Immersive Spa Lighting Design Wins Prestigious Award

Euphoria Retreat's Unique Spa Lighting Design Bags Golden A' Design Award

The Euphoria Retreat Spa, carved into the base of a mountain in Mystras, is a four-story building spanning 3,000 m2. The lighting for each space was meticulously designed to contribute to the crescendo of the ultimate relaxation experience. As daylight conditions vary substantially from one space to another, custom luminaires were designed to imitate daylight conditions, thus harmonizing the transitions through spaces and enhancing the immersive architecture.

The design of the Spa is meant to be peaceful yet subversive, meditative yet hallucinatory, orderly yet free-flowing. This is achieved through a choreographed transition of spaces in which light, sound, temperature, humidity, textures, and smells create immersive sensory experiences. The lighting strategy needed to accommodate the sudden transition from the outdoors, into the catacombs, through to the wet areas and identify each of these areas with a unique character and environment.

Designers Anna Sbokou and Matina Magklara faced creative, technical, and research challenges to create this immersive experience. The light and the design of it becomes a silent protagonist that can hide and reveal elements, draw visitors to one area or another and play with the human senses, with low levels of illumination, tone contrast, and detailing that integrates seamlessly with the architecture. It was a good reminder for the design team to slow down, take a moment, and understand what is vital to each space and each experience.

The project was completed within 2.5 years and has been recognized with the prestigious Golden A' Design Award, granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. They are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.

With its unique properties and innovative realization technology, the Euphoria Retreat Spa is a testament to the power of design in creating immersive and transformative experiences. Its recognition with the Golden A' Design Award is a testament to the designers' creativity, innovation, and dedication to their craft.