January 13, 2021

Forest for Rest by Leaping Creative: 2020 Best of Year Winner for Spa

Photography by Minjie Wang.

Rooted in traditional medicine, the Chinese foot massage has been around for millennia. But it wasn’t until the late 20th century that the practice gained mainstream popularity. Today, however, it is typically associated with older people seeking relief from the aches and pains of aging. Because of that stereotype, the treatment struggles to attract new and younger devotees. To draw Gen Y and Z clients to the Forest for Rest foot spa, Leaping Creative developed an intriguing narrative centered on the Hercules beetle, a native of the rainforest renowned for its incredible strength and vitality. In the designers’ story, after a long and tiring journey across desert wastes, the insect discovers a rejuvenating oasis in its lush jungle habitat. So, a 3-foot-high laser-cut steel beetle greets fatigued customers at the spa entry and, as they proceed into the 29,000-square-foot forestlike interior, vignettes of backlit acrylic nature scenes and metallic beetle installations guide the way. Serpentine benches topped with a mossy green material offer semi-
enclosed privacy to minimize the awkwardness of removing one’s shoes among strangers.

Photography by Minjie Wang.
Photography by Minjie Wang.

Project Team: Zen Zheng; Dongzhi You; C.C. Chen; Evan Chen; Jialu Hong; Linxiong Yan; Dingling Yao; Zhenyu Yao; Yanzhi Tan; Shuming Yang; Leshi Gong; Liwei Chen; Yinjie Li; Minghao Liang; Jiening Huang.

> See the full list of winners and honorees from Best of Year 2020

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