VOGUE HOME – FIELD WITHOUT CLICHES
STRIPPED LUXURY AND CONTEMPORARY ACCENT DEFINE THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE NEW L'OCCITANE SPA IN MINAS GERAIS
simple chic. If I had to use just two words to describe the inn
bush grass, I would use these. Installed in a place with exuberant nature – next to Serra do Cipó National Park, 90 km from Belo Horizonte –, the construction makes the guest feel in the middle of the forest. And this idea guided the entire project, according to the architect
Andrea Schettino. Thus, the spaces are wide open to the outside and, in addition to enjoying the exuberant views, it is also possible to hear a waterfall near the property. You don't need anything else, right?
One of the inn's bungalows
Interior of one of the inn's bungalows
Need, don't need. But the inn, which has been operating for about eight years, opened in May of this year a
spa by L'Occitane (the only one in Minas Gerais), also with a project signed by Andrea. As in the chalets project, the architect tried to use the rugged relief to her advantage: “instead of being a complicating factor, I see the topography as an ally. It is from there that the project is born”, he argues.
Entrance to the new spa
Thus, the new construction is staggered, spread over the property, organized on different levels. This resource allowed minimal intervention on the ground, a concern of the architect, a specialist in green architecture by the AIA of New York. In this same vein, the wood used is all from reforestation or biosynthetic origin (made with 70% of industrial and domestic plastic waste and 30% of natural fiber waste). In addition to the architect’s concern with recycling, other aspects weighed on the choice of biosynthetic wood: “the durability of the material and ease of maintenance were fundamental, since the region has difficult access”
spa reception
As would be expected from a construction in the countryside, wood is one of the main materials of the project, but its presence is counterbalanced by the use of exposed concrete, in a clean and, at the same time, elegant language. The decor is very casual, but without losing its charm. Andrea made a point of using regional items. Thus, the spaces received furniture made in Serra do Cipó and Lagoa Santa, loom pieces made in Betim and feather art items from Lagoa Santa. The only exception is the tapestry, bought in Turkey and Peru.
spa waiting room
Around the various blocks that make up the construction, the grass of the cerrado is the star of the landscaping. The plant, already existing in the region, was replanted in the property in an ornamental way. The result is an idyllic setting: architecture that is pleasing to the eye, implanted in a respectful way towards nature and overlooking a breathtaking landscape. Better than that, just with a massage to go with it.