The Springs Resort is a thermal pool and spa resort located along the banks of the San Juan river in Pagosa Springs Colorado. Tres Birds was commissioned to design an expansion development for the resort, doubling the existing pool count and adding a new 75,000sf flagship building. The Springs Resort Expansion brings together 21 exterior thermal pools, an enhanced spa experience, 78 luxury hotel units and a lively restaurant that all reinforce the resort’s core value of wellbeing.
Tres Birds led the architectural design of the project and contracted work from a partner architecture firm, Davis Partnership Architects, to assist with construction document production. My role for the project was Designer and BIM Lead. I developed the design for hotel units and restaurant spaces, managed the project’s Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows and conducted QA/QC from schematic design through construction documentation.
The restaurant/lobby area is a nexus for activity, symbolic of the high energy of steam. Recessed strip lighting illuminates glass shelving that outlines the bar, causing the light to glisten outwards and draw patrons in. Blue tile on the bar face gives a subtle nod to the spa elements at the resort while contrasting with the warm-toned natural materials in the lounge. The lounge furniture pairings offer guests the option to sip coffee in the morning sunlight or relax by the central fireplace late into the evening. The overall ambiance greets guests with a warm welcome and energizes the start of their wellness journey.
Hotel units incorporate design solutions from the spa and restaurant/lobby that focus on warmth, privacy and functionality. Our solutions are the result of careful consideration into developing spaces that support guest wellness. Natural wood finishes are used to support a warm, comforting ambiance. Tall exterior windows extend to the ceiling to make the rooms feel more expansive. Showers have an interior frosted window that enhances the connection between the bathroom with the rest of the unit. These windows maintain privacy and allow for natural light to reach into the bathroom interior during the day while emitting a warm ambient glow when used at night.
Wardrobes and desk space were important criteria for the client. Our bespoke furniture solution combines the desk and wardrobe as one. This configuration is space efficient and provides visual separation for added privacy when placed between sleeping areas in double units. These solutions align with the resort’s goal for wellness and establish a cohesive design language across all unit variations ranging from single units to three bedroom suites.
Behind the scenes, I managed the technical aspects of the digital model management for the project. Modeling challenges arose naturally from the sheer scale of the project. I chose to split our modeling scope into three separate Revit models: a Site, Architecture and Unit model. Compartmentalizing model elements into separate files simplified project organization and reduced file sizes allowing all team members to work faster, thus improving efficiencies.
Another unique challenge to the project was integrating workflow standards with Davis Partners Architects, our architectural partner contracted on the project. I led conversations with their team members to establish and integrate a cohesive annotation strategy for the project drawing sets. This included updating annotation components, notation standards, and graphical branding for the entire project. Integrating drafting standards required communication and compromise across the board, resulting in a successful joint effort to produce a cohesive construction document building set.
