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Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa
Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa
La Fortuna, Costa Rica
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Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa
La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Location:
10.4881° N 84.7224° W
LA FORTUNA, ARENAL, COSTA RICA
The essence of a site
Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa is like nowhere else. The thermal river winds and falls through the lush green setting; steam rising skyward.
Tabacon covers a vast area of 900 acres within a private reserve that has been at the forefront of Costa Rica’s ecotourism since the mid-90s – elevating Arenal to prominence as a premier international destination. As a result, Arenal and Tabacon have become synonymous, and the hotel’s impact in the region cannot be overstated.
This landmark hotel with 105 guest rooms and suites is home to Costa Rica’s largest natural hot springs system, with geothermal water flowing at a rate of 1,000 liters per second. Tabacon offers one of the most remarkable natural hot spring experiences in the world.
VIDA was engaged by Tabacon to re-imagine the common areas, including the renovation of an outdated resort-style pool, core amenities, and pool bar. The entire project was planned, designed, and completed in just five months during the pandemic – and provided the perfect opportunity to deliver innovative, landscape-led design in one of Central America’s most renowned hotels.
Dissonance
Dissonance is a term used in music to describe when elements are not in harmony. In landscape design, dissonance occurs when the design is out of balance with the surrounding landscape. At VIDA, our design approach is largely based on the concept of the cultivated wild – proposing design solutions that respond to the surrounding natural systems. We focus not only on what can be seen but on the feeling a place can generate. Our aim is always to create places that look good and feel good too.
The pool is the resort’s most prominent feature – it is what guests first see as they walk in. At Tabacon, there was a story waiting to be told. There was a visible disconnection between the incredible surrounding natural world and the harsh linear shapes of the existing structure. The design was emotionally unresponsive and this disconnection created a conflicting experience for luxury eco-travelers seeking a nature-based wellness retreat. The main focal pool area needed to respond to the surrounding environment through positioning, and landscaping needed to become visible from almost every point in the pool, to allow guests to feel truly immersed in the tropical forest that encircles it.
The cultivated wild
The luxury of connecting with nature brings peace. This is what eco-travelers seek from their hotels. The previous design focused on constructed spaces with decks and stairs that cut through the existing vegetation. The color palette clashed with the natural environment, through the use of synthetic blues for the pool, white stone for pathways, and concrete structures that felt invasive and out of balance.
VIDA strongly believes in nature-based planning. The result is highly personalized spaces that draw attention to the natural assets. The new color palette was inspired by the river that meanders through the property, making the pool feel like an extension of the natural environment.
10.4881° N 84.7224° W
LA FORTUNA, ARENAL, COSTA RICA
The essence of a site
Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa is like nowhere else. The thermal river winds and falls through the lush green setting; steam rising skyward.
Tabacon covers a vast area of 900 acres within a private reserve that has been at the forefront of Costa Rica’s ecotourism since the mid-90s – elevating Arenal to prominence as a premier international destination. As a result, Arenal and Tabacon have become synonymous, and the hotel’s impact in the region cannot be overstated.
This landmark hotel with 105 guest rooms and suites is home to Costa Rica’s largest natural hot springs system, with geothermal water flowing at a rate of 1,000 liters per second. Tabacon offers one of the most remarkable natural hot spring experiences in the world.
VIDA was engaged by Tabacon to re-imagine the common areas, including the renovation of an outdated resort-style pool, core amenities, and pool bar. The entire project was planned, designed, and completed in just five months during the pandemic – and provided the perfect opportunity to deliver innovative, landscape-led design in one of Central America’s most renowned hotels.
Dissonance
Dissonance is a term used in music to describe when elements are not in harmony. In landscape design, dissonance occurs when the design is out of balance with the surrounding landscape. At VIDA, our design approach is largely based on the concept of the cultivated wild – proposing design solutions that respond to the surrounding natural systems. We focus not only on what can be seen but on the feeling a place can generate. Our aim is always to create places that look good and feel good too.
The pool is the resort’s most prominent feature – it is what guests first see as they walk in. At Tabacon, there was a story waiting to be told. There was a visible disconnection between the incredible surrounding natural world and the harsh linear shapes of the existing structure. The design was emotionally unresponsive and this disconnection created a conflicting experience for luxury eco-travelers seeking a nature-based wellness retreat. The main focal pool area needed to respond to the surrounding environment through positioning, and landscaping needed to become visible from almost every point in the pool, to allow guests to feel truly immersed in the tropical forest that encircles it.
The cultivated wild
The luxury of connecting with nature brings peace. This is what eco-travelers seek from their hotels. The previous design focused on constructed spaces with decks and stairs that cut through the existing vegetation. The color palette clashed with the natural environment, through the use of synthetic blues for the pool, white stone for pathways, and concrete structures that felt invasive and out of balance.
VIDA strongly believes in nature-based planning. The result is highly personalized spaces that draw attention to the natural assets. The new color palette was inspired by the river that meanders through the property, making the pool feel like an extension of the natural environment.
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