At Studio Anqet, we were tasked with creating an entertainment haven for a client who is a keen swimmer, and whose children are competitive swimmers. Our goal was to design a landscape space that would serve as both a training facility and a recreational area, suitable for the entire family and their guests to unwind after a stressful day at work. We aimed to create a therapeutic space with various elements that promote the family’s well-being.
Our design incorporates several distinct areas for different uses throughout the year. We have created an intimate sunken seating area with a firepit, a massage/therapy hot tub, a lap pool, a BBQ and dining building, as well as a Spa building containing a sauna, foot spa, and shower room. The complex topography of the site presented a unique challenge, and we focused on ensuring that the different building levels create interest in the landscape while also blending seamlessly into it.
The various steps leading to the buildings, into the landscape, and down to the pool, hot tub, and sunken seating around the flat plane surrounding the swimming pool, along with strategically placed planters, create a smooth transition from the manmade structures into the surrounding natural landscape. The reflective glazing on the large glass facades reflects the surrounding landscape, helping to create buildings that conspicuously celebrate nature while simultaneously camouflaging with it.
We carefully selected a balanced mix of evergreen and seasonal plants, as well as colourful vegetation, to provide the landscape with year-round interest and an uplifting feel, even during the gloomy British winters. The inclusion of tall trees, ferns, and different types of thick grass with changing colours throughout the year adds height and texture to the landscape.
Lighting plays a crucial role in our design, providing a subtle emphasis and elegant focus on the different types of vegetation while creating an ambient atmosphere for socialising during warm summer nights. At Studio Anqet, we are proud to have created a landscape that not only meets the functional requirements of our client but also provides a beautiful and therapeutic space for the entire family to enjoy.
