu, Huiyi Wu
Construction Project: China Institute of Building Standard Design & Research Co, Ltd.
Total Construction Area: 1.560 sqm
Completion Date: 2019
Project Location: Cheng De City, China
Photographs: Xia Zhi