Jewel in the Forest

카자흐스탄 알마티 휴양소

2008

Project Location: Almaty, Kazakhstan

As renovating the roughly-maintained woods into a garden for sanatorium, the most important thing is to catch the inherent beauty of the site and to accentuate it in help of newly installed programs. In the mean time, the existing structures need to be re-used as much as possible, not just to lower the budget but also to respect the genius loci.
So the landscape strategy can be explained in two folds: circulation and programs. While circulation strategy is based on the existing structure of paths, new programs in the woods have common purpose of therapy and relaxation by accentuating the inherent beauty of the site.
In terms of circulation, the system of 3 loops is made. Each loop is based on the existing paths, with several annex and reroute when necessary for better pedestrian flow. The loops all connected from and to the facilities, guiding people to make the sequential experience of the landscape.
In terms of programs, there will be 3 fingers making spatial structure and 6 destinations in the woods that make therapeutic experiences. The inherent beauties of the site discovered by designer are ‘matured woods’ and ‘view to mountain’ and they are the basis of making places in all senses. For example, Vista Meadow is the linear flowering meadow that opens up toward the mountain in the South so that people can relax here with great view to the mountain. Other destinations will be inserted into the existing woods in smaller scale. Indeed the trees now are not generating certain level of spatial quality to be celebrated. However, their density and size, thanks to their maturity, show the potential as place-maker. Since the woods create high level of opacity, people can enjoy the newly inserted programs with more dramatic feeling of transition. And all of the destinations, such as, Aroma Walk (with therapeutic herbs), Log Pavilions ( giving individual and enclosed space for meditation or playbox for children), Orchard Picnic (fruits give the full feeling of harvest and satisfaction with picnic activity) and Nocturnal Garden (calming down stroll with beautiful objects as lightings) function as therapeutic places.