Astral Spa at Oaklawn Racing Resort Featured in 'Spa Business' Magazine
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Interior Design by HBG Design.
Astral Spa inspired by Roaring 20s opens in historic Hot Springs National Park
21 APR 2022 . BY MEGAN WHITBY
Celebrated as one of America’s most popular spa destinations, Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas has gained a new spa and wellness destination.
The new 8,000 sq ft Astral Spa has opened at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort and has been designed with a nostalgic ambience inspired by the city’s past and Oaklawn’s history of thoroughbred horse racing.
Hot Springs National Park is known for its 47 natural thermal springs and history of bathing, showcased by Bathhouse Row, a high street turned tourist hotspot with eight original bathhouses from the 19th- and 20th-centuries.
“Our vision was to create a unique spa experience that regional guests have never seen before,” says Oaklawn president Louis Cella, whose family has owned and operated the resort for over 100 years. “With multiple amenities, the spa offers a throwback vibe with modern luxury.”
Marrying crisp modern lines with historical overtures, Astral Spa’s design was led by HBG Design and WTS International. Spa consultant and operator WTS International also developed the spa’s treatment menu and is operating the spa.
“Relaxing in the lounges, we want our guests to imagine what Hot Springs was like in the Roaring 20s yet be in contemporary comfort,” adds Cella.
The guest journey begins in a reception area complete with an illuminated quartz crystal wall designed to reference the area’s history of crystal mining.
The spa then splits into separate female and male spas each with distinct parlours, changing rooms and thermal lounges featuring vintage-inspired 360-degree vintage-inspired needle showers.
Both areas are equipped with contrast bathing circuits where guests can cycle through steamrooms, infrared saunas, ice lounges, vitality pools and thermal lounge areas.
Guests can also relax in the open air at either the spa’s new outdoor pool with cabanas or outdoor event lawn.
The offering is rounded out with a 750 sq ft salon and a co-ed lounge with upholstered chaise lounges and a Himalayan salt wall. A fitness center equipped with LifeTime Fitness equipment is also on offer.
“Leading the design of The Astral Spa has been a career highlight, having grown up in a small town about 20 minutes from Oaklawn,” says Landon Shockey, IIDA, NCIDQ, lead interior designer at HBG Design. “I remember touring Bathhouse Row when I was younger and being absolutely intrigued by those grand spa spaces. To be able to return to Hot Springs and work with Louis and Rochelle Cella to create a modern-day bathhouse spa was a dream come true.”
“Thoughtful design, attention to detail and visual sophistication – these are the drivers of today’s experiential luxury, and that’s what the team achieved in the Astral Spa’s design,” says Emily Marshall, IIDA, NCIDQ, principal and interior design director at HBG Design.
“It’s less about opulence and more about wellness and the way a space makes the guest feel, with more authentic, locally-inspired design features and smart design touches.”
Click to see more about Astral Spa at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort.
HBG Design Named AIA TN Emerging Professionals Friendly Firm
We are excited to announce that we have once again been named one of top firms for Emerging Professionals in the state of Tennessee by AIA TN.
The guiding principals for companies to achieve this accolade include:
Foster Value and Retention of EPs
Providing unique firm cultures and benefits to encourage recruitment of EPs
Providing equitable compensation and benefits
Provide strong professional development for EPs
Mentorship
Encouraging and celebrating licensure
Providing EPs with a broad and diverse experiences in firm practice
Committing to and investing in EPs at all phases of their professional development
Promote EP engagement and leadership in the profession and the community
Providing leadership opportunities to EPs
Encouraging EPs to inform firm culture to transform the practice of architecture for the next generation.
Promoting involvement in the AIA and industry, charitable, and community organizations
For more information visit AIA TN
The Commercial Appeal Names HBG Design a Top Workplace for Fifth Year in a Row
The Commercial Appeal has awarded HBG Design a 2019 Top Workplace Honor for the fifth year in a row. The Top Workplaces award is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by research partner, Energage, LLC. The survey measures several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, values, execution and connection, just to name a few. “HBG is very intentional about promoting our core values across the organization,” said Terri Struminger, Chief Operating Officer of HBG Design. “We have a highly engaged team of talented professionals who inspire creativity and comradery in our daily experiences. The reward and acknowledgement of our strong workplace culture – especially for the fifth year in a row – is a compelling message to our team.”
The Star Luxury Apartments Wins Gold at MHN Excellence Awards
Multi-Housing News and Commercial Property Executive hosted a reception on Thursday evening to honor the winners of the 2019 MHN Excellence Awards and CPE Distinguished Achievement Awards. The event was held at 10 Grand Central in New York City.
Now in its 13th year, the MHN Excellence Awards covered properties and projects in 20 categories. Entries were evaluated by a panel of distinguished senior industry professionals:
- Jamie Gorski, chief marketing officer, The Bozzuto Group
- Julianne Goodfellow, senior director of Government Affairs, NMHC
- Laurence Caudle, principal & director of Housing, Hickok Cole
- Rebecca Rockey, global head of Forecasting, Cushman & Wakefield
- Dave Deslow, managing director, Greystar
ADAPTIVE REUSE
The Star Luxury Apartments in Houston. Image courtesy of Provident Realty AdvisorsGold: The Star Luxury Apartments
- Owner/Developer: Kip Platt, Provident Realty Advisors
- Builder: Provident Realty Advisors Construction
- Architect: HBG Design
- Broker/Sales/Leasing: Lincoln Property Co.
- Financier: Bank of the Ozarks, Houston Housing Finance Corp.
Silver: The Bell Tower at Stanton Park
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- Owner/Developer: Morningstar Community Development
- Builder: MCN Build
- Architect: Cooper Carry
- Broker/Sales/Leasing: Washington Fine Properties
- Financier: Revere Bank
HBG Design Largest Firm in Memphis-Area
Memphis Business Journal
How local architects are redefining Memphis and the metro area
By Jason Bolton – Data Editor, Memphis Business Journal
See Memphis Business Journal Book of Lists
HBG Design Architect Josh Flowers Elevated to Fellow of the American Institute of Architects
HBG Design is proud to announce that architect Josh Flowers, FAIA, General Counsel of HBG Design, has been elevated to Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
A Past President of the AIA Memphis chapter and President-Elect of the AIA Tennessee chapter, Flowers is a passionate advocate and exemplary leader whose level of engagement and contribution to the national architecture industry is largely unmatched. Beyond his executive level work with AIA, Josh has dedicated his service to architecture education and mentorship of young architects, creating collaborative impact in communities across the nation.
“Josh is a rock star in AIA, having held many of the offices at the national, state and local levels and as a 2014 recipient of an AIA Young Architects award,” says Mark Weaver, FAIA, Principal at HBG Design in Memphis, TN, and Past President of AIA Tennessee. “It’s terrific to see Josh’s commitment to the AIA and his focus on advancing careers in architecture being honored so appropriately.”
Flowers, who holds dual licenses in architecture and law, has worked as in-house general counsel at HBG Design for 12 years, helping to maintain firm and client interests. Josh is the fourth AIA Fellow to be elevated from within HBG Design.
“Josh has given so much of himself in leading and engaging the profession on the local, regional and national levels. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the AIA Fellowship honor for his service to the institute than Josh Flowers,” says Rick Gardner, AIA, Practice Leader and Principal at HBG Design. “I admire his passion for fostering emerging architecture leaders in the industry at large and at HBG Design.”
The 2018 Jury of Fellows from the American Institute of Architects elevated 152 AIA members this year to its prestigious College of Fellows. Out of a total AIA membership of over 90,000, approximately 3 percent of members are recognized as fellows.
The College of Fellows, founded in 1952, is composed of members of the Institute who are elected to Fellowship by a jury of their peers. Fellowship is one of the highest honors the AIA can bestow upon a member. Elevation to Fellowship not only recognizes the achievements of the architect as an individual but also elevates before the public and the profession those architects who have made significant contributions to architecture and to society.
The 2018 Fellows will be honored at an investiture ceremony at the AIA Conference on Architecture 2018 in New York City in June.