Pinnacle of calm

With the world around us in constant flux, the demand for comforting and restorative spaces has surged – and it’s something that newly-minted Graduate Architect Omea Hall is acutely aware of. For their final project in Otago Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Architectural Studies programme, Omea and her classmates were given the freedom to choose any project typology and site that interested them, but they were also challenged to address a real-world issue through their design.

After six months of rigorous research followed by six months of design and development, Omea created Summit Spas, a conceptual sanctuary in the sky. Her idea for a luxurious retreat atop Queenstown’s Coronet Peak was imagined as a salve for tired minds and bodies set against a backdrop of dramatic alpine vistas. Central to its visual language is a thoughtful palette curated from nuanced Resene paint colours and wood stains that set the mood for rest and relaxation.

“I wanted to address the fact that our modern world has become so busy and over stimulating, and in turn, there has been a large rise in the number of people suffering with mental health challenges. I originally planned to design a wellness hub of some kind, but as the project evolved and I chose Coronet Peak as my site, a spa came about as something that could be an asset for Queenstown which would bring a European après-ski element,” Omea explains.

A major learning that the project taught her was the importance of material and finish selections when trying to create atmospheric spaces. “Being set in the mountains, where the landscape is so rugged and dramatic, I had to use a much warmer palette than I originally expected to make the spaces feel intimate and inviting. Another key learning was dealing with the technical demands of spas and pools, the inclusion of boiler rooms, water treatment and allowing enough clearances for all the pumps and ducting needed as well as the structural support for the weight of the water when working across multiple levels. The mountain setting added complexity, especially when working with extreme temperatures and designing for how the building could be constructed efficiently and protected long-term, such as heat tape on gutters and downpipes, burying pipes below the frost line, using heat recovery systems to reduce energy demand – and even the consideration of damage that might be caused by cheeky keas.”

During her research, Omea looked to the current activities that Queenstown has on offer through its spa and hospitality establishments and sought to fill gaps that would make Summit Spas a must-visit tourism destination. This led Omea to include spas, a plunge pool, an Epsom salt bath, private spa and treatment rooms, a sauna, horizontal aromatherapy showers, a steam bath and a café. By including these facilities, she envisaged it would bring even more visitors to the popular area and serve those walking the Mahu Whenua traverse. In the winter, it would further benefit Coronet Peak’s 10,000 annual ski field users. Although Summit Spas would be accessed via the ski field’s chairlift, its main structure would be hidden by a rock wall to provide a barrier between the existing mountain uses and the spas.

While the parallels between the topography and geology are evident in her material palette, Omea also looked for opportunities to tie in the notion of journeying. “Both Māori and early settlers navigated across Coronet Peak but never settled. The pathways and circulation throughout the design are a nod to the historic attributes and the people who have journeyed across this land,” she explains.

Omea then played with ideas for how the refuge of a spa contrasted with the perils that historical travellers would have faced under harsh weather conditions. As visitors progress through the space, exposed and rugged features give way to smoother and gentler ones as the feelings of vulnerability and exposure experienced in the outside world are replaced with the safety and intimacy of spaces like the spa’s horizontal aromatherapy showers.

Omea’s colour scheme draws inspiration from its natural surroundings with tones that build an atmosphere of warmth and tranquility. At the entry, a ceiling in Resene Sandtex Mediterranean effect tinted to Resene Quarter Malta and a floor in Resene Walk-on tinted to Resene Abel Tasman add texture, warmth and richness which ties into hues from the craggy rock statement feature. On general interior walls, Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Tea is applied over basecoats in Resene Half Pravda to create a soothing limewash effect while Resene Colorwood Bask is used on internal timber elements to give them a deeper, earthier tone that complements natural stone and concrete surfaces. On the outdoor spa areas, walls and ceilings feature Resene Sandtex textured coating tinted to Resene CoolColour Concrete for a richer, visually appealing effect. Trafficable surfaces are coated in Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path tinted to Resene Off Piste to help reduce the risk of slips around the pools and spas while maintaining aesthetic continuity.

Omea initially used the free online Resene Colour Library to select colours that would portray the feeling she was after. These selections were further refined when she discovered the Resene Colour Palette Generator, where she could upload images of Coronet Peak to find the exact hues she wanted to match the project’s surroundings. Omea says that preparing her specifications for Summit Spas taught her that there was much more complexity to paint than simply picking a colour. “Once I started looking into the technical side things like primers, topcoats and different finishes and, in particular, textural effects, I realised how layered those decisions are. I think that when we are doing so much hypothetical work as students, it’s nice to apply some real-world properties to a project – like we did with these paint specs – so that you can really start to understand your project more, too.”

Omea’s attention to detail in her Resene product and colour specifications caught the attention of the Resene Total Colour Awards judges, who recognised her project with a Resene Total Colour Rising Star Colour Maestro Award and described it as “the epitome of alpine sophistication.”

“This project blends seamlessly with the strength of its surrounding mountaintops while maintaining a lovely lightness. There’s a perfect fit between the breathtaking design and the carefully chosen colour palette. The meticulous attention to specification of this ambitious project reflects a level of care associated with professionals. It’s a stunningly beautiful space, perfect for relaxation,” the judges added.

› To see more of Omea’s work, check out her Instagram feed.

Colours mentioned in this article

Products mentioned in this article

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