A monumental creation of peace

It is both rare and extraordinary to be completely absorbed into another existence; foreign, yet welcoming, stark, yet inviting. It is the magic created by an intertwining of exceptional skills from (to name the two major players in a cast of hundreds) Hayball Architects and MALA Landscape and Urban Design.

Sprawling, elegantly, across the dune styled topography of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsular, Alba Thermal Springs and Spa is perhaps the most exciting addition to not just the wellness industry (and yes, that is a thing) in Australia, but also to the tourism industry. The hospitality industry is re-emerging and reimagining itself –and perhaps Alba is the perfect blend of all that, and more. For this iteration of wellbeing is frankly stellar in every way.

Fifteen hectares of former farmland, perched above the secret and sought-after mineral aquafers of Victoria’s coast, rural Fingal has been the sight of much activity since 2018.

“It was by word of mouth,” says Eugene Chieng, Project Principal and Principal of Hayball, of their initial connection in 2018 with the instigators of Alba. Though new to the business they were keen to spare no expense in creating a globally renowned centre of excellence – and began with a budget of $90m. After numerous conversations, meetings and even a reconnoitre to research facilities in China, Eugene says the partnership between them and Hayball felt workable. “We clicked,” he says. “It’s a bit like dating really,” he adds with a wry smile.

But there was nothing much to laugh about in the years leading up to the grand opening in 2022. The challenges of creating 32 geothermal pools being an engineering feat in itself, and then to create the infrastructure and statement architecture where further experiences are created presented both the building architects and landscape architects (and a roll call of engineers) with challenges rarely (if ever) confronted previously. Then, just for the icing on the minimalist cake, there was a pandemic.

MALA Landscape and Urban Architecture were commissioned to create a masterplan of the landscape, bathing and water experiences across the property. For Campbell Morris, Founding Director of MALA, the project offered tremendous scope and the unexpected opportunity to work in a familiar location.

“The sight means a lot to me, my parents had a goat farm directly opposite the site, through the 70s and 80s,” reminisces the landscape designer. His love for the locale continues, and he lives and works very near to site, which allowed his team easy access and a site familiarity rarely experienced on remote projects.

“We designed on site. We said that the design must be born from the site and maximise what its best assets were. There was an old homestead there so we designed in there… go out with a drone and a tape measure and a can of spray paint… mark it out, change our minds,” says Campbell with obvious enjoyment. “It’s pretty unique that you get to do that.”

So, with the signing on of MALA, a powerful, complex partnership was forged, the result of which is already winning awards. For never have you seen such an intertwining of skills and vision. Sight lines from the pools, and sightlines from the dramatic lounges and various spaces are equally important – and must co-operate without falter, which they do.

The views from expansive windows accentuate the rural and relaxed context –relieving any suggestion of the business at hand, which includes, on the interior side, 21 treatment rooms and a restaurant for patrons.

Unlike the Hayball team, the MALA contingent won’t see the full flush of their labours for some time.

When asked when he expected the gardens to be ‘finished’, Campbell hesitates.

“Probably never,” he says. “The thing about gardens is that they continue to evolve.”

The general landscape design is not one of dune regeneration with pools scattered within. No, this is minutely designed topography, and a purposefully curated floral display, including the fruits of 60,000 seeds collected from the area.

The scene will change with season, the mist garden blues, and greys will at times be outshone by the swathes of golden acacia, a winter show if native orchids and silvered waves of grasses when Summer comes and crisps the foliage into pencil slim stems across the horizon.

“It is a horticultural journey, an experience,” says Campbell.

But surely the stars are the twinkling 32 pools? No, oddly there is no competing between elements. But oh, my good lord, those pools! Each a unique treat into which one can figuratively submerge. Guests follow a trail down the hill, leading them past countless options of observance or involvement.

The unusually (and natural) blue waters arrive at the plant rooms, piping hot, from 700 metres below the surface. They are lightly laced with chlorine, diverted to each pool, every day, at the end of which the water is treated once again and injected back into the aquafer.

Alba has a license for a set amount of water that they can pull from the aquafer – which meant a fair bit of fluid Tetris when it came to designing the pools size and volume.

Hydronic engineering has been pivotal, and the water feature designers (JML Water Feature Design) who made a river out of hand cut pieces of granite, are to be bowed down to in deep respect. Here again, is rather aweinspiring attention to detail. The Rapids (the river feature) has its flow rate synced up to the tidal flow of the nearby Cape Shank.

Come on, that’s wild. Do the clients notice? Maybe, maybe not; but it’s there in the fine detail. Every pool is different in size, depth, purpose, and temperature. Each a different experience from contemplative (allowing you to lie back and watch a wedge tailed eagle fly across a flawless sky) to social (the cave pool and sauna near the main building offers a chance to share with others), to purely indulgent - you can order a cocktail to be brought poolside from the restaurant.

And here is where we return to the central building works. Every space offers curves one way or another. Waves of design that tempt the patrons, the journeymen, to stop and feel the volume of the space. The stillness. What Eugene refers to as “restraint and refinement” is to the observer a monument to minimalism. There are no distractions across beautifully paced curved walls, immaculate changing rooms, or thoughtful pools of reflection. Every space is an invitation to stop and be present. Intrusion is not allowed to insert itself into the Alba experience.

“Using minimal materials was very much a response to the brief around providing a space which really let you focus on or reflect on your experience,” says Bianca Hung, the Lead of Hayball Interiors, as well as as an Architect in her own right, as well as being a Principal of the company.

There is something to be said here about the power of negative space. Almost monastic, there is such a presence of the absent, that there is an overpowering need to simply surrender all your external worries to the void. Wordy I know –but that is power of the architecture here – and perhaps nowhere more poignantly than the dramatic internal reflection pool.

“I do have to say the pivoting central moment in the building, with the spiral stair, the reflection pond, the handmade ceramic tiles …is quite special,” responds Bianca Hung when pushed to choose of her favourite Alba aspect. “Also knowing how hard it was to make – that adds to the appreciation. I genuinely think the team has created a really beautiful moment that looks effortless but has so much effort and hard work behind it.”

For Eugene Chieng, this four or five-year project will be living rent free inside his mind for years to come. It is not an experience you can (or even want to) shake off when moving forward with the next project.

“I think it will stick in my head for life,” he says rather fondly, though in the next breath he says visiting the project now makes him hypercritical, he has a list of things he would do differently if there was to be a ‘next time around’.

But that is the lot of any creator, is it not?

“It’s like having as child,” says the Project Lead. “It’s a constant reminder of how we can do better next time.” Without missing a beat Bianca chimes in. “What number child is this?” And the leads laugh the laugh of the ‘just and the brave’ who have battled side by side to create a globally recognised, and applauded, space.

But on further enquiry, Project Director, Eugene Chieng describes how his greatest moment is really found in other people’s response.

“I think the moment when I thought we’d nailed it, was talking to people I suppose. Just talking to people in the pools in terms of how they have experienced (Alba), and what they think of the place. It is extremely satisfying.”

It is perhaps the nature of architect-inspired writers to sometimes let the more utilitarian features slip by – and with guilt for not mentioning it sooner, it is important to say Alba offers more than a most superlative architectural experience. There are of course equally sublime treatment rooms, in-between treatments lounge areas, change spaces and showers, and of course a restaurant solely for the those who are booked in for the spa experience. Attending luncheon in a luxurious, thick robe is de rigueur at Alba, with numbers carefully restricted (never more than 400 may attend Alba at any one time) to maintain that quietude.

“This idea of rejuvenation is something that is important to us, and that sense of calm, and the idea of the journey throughout the building, and the volume, the geometry was very much about creating a feeling in the space so that you can relax and forget about everything. You can surrender to being there and really focus on that experience,” explains Bianca.

The encounter that is successfully presented to Alba clients is one, fully integrated, experience designed to inspire clients to reach a better self. There is no inside, no outside – there is simply one, perfectly balanced experience. It is Alba.