12 Nov 2024
BALNEA Spa + réserve thermale announces the official opening of a unique new installation, designed to offer an even more immersive and revitalizing experience, promoting relaxation and contemplation amidst an exceptional natural setting. The project, set in the countryside of Bromont, Quebec, Canada, was conceived by the architectural firm MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, renowned for its international design excellence, and cultural responsiveness to local landscapes, climate, and material culture.
A New Way to Showcase Nature
This new installation, featuring a spacious infinity thermal bath and an inviting relaxation room, promises an experience that awakens the senses and imagination. The thermal bath, with its 670 sq ft area and capacity for over 25 people, offers a breathtaking panoramic view of Lake Gale, creating a space conducive to deep relaxation and contemplation. The relaxation room invites guests to unwind and disconnect while sinking their feet into fine sand and an atmosphere reminiscent of a beach.
"These new installations represent a perfect blend of innovation, sustainable practices, and architectural excellence. Every detail has been designed to awaken the senses and enhance the well-being of our guests. We aimed to offer a unique, immersive, generous, and authentic experience inspired by the richness of the surrounding nature," said Denis Laframboise, President of BALNEA Spa + réserve Thermale.
This marks the latest milestone in a significant expansion project initiated in spring 2023, supported financially by the Quebec Ministry of Tourism under the Tourism Industry Recovery Assistance Program (PARIT).
Architecture in Harmony with Nature
The project references the surrounding natural environment through its materiality and form. The concrete volume of the spa emerges from the landscape, referencing the texture and natural rock of the Appalachians. The form creates a plinth to support the new thermal bath and expanded spa terraces.
“The generous new thermal bath and spa terrace grounds the scheme within the landscape. The use of natural materials enhances the reading of the “spa in nature” while offering a wide range of haptic user experiences,” added Brian MacKay-Lyons, Founding Partner of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects.
A Project Larger Than Life
In April 2023, BALNEA embarked on an extensive eco-friendly expansion project to realize its vision, as the establishment prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary in October 2025. The work will continue this summer with the addition of extra changing rooms and in fall 2024 with the expansion and upgrade of the Beatnik Hotel, doubling its number of rooms. While the hotel will remain partially open during the renovations, the official inauguration is scheduled for the summer of 2025.
The project is part of an environmentally conscious approach, a vision shared by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects and the many partners involved. For example, the new terraces are heated by recovering heat from the mechanical rooms, and the wastewater treatment system has been moved away from sensitive areas. Additionally, the filtration system has been optimized, tripling its treatment capacity while only doubling the size of the installations. In the long term, over 20,000 square feet of buildings will be preserved and renovated, maximizing resource use and material reuse.
Technical sheet
Project name: A Larger Than Life Project in the Heart of Nature
Location: Bromont, Québec, Canada
Completion Date: June 2024
Client: BALNEA spa + réserve thermale
MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Ltd.
Design Lead: Brian MacKay-Lyons
Architect – Project Manager: Tyler Reynolds
Project Team: Talbot Sweetapple, Paryse Beatty, Ryan DeWolde, Andrew Tomchyshyn, Matthew MacKay-Lyons, Ryhland Taylor
Ecological architecture
Étienne Lemay
Contractor
Construction Maurice David & Filles
Panoramic Lift and Slide: Bachand & Bosquet
Exterior Door: Bachand & Bosquet
