Six Senses will open a hot springs resort in the Zhiben area of Taiwan, an area known for its natural hot springs, medicinal plants and herbs.

Located in Taitung in southeastern Taiwan, Six Senses Zhiben Hot Springs will be situated at the base of Medicine Mountain, with views of the surrounding valley and mountains, and is set to open in 2020.

Both the resort and spa are designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, known for his ability to celebrate and frame nature through design.

The spa will be located in a separate building and spread over three floors, offering mountain views. There will be seven treatment rooms, a tea lounge, extensive wet areas, indoor and outdoor hot spring bathing pools, a watsu pool, suspended relaxation pods, a gym, a fitness studio, a Tai Chi garden, a juice bar, an infinity pool and a range of roof top vitality and floating pools. Several wellness suites will feature near the spa, as well as private wet areas.

The spa menu will feature treatments based on traditional Taiwanese healing, holistic anti-ageing treatments, personalised wellness programs tailored to modern-day concerns, visiting practitioner programmes and wellness activities.

Comprising 42 suites and 27 villas, the resort sits lightly upon the 20-hectare (50-acre) site, occupying just ten percent of the project site.

The resort’s landform architecture merges with the natural surroundings and inspires its curvaceous appearance. The building is designed to be hidden in the landscape while simultaneously leaping forward from its lush green environment.

Reinforcing the relationship between inside and outside, floor-to-ceiling windows will provide views of the surrounding environment. Natural materials will be used indoors to create a feeling of warmth and comfort.