Light playing on the rippling surface of water, infinite shades of blue, rocks carved by water currents, underground pathways and waterfalls... the natural environment at the Terme di Saturnia baths immediately connotes an atmosphere of wellness and relaxation.
The designers at THDP of London took this as inspiration for their renovation of the Terme di Saturnia Natural Destination resort, its bedrooms and the hotel’s common areas. Originally dating back to 1919, the five-star complex is located in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma, in the midst of sulfur springs and a verdant backdrop. Drawing on the location’s continuity with the natural environment - a century after it first opened its doors - the hotel’s interiors were renovated to a design conceived to offer guests the utmost comfort.
The hotel is accessed via a large entrance hall. Two communicating rooms, the lobby and reception, feature a fireplace that imbues the space with a feeling of warmth and familiarity. The redesign retained the original stained-glass window framing an olive tree that grows in the center of a patio, which is divided up into a series of small outdoor lounge areas. A new, multifunctional pop-up bar has been designed to host a variety of social and food&wine events. To offer hotel guests the most comfortable experience possible, the transitional space between the lobby and the restaurant is now a dedicated breakfast buffet room, complete with a large, central buffet table. Just off the patio, the “white room” was designed as extra breakfast space, and is also available for private dinners and evening events. The hotel’s common areas include a veranda (arranged differently in summer and winter) traversed by a water feature, and an underground relaxation area with gym near the corridor that leads to the thermal baths. Chromatically, the design continually references the ancient baths and the Maremma’s natural environment in a tight interweave of indoor and outdoor spaces, using a color palette that ranges from the ethereal tones of the Mulino waterfalls in the reception area, with oxidized tables and bronzed handles reproducing the natural corrosion of sulfurous waters, to the patio’s green and ochre colors redolent of the Tuscan countryside, and the bright turquoise and petrol blue tones of glazed terracotta tiles on the bar counter.
The furnishings and finishes in the hotel’s common areas and 124 bedrooms combine the classical with the contemporary: original pieces of furniture are flanked by modern design artefacts and locally-made artisanal pieces. The style chosen for the bedrooms is both classic and innovative, combining the warmth of oiled walnut parquet flooring with fresh blue and sky-blue fabrics. The bedroom furniture was inspired by the tradition of Tuscan leather goods with metal detailing. In the renovation, some bathrooms had their travertine cladding restored, while others were completely reclad in ceramic slabs.
Location: Manciano, Grosseto, Italy
Client: Terme di Saturnia Natural Destination
Completion: 2020
Architect: Lorenzo Bellini
Interior Design: THDP
Main Contractor: Staredil
Consultants
Plant and Equipment: Lombardini 22
Landscape: Paolo Pejrone
Photography by Giorgio Baroni, courtesy of Terme di Saturnia Natural Destination
The third issue of our special dedicated to contract furnishing and design features projects with lots of green spaces and a focus on the wellbeing of users. Projects, in other words, that respond to a new awareness that emerged during the pandemic. ... Read More
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