If you are looking for a summer getaway with a dash of architectural splendor, you could do a lot worse than to explore some of the latest luxury resorts to rise in Southeast Asia. Earlier this year, we toured the gorgeous brick canyons of Onion Co. Ltd.’s stunning Sala Ayutthaya Hotel in Thailand, and now Vietnam has a richly detailed retreat to match: MIA Design Studio recently completed the idyllic Pure Spa at the five-star Naman Retreat located in the coastal city of Da Nang.
The exterior of this contemporary resort is defined by a building envelope designed specifically for the tropical climate of Da Nang, a city that typically experiences intense summer temperatures and high humidity throughout the year. The external elevations are made of white, heat-sink-like fins of varied profiles, resulting in a permeable façade that promotes cross-ventilation throughout the retreat.
Luscious curtains of hanging vegetation complement the undulating screen of louvers, providing attractive swathes of greenery that also act as passive shading devices. The juxtaposition of colors makes for a rich yet calming aesthetic akin to MM++ Architects’ combination of pristine white walls, green planting, and blue skies in their Thao Dien House in Ho Chi Minh City.
Moving inside, visitors are greeted by a flowing series of spaces: the resort is described as a “No-Wall Spa,” allowing visitors to transition seamlessly between relaxation, health, and fitness activities. 15 spacious spa rooms custom-designed for a wide variety of treatments are fitted with deep soak bathtubs and plush daybeds together with a comprehensive fitness suite of gym facilities and a dedicated area for the practice of yoga.
The various treatment rooms converge on a central courtyard surrounded by a cascading veil of vines, which frame an external lounge that includes a cabana-style pavilion surrounded by reflecting pools. Within this space and the adjacent facilities, MIA seem to have successfully created the environment their clients desired — a true “oasis of tranquility” in the heart of Da Nang.