Douro Wellness Residences
Thirty-two residences on a working terrace, where the wellness offer is the walk, the water and the shade rather than a facility.
The vineyard terraces here are 200 years old and non-negotiable. The residences sit within them rather than on top of them, each one entered from above and opening downhill.
Instead of a central spa building, wellness is distributed: a bathing terrace at the lowest level, shaded walking routes between the terraces, and a shared kitchen and table at the head of the site.
Dwell set the wellness strategy, designed the interiors and landscape, and managed procurement of furniture, lighting and stone across the residences.
Every residence opens downhill; none looks at another.
What the frame is actually doing.
- 01Environment
Pergola sized to shade the terrace from May to September.
- 02Biophilic edge
Existing vines retained within two metres of the seating.
- 03Living
Outdoor kitchen and table used as the primary dining room.
The terrace is the wellness amenity, and it is doing four jobs at once.
What Dwell delivered on this project.
- Downhill orientation — Living spaces face the river; service is uphill.
- Occupied threshold — The shaded terrace is two-thirds the area of the living room.
Schist, dry-laid
Lime wash over render
Chestnut, oiled
Designed in, not added later.
- 01Distributed wellness rather than a central facility
- 02Shaded terrace walking network
- 03Shared bathing terrace and cold pool
- 04Communal kitchen and long table
- 05Sleep and acoustic specification in every residence
Create the next wellness destination.
Whether you are developing a resort, hotel, branded residence, wellness destination or residential community, we can help shape the project from its earliest vision through design and delivery.
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