Le Château: A Wellness Retreat
Student: Sydney Moore
Le Château is a proposed adaptive-reuse wellness retreat located at the historic Château de Peyrepertuse in Rouffiac-des-Corbières, France. The project repositions the medieval hilltop fortress as a contemporary destination for wellness tourism, combining hospitality, medical-adjacent wellness services, and landscape-driven design while preserving the cultural and architectural integrity of the site. The proposal responds to the growing demand for wellness retreats that integrate health services with restorative environments, particularly within rural and historically significant contexts.
The design prioritizes preservation and reversibility, aligning with French heritage regulations and the Venice Charter by maintaining original materials, respecting the visual prominence of the château, and ensuring that new architectural interventions remain distinguishable yet compatible with the historic fabric. New hotel, spa, and wellness facilities are strategically embedded into the rock formations and existing enclosures to minimize environmental and visual impact while expanding programmatic capacity.
Programmatically, the retreat includes guest accommodations, spa and hydrotherapy facilities, fitness and yoga spaces, medical consultation rooms, dining and café spaces, an apothecary, and landscaped terraces. Spaces are organized into distinct healing zones—rest, energize, and heal—to support a range of physical and mental wellness experiences. Circulation systems such as gondolas and carts address the site’s steep terrain while maintaining accessibility and minimizing disruption to the landscape.
Material and interior strategies emphasize durability, comfort, and sensory regulation through the use of natural materials, controlled lighting, acoustic consideration, and framed views of the surrounding terrain. The project also supports local economic engagement through partnerships with regional food producers, wellness professionals, and artisans. Overall, Le Château demonstrates how adaptive reuse, wellness programming, and landscape-responsive architecture can coexist within a protected historic site to create a sustainable and culturally sensitive hospitality model.
