THE MYVATN SPA

Myvatn Spa

LOCATION : mývatn, ICELAND
MISSION : DESIGN – CONSTRUCTION
CALENDAR : 2024 – 2025
Area : 4844 ft ² / 450 m ²

Well-being

Status
Competition

A wellness center in Mývatn

Going beyond the essential link to function, this architecture is in tune with its (mesological) environment. It is part of space and time according to a sustainable ecological, technical and symbolic approach, relying in particular on bioclimatism, the sensitive and environmental qualities of natural materials, local techniques and know-how and on uses. of the men who live there. The project, designed with a view to saving materials and energy, thus produced, preserves the singularity and diversity of the physical territories and cultural expressions in which it takes shape.

Spatial hierarchy

The architectural plan that we propose for the dwelling aims to distribute meeting and socializing spaces on all levels in such a way as to inhabit and animate all the layers of the building. On each floor, both in the volume of the ground floor and in its upper volume, a new interface with degrees of privacy is proposed. We have implemented a spatial hierarchy between the serving spaces hidden from the spaces served and the social or reception spaces opposed to the more intimate spaces. The experience of the villa therefore becomes a rich journey alternating between projection and introversion.

The architectural journey

It is by researching the route that the plan will take on its vital qualitative dimension. Any plan through the position of doors and passages creates successions of spaces. Instead of being left solely to the requirements of use, this sequence of successive situations will be subject to new interactions: those of perceived emotions. These successive sequences, during the stroll, carry a feeling, a perception and must also participate in a whole. Sequence-to-sequence relationships lead to other sensations. They are to be expected in a sequence in coherence or contrast. Our proposal is thus intended to be a succession of warm, planned and contrasting sequences.

Geometry and materiality of the whole

Through this architecture, we attempted to reinterpret the topography of the site and the texture of the surrounding terrain so that this new extension could become a striking associative element of the Myvatn Craters region. Upon arrival, we discover a horizontal volume, evoking the long roads and plains of the surrounding area. Like a lantern shining through the mist in the distance, we are drawn to its warm and welcoming appearance. Then we discover the monolith next to the hotel. A crater built of stone, crowned with its green roof, recalling the vernacular constructions of the region. An ode to memory and past traditions. Upon entering, we are greeted by the soul of the place, the center of production of that sweet golden nectar: beer. The tasting and meeting areas are juxtaposed there, as is the boutique area. The central swimming pool and relaxation areas extend towards the sky; the new extension is a path, a passage, a place through which we experience a range of emotions punctuated by moments of discovery and relaxation. Juggling between the timeless nature of stone and the warm atmosphere that wood brings to relaxation spaces, you will let yourself be immersed in an experience lulled by the softness of the dormant season. A reflection of our approach which celebrates the balance between abundance and returning to the source. Finally, through this peaceful haven nestled on the shores of Lake Myvatn, we offer facilities in harmony with the immensity of nature, developing access to the rooftop hiking trail, which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes.

The water cycle

Water is an inexhaustible source of inspiration. In contact with architecture, the fluid element becomes synonymous with complexity, adaptation and even sublimation. Modifying the configuration of our spaces, from one era to another, water influences the choice of shapes and perspectives, exposing the relationship between humans and their environment. Illustrating the need to contemplate, harmonize, strengthen or protect oneself, traces of water in architectural creation are both historical and evolving. The liquid and gaseous cycles of water are embodied here as a constructed geological experience evoking the origin of the Mývatn craters.