In Slovenia, Enota has completed a new suite of wellness facilities for the spa resort Terme Olimia. ‘Wellness Vodian’ will service visitors and guests of Hotel Breza in Podčetrtek, adding a pools, saunas and spas alongside recreation areas both indoors and out. Constructed on a formerly empty site between the hotel and adjacent carpark, the wellness retreat sits within the sloping terrain and is completed with a rooftop garden that allows it to merge with the surrounding landscape. 

Maximising plot size while preserving functionality 

The shape of the site required a design that could maximise the square meterage while preserving functionality. To do this, the building takes advantage of its sloped location and is partially embedded in the landscape. This improves the building’s passive thermal stability and allows the relatively large volume to disappear, preserving views from the hotel rooms and creating a sense of continuity within the wider natural landscape. 

Material efficiency becomes design aesthetic

The roof was designed for material efficiency, with heavier, denser elements placed at the supports where loads are greatest, and slimmer beams spanning the middle sections. This ensures that each part of the roof uses only the material necessary for its structural role. The truss connections are engineered so that beams of different sizes can be joined together without visible bolts or fasteners. Rather than being concealed, the trusses become a design element and give the impression of a trees branching across the spa ceiling.

Pools and efficient water systems

Inside, the program is divided across two levels: The double-height lower level houses three pools and the upper level contains the wellness program and saunas. Completed with extensive glazing, the space opens onto the landscape and is filled with natural light. Outside, the rooftop garden hosts a range of aromatic herbs and medicinal plants in raised beds: restoring the garden that was displaced by the building site. 

Pool water is treated and filtered using systems designed for low water turnover rates, reducing water use and discharge. Rather than being discarded, greywater and water used in filter backwashing is partially recycled within the technical system. The air handling units are equipped with heat recovery technology that captures warmth from the sauna areas, minimising the need for additional heating.

Designing for greener tourism 

Wellness Vodian integrates with the existing energy and operational infrastructure of Terme Olimia, which has been awarded the Green Key sustainability label for tourism. Its design also complies with Slovenian environmental and energy-efficiency regulations.