DAYSPA is the business resource for spa & wellness professionals! Each issue covers the latest in skin care, spa treatments, wellness services and management strategies.
Issue link: https://dayspamagazine.epubxp.com/i/902908
F a l l i n g I n t o P l a c e [ 28 ] • # dayspamagazine december 2017 Falling Into Place Now more than ever, a facility must refl ect not only societal trends, but its actual place in the world, i.e., its location. And when it comes to a wellness destination, that starts with the building itself, says Smith. "Architecture built of local, natural materials mixed with the architect's ingenuity and respect for the surrounding culture and traditions has the power to heal us, as well as envelop us in new and delightful experiences," she explains. "The buildings seem to grow out of the landscape and become an inherent part of what allows us to enjoy the natural environment. The experience is complete when combined with local healing traditions, foods and practices that immerse us and ground us in the present moment." This is especially true when a design fi rm ventures into diff erent parts of the world, which Karp's company often does. "There is always an echoing of the natural surroundings inside our structures and layouts," Karp stresses. "For Indura Beach & Golf Resort in Honduras, for instance, we decided to use purely local materials, including hard woods because the property is surrounded by thick forests; the trees fall, so there's plenty of material. And the hard woods in the tropics are so hard that the termites can't eat them. We can't even put a nail into that wood—it has to be fi nger-jointed together! But if we brought Douglas fi r or birch from Wisconsin, the termites would eat it because it's full of sugar. We also use bamboo for the fl oors and even coconut on the walls: We take coconut wood husks and palm fronds, and glue them together to create a basket. From there, we smooth them out to use them as wall coverings." But what about the average American day spa? When its immediate surroundings are sidewalks and businesses, can "a sense of place" still come into play? In a way, yes, explains Ufl and. Today's high-profi le spa interiors refl ect a balance of Mother Nature and man-made civilization that's evidenced in subtle ways. "Right now, we can't get enough of mixing metals (brass, gold, silver, rose gold—you name it!); incorporating this year's Pantone color, Greenery, into shelving, light fi xtures, artwork and equipment; and fi lling up spaces with plants," she says. "This makes these spaces feel high-tech and modern, but still soft." Such a seamless tie-in refl ects both the nature-based legacy of spa and a practical understanding of what it means to run a business today. • ne spamagazi december 2017 and layo u "For I nd u Reso r in s to m wo so h ar TOP LEFT: COURTESY KOBI KARP ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN; TOP RIGHT: COURTESY EDEN ROC SPA; BOTTOM: COURTESY ALEXIS UFLAND echoes in design Fig tree at Eden Roc Spa, Miami Natural elements come together at On the Side Spa, Westfi eld, New Jersey Coconut wall at Indura Beach & Golf Resort