Gapyeong - The Stay Healing Park

A restorative wellness retreat that reinforces the relationship between nature, architecture, and human connection.

The Stay Healing Park is an example of how a symbiotic relationship between nature, people and architecture can improve health & wellbeing in our communities.

Project Details

Category: Architecture / Interiors Design / Design Advisory
Location: S. Korea
Status: Active

Creating a legacy

The site is located in a healing resort in the mountains around Gapyeong outside Seoul. The client wished to develop a showcase development in which visitors could experience the lifestyle brand associated with his retail company group.

Heta developed a strategic vision, masterplan and concept design for a mountain wellness resort including a luxury hotel, 150 apartments and 12 villas, set in a forested riverine environment. The design process began by defining a strategic vision for the wider site informed by future trends and user profiling of the Korean domestic travel market. This vision builds on the existing Stay Healing Park to create a wellness-focused experience through immersion in the natural surroundings.

Projecting green terraces integrate with the topography of the valley site

The client had travelled extensively through Europe and was very interested in Provencal themed gardens. Our first move was to relocate the main access road to reduce congestion. This allowed for a landscape concept, extending the wild gardens through the centre of the riverine valley for a more inviting visitor experience.

To encourage a sense of wellbeing and discovery in nature we worked in a close relationship with Hay Designs, to devise a series of gardens with distinct sensory characteristics. These gardens tapped into primitive emotions using sound healing and aromatherapy to support health and wholesomeness.

Sketching — Visitors approach the hotel through a riverine garden valley, free of cars and congestion.

sketch — Trees and plants provide a microclimate that preserves water and moisture and helps cool the surrounding spaces

The architecture and landscape design are linked by a common design language of curvilinear forms, projecting green terraces, use of natural materials and stone edge detailing. The preservation of existing trees and soil enables the local plants, animals and micro-organisms to grow and evolve as part of the new park ecological system.

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Relocation of vehicle access road to reduce congestion.

The ambition for the resort was to become an exemplar for environmentally conscious design. The long term strategy was to widen the stream, enlarge the river environment and sustain new plant species. Collection, storage and management of water is vital in keeping flora and fauna thriving on site without depleting the precious water resources of the region.