Nerò Spa New Experience

Designed by Studio Apostoli, Neró Spa New Experience at the famous Hotel Terme Preistoriche in Montegrotto Terme, Italy, was created on the top floor of the existing building which overlooks the centuries-old inner park. This new 1200 sqm setting is in addition to the two outdoor thermal pools and the two indoor pools. A multipurpose, holistic and avant-garde Spa, conceived as a work of art and an expression of the history of the location, and the nature of a territory which for millennia knows and values the therapeutic qualities of its waters, becoming a harmonious union amongst Spa, territory and art.

From the architectural point of view, the predominant use of glass offers guests the feeling of being fully immersed in the landscape, while the natural materials used such as wood, expressed in design elements, are in continuous dialogue with the environment. Water acts as a leitmotif to an overall well-being approach. After all the world “neró” in ancient Greek means drinking water which nourishes and hydrates.

All the equipment emerges from a large contoured water basin, outlined around its perimeter by a highly suggestive LED immersion lighting system. A vertical wall of water located right at the Spa entrance was created to feed the basin.

The Finnish Sauna is completely glazed and furnished with benches made of cedar wood which provide the room with a delicate fragrance. The Turkish Bath incorporates the finishes present in the Spa with floor, walls and ceiling covering and heated benches made in the innovative Ecomalta, specifically naturally treated. The Hammam, completely made in Guatemala Green marble, distinguishes itself for the large glass front wall.

The Salt Cabin, with its cylindrical shape, features floors, walls, ceiling and seats completely covered in salt, according to the Baltic method and is characterized by the backlit wall in pink salt tiles. We then find a series of Shower Paths, the Kneipp path with three circular elements contoured by a LED lighting system and the Saline Pool.

The absolutely stunning dual innovations are: the Temazcal, a dome shaped element embellished with cedar wood seats and the Kotatsu, that is composed of a circular bench and a central table from which it is possible to enjoy herbal teas and infusions while keeping the legs in the low central basin.

In the wellness center there are also 5 massage rooms, 2 face treatment stations, 2 hand stations and 3 Ayurveda cabins. The architect Alberto Apostoli describes the project as follows: “It has been a great opportunity to express new Wellness concepts. For over 20 years I’ve been trying to move towards more spiritual ambiences, while linking this world to the concreteness of materials and the millenary tradition of the territory. We found an extraordinary understanding with the client and the result has been exceptional for coherence with the original idea, the harmonization of the territory and, on greater scale, of the location”.

Design: Studio Apostoli
Photography: Chiara Grossi