LAMAS Architecture has unveiled Le Spa at Manoir Hovey, an expansion of the historic Relais & Châteaux property on Lake Massawippi in Quebec, Canada.
Built in 1900 as the summer estate of Atlanta Power owner Henry Atkinson, the manor was inspired by George Washington’s Mount Vernon and showcases an expansive verandah and iconic colonnade overlooking the lake.
The new spa at Manoir Hovey
The renovation integrates Le Spa into the hillside to preserve the estate’s architectural heritage with the surrounding natural landscape.
A single-story portico above the suite entries contrasts—both in its height and the asymmetry of its façade—with the main building, while a large arch and vault frame a distant view of the lake and a grand staircase that leads to the pool level.
Inspired by the natural landscape
Descending the stairs, guests discover a pool and hot tub to the right. The entrance to the spa—which houses a reception area, hammam, therapeutic shower, two relaxation rooms, sauna, cold plunge, and locker rooms—sits to the left. Here, floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor terrace allow guests to immerse themselves in the natural surroundings.
Interior finishes echo the local landscape of the Eastern Townships, with granite-inspired stonework in the hammam, tree-trunk columns in the massage rooms, and fall foliage-inspired red and gold accent tiles in the locker rooms.
“From the very beginning, our sense was that the historical allusions on the outside were almost a given,” notes James Macgillivray, architect and founding partner of LAMAS architecture. “On the inside, however, we had freer rein to treat it almost like a neutral container, where the client could envision and try out new things for the guest experience.”
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