Architecture studio Smartvoll has completed a private spa in the Austrian village of Hinterbrühl with vertical and horizontal stone blocks used to enclose its various functional zones.
The spa pavilion, which is connected to a villa built at the turn of the 20th century by a tunnel, was designed by Vienna-based Smartvoll to be "a 21st-century temple of relaxation".
The building contains a jacuzzi, steam bath, sauna, shower and bar, surrounded by a sun deck incorporating a pool and outdoor hot tub.
Above: Smartvoll has created a private spa. Top image: it comprises vertical and horizontal stone blocks
The spa is situated to the rear of the property and is elevated slightly above the villa, which helps to enhance the sense of separation between the buildings. Its walls and roofs are made entirely from Rauris quartzite, a grey stone with light and dark markings that is robust enough to withstand steam, chlorine, heat from the sauna and winter frosts.
Rauris quartzite was chosen for its durability
The stone is used to form vertical and horizontal slabs that seem independent from each other. Walls project beyond the roof elements, which appear to float in places without support.
"The fully consistent use of one single material gives the outside areas an inside feeling and vice versa," said architect Olya Sendetska of Smartvoll.
The slabs are designed to seem independent from each other. Photo is by Anton Klyshnia
The building's floor plan is comprised of ...