Image: The large natural filtered outdoor swimming pool at South Lodge has proved a great hit with guests.
Sparcstudio is an independent creative design studio with an established reputation for excellence in the spa, wellness, and resort sectors and recently announced its key trend predictions in spa design for 2022. Creative Director, Beverley Bayes explains:
Return to social spa experiences
As many people now crave human connection and shared experiences, spa design will reflect this increased demand by offering social spaces that cater to couples or groups who wish to enjoy the spa journey together.
We anticipate a rise in the popularity of small group treatment suites, cabanas and reconnection around a fire similar feature.
Within the spa, Hammams and Banyan sauna suites are ideal for social spa-ing. They can be an integral part of a spa journey, if they are reserved for private groups of friends, can add additional revenue to the spa’s income. Expect to see the emergence of more Banya Suites in 2022 and beyond.
Thinking beyond the obvious spa lounge, we look at spaces throughout the spa journey where we can create a social niche or nook. An example of this is the newly launched Harrods Hair and Beauty Salon where we created a luxury club-like vibe with the integration of ‘in-between treatment’ relaxed social spaces. Including window seats where guests can enjoy a glass of champagne from the fifth floor overlooking the prime Knightsbridge shopping street below.
Spa ‘Rewilding’
Connection to nature has been a central theme to wellness for the past two years. Guests expect to experience spas that embrace the outdoors. Reflecting the current initiatives for ‘rewilding’ of agricultural land, spa is also ‘rewilding’ and moving beyond the ‘spa garden’ deeper into the countryside and forest, providing experiences and immersion in a wilder natural setting. Wild swimming, foraging, forest bathing, guided meditations are all concepts that can be designed into the spa journey where space allows.
Expect also to find individual treatment cabins, bathing and heat cabin experiences with open or glazed sides providing the ultimate connection to the landscape.
Natural swimming pools offer a sense of freedom and escapism whilst tapping into the popularity of ‘wild swimming’. These fresh water naturally filtered pools and ponds are set to become an essential element for any forward thinking, eco-conscious spa developer.
The uber-modern gym
New high-end, boutique gyms are aiming to cultivate a tribal loyalty and community within Clubs where membership has become a status symbol for some, and savvy hoteliers can embrace this, by designing their fitness space and offering to match the needs of this growing subculture.
Many spas hotels are focusing their attention on the interior design of their gyms, fitness studios and wellness facilities by fusing elements of wellness with biophilic design to create green, healthy spaces that are a world away from the darkened, equipment-filled gyms of old. Often incorporating outside training facilities, they should also incorporate social and flexible spaces to facilitate group training, enabling members to connect with each other and their personal trainers.
Bespoke furniture and lighting
Every spa project wants to make its mark in the industry and offer a unique experience. The visual image is essential to capturing the attention of future guests and this is even more pronounced online with the dominance of social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok. Bespoke pieces of furniture, joinery and lighting can help create a real sense of place, that really tell the story of the spa and its concept.
Examples of this can be seen at South Lodge spa, which had a Botanical theme emanating from the Botanist owner of the house, who had amassed a collection of over 360 species of trees and plants sourced from around the world). Sparcstudio designed bespoke tables formed from a large cross section of a fallen tree from the estate, and a restaurant host station inspired by an oval seed Pod form, sculpted by a local artist.
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