In Seclusion Primary Function: ᱜᱟᱰᱟ ᱜᱮᱱᱟᱝ ᱥᱯᱟ by Zehua Zhang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ in ᱟᱨᱠᱤᱴᱮᱠᱪᱟᱨ, ᱤᱢᱟᱨᱚᱛ ᱟᱨ ᱜᱟᱲᱚᱱ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ Competition Category.
ᱠᱟᱥᱟᱟᱨᱠᱤᱴᱮᱠᱪᱟᱨ· 2026
In Seclusion Primary Function: ᱜᱟᱰᱟ ᱜᱮᱱᱟᱝ ᱥᱯᱟ
by Zehua Zhang
Client: Zehua Zhang
A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ Winner in ᱟᱨᱠᱤᱴᱮᱠᱪᱟᱨ Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #180620The Design
About In Seclusion Primary Function: ᱜᱟᱰᱟ ᱜᱮᱱᱟᱝ ᱥᱯᱟ
Book Text: ᱱᱳᱣᱟ ᱯᱨᱳᱡᱮᱠᱴ ᱫᱚ ᱯᱳᱨᱴᱩᱜᱟᱞ ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱢᱮᱫ ᱜᱟᱰᱟ ᱜᱮᱱᱟᱝ ᱥᱯᱟ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱱᱚᱣᱟ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱱ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱱᱮᱪᱟᱨᱟᱞ ᱞᱮᱱᱰᱥᱠᱮᱯ ᱵᱷᱤᱛᱨᱤ ᱨᱮ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱷᱞᱩᱭᱤᱰ ᱟᱨᱠᱤᱴᱮᱠᱪᱟᱨᱟᱞ ᱵᱷᱳᱞᱭᱩᱢ ᱵᱮᱵᱷᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱯᱨᱚᱵᱷᱟᱣ ᱠᱚᱢ ᱮᱢᱟᱜᱼᱟ ᱾ ᱵᱷᱤᱛᱨᱤ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱪᱟᱨᱼᱪᱷᱟᱨ ᱠᱟ ᱯᱟᱨᱤᱥᱟᱨ ᱛᱟᱞᱟ ᱨᱮ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱫᱟᱲᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱢᱟᱨᱟᱝ ᱢᱟᱨᱟᱝ ᱜᱞᱮᱡᱤᱝ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱵᱷᱤᱛᱨᱤ ᱯᱩᱨᱟᱹ ᱨᱮ ᱴᱤᱢᱵᱟᱨ ᱯᱷᱤᱱᱤᱥ ᱟᱨ ᱫᱷᱤᱨᱤ ᱪᱷᱟᱯᱟ ᱵᱮᱵᱷᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱱᱚᱣᱟ ᱯᱨᱳᱜᱨᱟᱢ ᱨᱮ ᱥᱟᱣᱱᱟ, ᱡᱟᱠᱩᱡᱤ, ᱟᱨ ᱴᱩᱨᱠᱤᱥ ᱵᱟᱛᱷ ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱟ, ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱫᱚ ᱫᱷᱩᱭᱟᱹ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱠᱚᱣᱟᱜ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱠᱨᱚᱢ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱥᱟᱡᱟᱣ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱱᱚᱣᱟ ᱞᱮᱭᱟᱣᱴ ᱫᱚ ᱱᱚᱣᱟ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱠᱚ ᱜᱟᱰᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱪᱟᱨᱼᱪᱷᱟᱨ ᱠᱟ ᱴᱮᱨᱮᱱ ᱥᱟᱶ ᱢᱮᱥᱟ ᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱥᱟᱡᱟᱣᱟ ᱾
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ
In Seclusion Primary Function: ᱜᱟᱰᱟ ᱜᱮᱱᱟᱝ ᱥᱯᱟ ᱫᱚ A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱧᱟᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱱᱟᱣᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱥᱚᱢᱟᱱ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱠᱟᱢᱤ ᱡᱷᱟᱞᱠᱟᱣ ᱠᱚ᱾ In Seclusion Primary Function: ᱜᱟᱰᱟ ᱜᱮᱱᱟᱝ ᱥᱯᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱚᱞᱟ, ᱣᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱ, ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱤᱢᱟ ᱵᱟᱲᱦᱟᱣ ᱟᱨ ᱫᱩᱱᱤᱭᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱜᱚᱲᱚ ᱮᱢ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- This is a riverside spa design in Portugal that embodies serene seclusion. It harmonizes fully with its historic and natural surroundings, using low-profile architecture, expansive glass, timber interiors, and stone flooring to blur indoor and outdoor boundaries. Its strengths lie in immersive nature integration, warm materiality, and a layout combining sauna, jacuzzi, and Turkish bath, offering guests a profound, multi-sensory retreat deeply connected to the landscape.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Single-story building with overall dimensions of 20 meters in width, 8 meters in depth, and 8 meters in height.
- Tags
- Landscape architecture, leisure spa, wellness facilities, low-impact design, indoor-outdoor connection, integration with nature, immersive experience
- Production Technology
- The spa was designed through careful site analysis, integrating gently with the terrain. Timber, beige stone, and low-iron glass were chosen for warmth, durability, and transparency. The process combined ecological sensitivity, modular planning for sauna, jacuzzi, and Turkish bath, and precise glazing to enhance visual connections with nature, creating a harmonious, immersive, and sustainable environment.
- Design Challenge
- The hardest part was balancing serenity with practicality—preserving the historic watermill while adding modern spa facilities. Internally, respecting the site’s history and ecology challenged design choices. Externally, strict codes, structural limits, and material availability required adaptation. Technology and environmental analysis guided solutions, ensuring minimal impact while creating a harmonious, immersive experience
- Research
- Type of research: design-focused experiential study. Research objectives: explore how architecture can promote deep relaxation and enhance the human-nature connection. Methodology: combining site analysis, material studies, spatial simulations, and daylight analysis. Data collection: through site photos, topographic drawings, and building equipment specifications. Research tools: cad models, 3d visualizations, material samples, and environmental sensors monitoring light, sound, and water interaction.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration came from the serene beauty of the Vez River and the timeless presence of the old watermill. I was drawn to creating a space that allows people to reconnect with nature and themselves, offering quietude without isolation. My motive was to design a spa that flows with the landscape, using natural materials and transparent architecture to blur boundaries, fostering a profound, immersive experience of calm, reflection, and harmony with the environment.
- Project Duration
- The project started in February 2025 and finished in June 2025
- Operation Flow
- The spa functions through immersive spatial design: guests move through curated areas—pool, sauna, jacuzzi, Turkish bath—experiencing gentle sensory transitions. Interaction arises from visual and tactile engagement with natural materials, light, and water. Key moments occur at floor-to-ceiling glazing, pool edges, and steam-filled interiors. By harmonizing with nature, it deepens relaxation, enhances well-being, and fosters a seamless, restorative human-nature connection.
- Team Members
- Zehua Zhang
Sponsored
Explore Beyond Designers.org
Discover products, services and opportunities from our advertising partners.
More to Explore
Related Designs
Explore more award-winning designs from the same category, selected by merit.
