Montreal-based firm Blouin Tardif Architecture has just completed work on a serene spa addition for BALNEA Spa and Thermal Reserve. Located in an idyllic forest in the Bromont-sur-le-lac region just outside of Montreal, the spa was originally designed by a local father and daughter team to offer guests a fully immersive experience surrounded by breathtaking nature. The new addition, comprised of a sleek wooden pavilion and infinity pool, was created in line with the spa’s strong commitment to sustainability.
The BALNEA Spa and Thermal Reserve is surrounded by an expansive natural reserve made up of majestic maple trees. Tucked back into the forestscape, the spa has a dock that leads out over a picturesque lake and offers guests endless activities such as kayaking, hiking and yoga. Since its inception, the spa has maintained a strong relationship with its surroundings, ensuring that the business does everything it can to protect and conserve its pristine natural setting.
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When it came time to expand with a new pavilion and infinity pool, the spa owners, Stéphanie and Denis Laframboise, tasked local firm Blouin Tardif Architecture with the job. Knowing that the architects shared a similar commitment to sustainability, the project was focused on minimizing the pavilion’s environmental footprint. Accordingly, the new structures were built off-site and assembled on-site by a local team.
The new Pavillon Ouest spa is comprised of a cube-like sauna clad in warm wood with dark glazed panels that offer stunning views from the interior. Meanwhile, on the exterior, a 30-foot swimming pool that fits up to 25 bathers at a time is a central component of the spa experience.
Denis explained that the infinity pool was chosen to offer guests the option of completely immersing themselves into the breathtaking nature reserve. “We chose an infinity pool so that the surface of the water blends into the lake in the background and the mountains beyond, but also to hide activities going on elsewhere,” Denis said. “Bathers are sheltered from the rest of the site and embraced by the warm water, giving them a sense of total privacy.”
Photography by Mathieu Lachapelle via v2com
