Joel Sanders Architect

The Xi’an Spa & Villa Hotel draws inspiration from the lifestyle and design principles of traditional Chinese gardens. Like these private retreats that offered solace from the pressures of daily life, our design is organized around a series of aquatic gardens and planted terraces where residents can escape for relaxation, rejuvenation and contemplation.

The project is composed of three interlocking components – an expansive green roof, a bio-remediation pond and three hotel villas – integrated within the hillside site. Spa facilities are embedded into the hillside, concealed beneath an undulating meadow planted with low native grasses that harmonize with the surrounding landscape. Like the rocks of ancient gardens, the faceted villas pierce the surface of the meadow and frame the site’s panoramic view. A linear swimming pond defines visitor circulation, separates public and private spa zones, and actively remediates site water run-off.