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Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Mahali pa Kupumzika pa Spa by Yan Wang

Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Mahali pa Kupumzika pa Spa by Yan Wang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award in Usanifu wa Majengo, Ujenzi na Miundo Competition Category.


FedhaUsanifu wa Majengo· 2025

Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Mahali pa Kupumzika pa Spa

by Yan Wang

Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award Winner in Usanifu wa Majengo Category

25,298

Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Mahali pa Kupumzika pa Spa

Book Text: Arctic Aurora ni spa endelevu, jengo la kuogea, na mahali pa kupumzika kwa wageni lililoko katika mashamba yenye madini tele ya Bergen. Ikipata msukumo kutoka kwa nuru ya Arctic (aurora), muundo huu unaelekeza mandhari inayozunguka kuwa kimbilio tulivu la ndani kupitia umbo lake linalotiririka na lenye mtiririko. Ukiwa umejengwa juu ya jiometria rahisi ya mduara inayowezesha maji kutembea kwa uhuru katika jengo lote, mpangilio huu hubadilika polepole kutoka kazi za umma hadi za faragha.

The Recognition

About the Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award

Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Mahali pa Kupumzika pa Spa ni mshindi wa Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award, utambuzi wenye heshima kubwa ya ajabu unaotolewa kwa miundo ya hali ya juu kabisa, ya kupendeza na ya kuvutia. Washindi wa Fedha ni kazi zinazong'aa mno na bunifu kupita kiasi zinazoonyesha utaalamu bora, kipaji na busara ya wabunifu wao. Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Mahali pa Kupumzika pa Spa inatarajiwa kuwa kazi nzuri ya kuigwa ambayo ni ya kitaalamu kwa kiasi kikubwa na yenye ubunifu wa kina. Muundo huu ulioshinda Tuzo ya Fedha ya A' Design Award ni uvumbuzi unaojulikana sana na kupendwa, unaonufaisha na kupanua mipaka ya sanaa, sayansi, usanifu na teknolojia. Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Mahali pa Kupumzika pa Spa ni kazi inayotamaniwa mno inayochochea hamu, huleta hisia chanya na huzua mshangao na mastaajabu.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties
The Arctic Aurora Spa Rertreat is an eco-friendly spa, bathhouse, and guest retreat set in Bergen's mineral-rich countryside. Inspired by the aurora in the Arctic sky, the design filters the external world into an inner sanctuary through a fluid, flowing form. Following a simple circular geometry which allow water to flow freely throughou the building, the function gets increasingly private. The spatial expression also transitions from an open and communal to an intimate human-scale space.
Dimensions & Packaging
80m x 80m x 10m
Tags
Bathhouse, Arctic, Landscape, Water, Concept, SPA, Retreat,
Production Technology
The building's structure is made of cross-laminated timber sourced from local forests, ensuring sustainability and a strong connection to its surroundings. The exterior walls are finished with white-dyed clay, while the roof and opaque walls incorporate high-performance vacuum insulation to enhance thermal efficiency. In areas with storefront glazing, triple-glazed insulated glass units (TGUs) provide excellent acoustic, thermal, and energy performance. For mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems, a geothermal pump is utilized for heating, further reinforcing the project's commitment to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Design Challenge
Architectural tectonics and technology present the primary challenge, particularly in achieving energy efficiency and thermal performance under arctic conditions. Innovative materials such as TGU (triple-glazed laminated glass units) and vacuum-insulated panels have been explored to optimize thermal insulation, ensuring both environmental performance and thermal comfort within the bathhouse.
Research
The project is rooted in the study of circulation and the spatial negotiation between public and private realms. The program of the bathhouse, encompassing lounge areas and gathering spaces, acts as a mediator along the gradient from intimate, secluded experiences to more communal, shared encounters.
Inspiration
The project is inspired by the aurora in the Arctic sky. It embraces the concepts of fluidity and flow, allowing water to move continuously throughout the bathhouse. The circulation path and function follow this natural movement, shaping the building into a circular form.
Project Duration
The project started in December 2021 in Bergen, Norwary
Operation Flow
The site is nestled in the rural landscape of Bergen, where the architectural composition is organized around a central atrium. Both circulation and thermal baths are choreographed along the perimeter of this opening, establishing a spatial sequence that blurs the boundary between interior and exterior. The stark contrast between the enclosed spaces and the surrounding nature, while maintaining a constant visual connection, offers guests a heightened sensorial experience.
Team Members
Yan Wang
Image Credits
Yan Wang

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