An atmospheric study and renovation of Hot Springs Resort and Spa in Hot Springs, NC.
ATMOSPHERIC BODIES
In this study I looked at the relationship between rain and the body. There are two sides to this story, the bright side and the dark side. On the bright side, people love rain and it can be very calming to some. Rain promotes growth (ex: plants) and in this study I show rain promoting growth of the human. On the dark side, people are terrified of storms and they are very destructive and stressful. This can stress the body immensely. This drawing shows a figure on a path to the bright side from the dark side. The path of travel lines indicate the ups and downs that one body might experience on its journey.
CLIMATIC ESSAY
In this essay drawing, my partner and I obtained the weather data for the year of 2020 in Hot Springs, NC. The importance of the atmospheric data is so that we can better understand the site conditions at the Hot Spring Resort. Average temperature, average precipitation, average dew point, and average wind speed are all very important factors in learning about the site’s atmospheric conditions. These factors can affect things such as fog and humidity. This data also helps determine the types of materials used in the design.
MASTER PLAN
In the master plan for the renovation of Hot Springs Resort + Spa, we mainly focused on the atmospheric qualities of the site. We raised the topography surrounding the site in order to have a 20’ retaining wall encapsulating the spa. On top of the 20’ topography, we placed mud baths and mineral baths for a sense of privacy and tranquility. The arrows on the map represent the wind pattern due to the new topography. The magenta color represents hot areas (the main one being the large geothermal pool), and the blue represents cooler spaces on the site.
Experiential perspective images showing the different activities that take place within the resort.
Face Mask Station + Bar Area
Mud Bath Space on top of the hill
Geothermal Hot Springs
Perspective image showing the walking sequence through the geothermal pools.
Ruin Intervention
On the site, there was originally a ruin of the previous resort. Part of the project was to create an experience within the ruin. The proposed experience is a Sauna and Hot Yoga Studio. This abstract image shows the relationship of the two spaces to their surrounding environment.
Axon showing the relationship between ruin spaces.
