Green Wave: Thermal Pool Wrapped With a Living Wall

The town of <a href="http://www.royat.fr/" target="_blank">Royat, France</a> has been famous since Roman times for its thermal springs, and visitors come to the town to take advantage of the healing therapies of thermal water at the region's many spas. <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/18/dragonfly-urban-agriculture-concept-for-ny/" target="_blank">Vincent Callebaut Architectectures</a> recently won a design competition with their proposal for Green Wave - a thermal spa wrapped with a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/10/08/largest-green-wall-in-north-america-to-be-unveiled-tomorrow/" target="_blank">living wall</a> that is designed to fit into the urban scene in the center of Royat while providing a center for healing.

The natural thermal springs wells up at the site of the planned spa, which will be built to provide a therapeutic and relaxing center for visitors and residents of the town of Royat, France.

The spa includes two circular pools - one for relaxing and another for activity led by a therapist.

The facade of the spa is covered in wave-shaped wooden louvers coated in a giant living wall/green roof.

The spa is open underneath to the outdoor environment and the indoor temperature is maintained with the help of the living wall.

The new spa is located in the center of the town on an urban infill lot near a large green space.

A large skylight and windows on either end bring lots of natural daylighting into the space.

The waters reflect the wooden surface of the green wave.

Changing rooms are located next to the pools and the entire environment is warm, inviting, and covered in plants.

The living wall/green roof provides a safe and acoustically pleasant environment for the spa goers.

The roof also provides optimum thermal comfort in both the summer and the winter.

In the summer, the green roof helps ventilate the space and keep the interior of the pool room from getting too hot.

In the winter, the green roof acts as insulation, keeping the space comfortably warm.

Vincent Callebaut won first prize in a design competition for the Thermes de Royat with the Green Wave proposal.