REFUGE NORDIC SPA, CASTLE PINES, COLORADO

Refuge Nordic Spa in Castle Pines, Colorado was envisioned as a restorative mountain retreat—an immersive wellness destination carefully woven into the site’s natural topography and mature tree canopy. Designed to sit gently within the landscape, the architecture steps with the terrain, preserving views and blending seamlessly into its wooded surroundings.

The two-story main lodge anchors the experience with a dramatic double-height lobby and administrative offices above. A healthy grab-and-go café invites guests to linger or refuel between circuits, while massage suites and thoughtfully designed men’s and women’s locker rooms support a full-service spa program. Accessory structures house saunas, steam rooms, and relaxation spaces, creating a layered sequence of thermal experiences that unfold across the site.

Outdoor hot and cold pool decks are framed by landscaped water features and natural stone, reinforcing the spa’s Nordic bathing tradition. An open-air gazebo offers sheltered outdoor relaxation, while a series of sculptural fire pits and scent gardens—designed in collaboration with Bill Newman of DHM Design—activate the grounds with warmth, fragrance, and seasonal texture.

Supporting infrastructure was carefully integrated into the hillside, with the pool equipment building tucked below grade to minimize visual impact. A bold industrial-style smokestack clad in weathered corten steel rises from the landscape, serving both as a functional exhaust element and a striking architectural icon for the spa.

Though completed and ready to issue for permit, the project was never built—remaining a powerful vision for how architecture, wellness, and landscape can merge into a cohesive and immersive retreat experience.

Project Type: Ground-Up Wellness Retreat (Unbuilt)
Architecture: Hayne Architects
Interiors: Hayne Interior Design
Landscape Architecture: DHM Design