A Larger Than Life Thermal Bath Overlooks Lake Gale

A Larger Than Life, a spa installation by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, is located in Bromont, Canada. Completed in 2024, the project features an expansive infinity thermal bath and an inviting relaxation room. Designed to blend with the natural environment, the spa offers panoramic views of Lake Gale, encouraging deep relaxation and contemplation.

Infinity thermal bath offers panoramic views

A Larger Than Life, a new installation designed by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, features a spacious infinity thermal bath and a relaxation room within the reservoir at Bromont, Canada. The 670-square-foot (62 square meters) thermal bath has the capacity for over 25 people and overlooks Lake Gale, “creating a space conducive to deep relaxation and contemplation.”

The volume of the thermal bath emerges from the landscape and creates expanded terraces that reference the texture of the Appalachian mountains that frame the nearby lake. The design follows an “eco-friendly expansion project” that began earlier this year and will finish in 2025.

“These new installations represent a perfect blend of innovation, sustainable practices, and architectural excellence,” said Denis Laframboise, President of Balnea spa + réserve thermale. “Every detail has been designed to awaken the senses and enhance the well-being of our guests.” “We aimed to offer a unique, immersive, generous, and authentic experience inspired by the richness of the surrounding nature,” he continued.

The project references the surrounding natural environment both in form and materiality – the new thermal bath is supported with concrete forms which create a stone-like plinth at the bottom of the pool. “The generous new thermal bath and spa terrace grounds the scheme within the landscape. The use of natural materials enhances the reading of the ‘spa in nature’, while offering a wide range of haptic user experiences,” added Brian MacKay-Lyons, founding partner of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects.

Relaxation room features atmosphere reminiscent of a beach

The relaxation room invites guests to sink their feet into fine sand as they deal with a new experience reminiscent of a beach. Because of the expansion, the spa also features sun loungers, an open-air shower and a terrace. More upgrades will be installed next year, including additional changing rooms and upgrades to an on-site hotel.

The designer said that project was conceived with environmental features including a heat recovery system for the terraces, downsized waste water areas and a new filtration system. “The new terraces are heated by recovering heat from the mechanical rooms, and the wastewater treatment system has been moved away from sensitive areas,” said Balnea. “The filtration system has been optimized, tripling its treatment capacity while only doubling the size of the installations.”