A member of the Royal Institute of British Architects
LANDSCAPE LOVE
Tue, 12/05/2009 - 11:09 | by chill
SPA HOTEL, CAPE VERDE
Sometimes where the landscape has a unique form, a building must have a delicate, harmonious relationship with it. With the Spa Hotel this relationship comes from the undulating roof forms that play about the main hotel spaces. Sometimes the roof encloses accommodation and sometimes it shades outdoor rooms from the sun.
It’s earthy basalt mosaic cladding glows in the evening sunset seemingly transformed into the very landscape itself.
The main public accommodation is arranged in four tiers: the roof of each tier becomes the terrace of the upper tier. This enhances the privacy of the spa's treatment rooms within and enhances the hotel's relationship with the natural flow of the land.
All guest rooms face the sea and appear as though they are cut into the terrain. Landscaped roofs appear to create terraces when seen from above and also help to keep the rooms naturally cool. From within the rooms the largely unobstructed view is over a landscape rather than a cascade of buildings.
The ecological impact of the hotel has been carefully considered. In addition to an inconspicuous setting within the landscape the rooms enjoy the natural sea breeze and are protected from occasional stronger north-easterly winds. Some single storey guestrooms have their own private courtyard capturing secluded outdoor space as well as the refreshing breeze. Pools appear to be carved into the rocky coastline providing a feeling of closeness to nature for bathers.
