Bronzo Architettura · 2026
In Seclusion Spa sul Fiume
by Zehua Zhang
- A' Design Award di Bronzo 2026 in Architettura
- CLIENT: Zehua Zhang
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 6,477
- Verification code 4F68657B0B · Verify this award
Colors
About In Seclusion Spa sul Fiume
Il progetto è una spa sul fiume in Portogallo. Il design si inserisce all'interno di un paesaggio naturale esistente e utilizza volumi architettonici fluidi per ridurre l'impatto visivo. Ampie superfici vetrate vengono introdotte per consentire viste tra gli spazi interni e l'ambiente circostante. Finiture in legno e pavimentazioni in pietra sono applicate in tutto l'interno. Il programma comprende una sauna, una vasca idromassaggio e un bagno turco, disposti in modo da formare una sequenza di spazi per il bagno. La disposizione organizza queste funzioni in relazione al fiume e al territorio circostante.
About the A' Design Award di Bronzo
In Seclusion Spa sul Fiume ha vinto l'A' Design Award di Bronzo, un riconoscimento altamente prestigioso conferito a design eccezionali che si distinguono per creatività, ingegno e astuzia. I vincitori di Bronzo sono manufatti ampiamente abili e sorprendentemente creativi che autenticano la vasta esperienza, l'immaginazione e l'intraprendenza dei loro designer. Ci si aspetta che In Seclusion Spa sul Fiume sia un oggetto molto apprezzato, ammirato e amato, notevolmente professionale e innovativo. Questo design vincitore dell'A' Design Award di Bronzo incorpora le migliori pratiche dell'arte, della scienza, del design e della tecnologia, ed è eccellente per l'attenzione al dettaglio. In Seclusion Spa sul Fiume soddisfa splendidamente i bisogni, tocca i desideri, affascina i sentimenti e attira la curiosità.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This is a riverside spa design in Portugal that embodies serene seclusion. It harmonizes fully with its historic and natural surroundings, using low-profile architecture, expansive glass, timber interiors, and stone flooring to blur indoor and outdoor boundaries. Its strengths lie in immersive nature integration, warm materiality, and a layout combining sauna, jacuzzi, and Turkish bath, offering guests a profound, multi-sensory retreat deeply connected to the landscape.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Single-story building with overall dimensions of 20 meters in width, 8 meters in depth, and 8 meters in height.
- Tags
- Landscape architecture, leisure spa, wellness facilities, low-impact design, indoor-outdoor connection, integration with nature, immersive experience
- Production Technology
- The spa was designed through careful site analysis, integrating gently with the terrain. Timber, beige stone, and low-iron glass were chosen for warmth, durability, and transparency. The process combined ecological sensitivity, modular planning for sauna, jacuzzi, and Turkish bath, and precise glazing to enhance visual connections with nature, creating a harmonious, immersive, and sustainable environment.
- Design Challenge
- The hardest part was balancing serenity with practicality—preserving the historic watermill while adding modern spa facilities. Internally, respecting the site’s history and ecology challenged design choices. Externally, strict codes, structural limits, and material availability required adaptation. Technology and environmental analysis guided solutions, ensuring minimal impact while creating a harmonious, immersive experience
- Research
- Type of research: design-focused experiential study. Research objectives: explore how architecture can promote deep relaxation and enhance the human-nature connection. Methodology: combining site analysis, material studies, spatial simulations, and daylight analysis. Data collection: through site photos, topographic drawings, and building equipment specifications. Research tools: cad models, 3d visualizations, material samples, and environmental sensors monitoring light, sound, and water interaction.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration came from the serene beauty of the Vez River and the timeless presence of the old watermill. I was drawn to creating a space that allows people to reconnect with nature and themselves, offering quietude without isolation. My motive was to design a spa that flows with the landscape, using natural materials and transparent architecture to blur boundaries, fostering a profound, immersive experience of calm, reflection, and harmony with the environment.
- Project Duration
- The project started in February 2025 and finished in June 2025
- Operation Flow
- The spa functions through immersive spatial design: guests move through curated areas—pool, sauna, jacuzzi, Turkish bath—experiencing gentle sensory transitions. Interaction arises from visual and tactile engagement with natural materials, light, and water. Key moments occur at floor-to-ceiling glazing, pool edges, and steam-filled interiors. By harmonizing with nature, it deepens relaxation, enhances well-being, and fosters a seamless, restorative human-nature connection.
