In Seclusion Spa ea Lebopo la Noka by Zehua Zhang

In Seclusion Spa ea Lebopo la Noka by Zehua Zhang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Moputso oa Boronse oa A' Design Award in Moralo wa Meaho, Dikaho le Dibopego Competition Category.

BoronseMeaho· 2026

In Seclusion Spa ea Lebopo la Noka

by Zehua Zhang

Client: Zehua Zhang

Moputso oa Boronse oa A' Design Award Winner in Meaho Category

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About In Seclusion Spa ea Lebopo la Noka

Morero ona ke spa e lebopong la noka Portugal. Moralo ona o behiloe ka har'a tikoloho ea tlhaho e seng e le teng 'me o sebelisa libopeho tsa kaho tse phallang ho fokotsa phello e bonahalang. Libaka tse kholo tsa khalase li hlahisoa ho lumella maikutlo lipakeng tsa libaka tsa kahare le tikoloho e potolohileng. Ho sebelisoa lihlomathiso tsa patsi le mokatong oa lejoe ho pholletsa le ka hare. Lenaneo le kenyelletsa sauna, jacuzzi, le bath ea Maturkey, e hlophisitsoeng ho theha tatellano ea libaka tsa ho tlhapa. Sebopeho sena se hlophisa mesebetsi ena mabapi le noka le naha e potolohileng.

The Recognition

About the Moputso oa Boronse oa A' Design Award

In Seclusion Spa ea Lebopo la Noka ke mohapi oa Moputso oa Boronse oa A' Design Award, kananelo e hlomphehang haholo e fuoang meralo e ikhethang e tsejoang ka boqapi, bohlale ba ho qapa le bohlale. Bahapi ba Boronse ke lintho tse nang le bokhoni ka ho felletseng le boqapi bo hlollang tse tiisang boiphihlelo bo bongata, mohopolo le bokhoni ba ho iphumana ba baqapi ba tsona. In Seclusion Spa ea Lebopo la Noka e lebelletsoe ho ba ntho e hlomphuoang haholo, e ratoang le e ratehang, e nang le boprofeshenale bo bonahalang le mehopolo e mecha. Moralo ona o hapileng Moputso oa Boronse oa A' Design Award o kenyelletsa mekhoa e metle ka ho fetesisa bonong, mahlaleng, moralong le theknolojing mme o hlahella ka ho tsepamisa maikutlo lintlheng tse nyenyane. In Seclusion Spa ea Lebopo la Noka e kutloisisa litlhoko hantle, e ama litakatso, e hapa maikutlo mme e tsosa takatso ea ho tseba.

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