WELLNESS CENTER SITE ANALYSIS

Pontocho is a well-known area in Kyoto, Japan. It is an intimate alleyway that is lined with countless restaurants and bars. A prominent feature of the site is that it sits right next to the Kamo River. With a long wide path running along it, this area offers a peaceful reprieve from the liveliness of the alleyway. During the summer, the buildings lining the Kamo River will build terraces out to the water. Combined, Pontocho and the Kamo River host a lively entertainment scene.

The site of the wellness center is located at Pontocho Park (as seen in the City Plan and Site Plan.) This site has two sides to it – originally, the side of the site sitting closer to the river was a park. The side that sits across the alleyway was bike parking. Though this is a lively area, there are many benefits to the addition of a wellness center. One is that the center will offer people a chance to escape the busyness of the area. Though fun, the Pontocho alleyway can be a stressful place. Offering a spa will help alleviate some of the area’s negative aspects. Another is that the site has a strong connection to the outdoors. Originally featuring a park that sits on the Kamo River, this site has the making to greatly benefit people who struggle with mental illness. A strong connection to the outdoors can minimize feelings of anxiety and depression, therefore, is an integral design element of this wellness center.

Organization

The wellness center’s program is split up into three main floors. The ground floor and third-floor feature most of the public and outdoor spaces. The second floor is the spa, where the building becomes internally focused.

The main program on the first floor is the lobby, locker rooms, central outdoor space, yoga rooms, and park. The central outdoor space was a driving aspect of this design since its conception. As stated before, Pontocho is a busy area. To offer visitors a private connection to the outdoors, a courtyard was placed at the center of the design with the circulation and remaining program organized around it. Soon, this central courtyard expanded to take up the majority of the first floor. The courtyard has a steady incline until it reaches the alleyway. There, people can look out onto the park and Kamo River. The ramps and stairways are situated so it created a winding pathway through the courtyard. This is so people have to “meander” through it, creating a meditative process.

The courtyard reaches across the alleyway to the new park. There, planters and trees are organized in the same meandering fashion. People must continue the meditative process to reach the Kamo River. There they can use the stairs or the ramp to get to the pre-existing pathway.

The yoga rooms are implemented to create and promote mindfulness techniques. Yoga is extremely beneficial to the body and treating mental illness. During a yoga session, the body releases endorphins which relieve pain and create a general sense of well-being within the brain. Yoga also utilizes a mindfulness technique – breathing – which can help calm the mind. The yoga rooms also have curtain walls so that the connection to the outdoors is maintained during class.

The second and most private floor houses the spa. As visitors arrive, they are presented with the spa lobby and lounge. Here, they can wait for their appointment or enjoy a beverage. Next, they are taken into either the women’s or the men’s locker room where they change into robes, shower, or utilize the vanity area. The locker rooms are meant to be a luxurious experience where people can get into a Zen headspace. They transition from being focused on their external world to their internal world. The spa offers singles or couples massages as well as sauna rooms. These treatments benefit both the mind and the body. They help release any trauma that the body is holding on to while calming the mind.

The only windows on this floor are in the lobby. This is so people can enjoy natural lighting as they wait, but as they enter the spa procession, they are removed from the external world. The lighting within the spa is dim and adds to the ambience.