Hospitality Design - December 2012 - 60

perspectives

trends spa

5 6

7 8

Seasons Hotel Toronto, the goal of the ninth oor spa is less an invitation to savor a foreign culture, and more a celebration of the urban landscape. Dana Kalczak, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts vice president of design, deems the 30,000-squarefoot space a “spa in the sky,” aunting white and chocolate stone surrounded by hidden alcoves on the outdoor deck, and lled with natural oak and limba woods, marble, granite, rendered plaster, and custom porcelain art. “The material pale e is enlivened by abundant natural light during the day, and transformed in the evening into a sexy, dramatic envelope,” she says. Connecting the 17 treatment rooms is a winding path. “Much like the streets of Toronto’s residential neighborhood, which the spa overlooks, the rooms and meandering circulation path are lled with natural calming light,” Kalczak notes. “Visually connected to the outdoors, the pool space is comfortable during all four seasons. It is not only a place for laps, but it has striking waterfalls amid sculptural forms.” Todd Hewi , senior spa director of the property, says this sleek look translates to consumers expecting more from their spa experience.

5. Skin-colored hues await when Four Seasons Hotel Milan opens next year. 6. Austalian artwork hangs on the walls of recently renovated treatment rooms inside the Park Hyatt Sydney.

7. Talise Ottoman Spa’s hammam, complete with stained glass, marble, and domed ceilings. 8. Antique doors set a tone of Turkish authenticity at Talise Ottoman Spa.

“Everything is designed with the comfort of the guest in mind,” he says, pointing out the addition of more relaxing massage tables with so er bed linens. “We also see a di erent approach in the décor of treatment rooms,” he adds, noticing fewer “bulky machines, facial steams, and bright magnifying lamps, giving the rooms a less clinical and clu ered look.” In Milan, the spa at the Four Seasons is currently under renovation, slated to debut next year. For it, the brand tapped Patricia Urquiola “to combine a classical design with a contemporary ambiance in order to t the overall concept of the hotel,” according to the local designer. “One of our challenges was to solve the obstacles created by the

structure of the historic building.” With that historic building being a 15th century convent, the spa already beckons with an intriguing narrative. To complement it, Urquiola used natural colors—“similar to skin”—and embraced materials like ceramics, powder-colored bas-relief, beige herringbone, and technical vinyl. When the spa is complete, she anticipates the four walls will become the design highlight: “The one along the pool is made of travertine marble; two walls consist of panels with laser carving; and the fourth is a wood wall with large tiles. They provide the axis that gives a sense of space and depth.” hd

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - December 2012