Chantal Buisman

A healing place

Restoring the connection between body and mind, held by the cliffs of Praia da Ursa

In today’s society—where stress, burnout and other forms of mental and physical exhaustion are increasingly common—the need for environments that support recovery and rest is growing. The natural environment plays a vital role in this. The interaction between people and landscape can profoundly influence the healing process, both physically and psychologically. Within this context, a concept for a sanctuary on the west coast of Portugal was developed, situated at Praia da Ursa: an untouched, powerful and sensory landscape.

The sanctuary is carefully positioned within the rugged natural setting of Praia da Ursa. The location was chosen for its mild climate, walking routes, overwhelming natural qualities and its proximity to both town and village. Together, these elements create a balance between calm, recovery and stimulation.

Philosophy and design principles

The design is founded on research into comparable centres for recovery and focuses on personal attention, quietude, bodily awareness and a deep connection with nature. Buildings are dispersed throughout the landscape to encourage movement and support the healing process. There is a clear distinction between private and communal spaces, with every element—from room orientation to circulation routes—designed to promote psychological wellbeing.

The design decisions are based on an intuitive and psychological reading of the site. What does a particular zone evoke? What does this place ask for? What does it offer? The atmosphere of a location can amplify, support or soften a person’s mental state.

The design

The project is not about placing buildings but about shaping an experience. The aim was to create a place where one is allowed simply to be—where space and nature actively collaborate in the process of restoration. Everything revolves around the senses: What do you hear? What do you see? What do you smell? What do you feel on your skin or beneath your feet? Only when you truly feel your body again can your mind begin to come to rest. The design focuses on slowing down, becoming still and grounding.

individual retreat bath, stillness through water
this space is located in the cliff at the ocean

The programme

The programme is structured around three phases of recovery: seeking, finding and connecting. The first phase focuses on seeking connection with oneself, relearning how to feel and how to relax. The second phase centres on finding that connection, sustaining a sense of felt presence and balancing relaxation with exertion. The third and final phase is about being in connection—with oneself, with others and with nature.

Three zones

The sanctuary is composed of three zones in the landscape: on the cliff, in the valley and within the cliff at the ocean’s edge. These zones were not chosen arbitrarily; they emerged from a precise alignment between the programme, the required functions and the qualities of the site. By analysing the landscape for light, wind, views, scale, silence and atmosphere, functions were positioned where they would serve their purpose most effectively and support the healing process in a natural way.

the placement of the buildings within the different zones of the landscape: on the cliff, in the valley and within the cliff at the ocean’s edge

By projecting the programme onto the site in this way, and conversely by allowing the site to guide the programme, a design emerges in which landscape and building do not exist separately but interlock and strengthen one another. The place carries the design.

On the cliff

The main building is located on the cliff and serves as the place of encounter and connection. On the cliff there is a sense of overview, orientation and outlook. This is where the restaurant, library and activity space are situated.

Section through the landscape

One of the first sketches of the main building illustrates the underlying principle and conceptual thinking. The main building sits on top of the cliff, surrounded by greenery, with views across the landscape and protection from the sun.

The main building measures 20 by 20 metres. It is a precise concrete structure with clean openings carved into its volume. Each opening is oriented towards a specific part of the surrounding environment. The limestone extracted from the rock has been used as the raw material for the concrete. The concrete is poured in layers, creating a natural, irregular horizontal banding reminiscent of the centuries-old rammed earth technique. As a result, the building forms a material connection with its setting and conveys a strong sense of place.

In the valley

This is where the sleeping quarters are located, partially embedded in the landscape. The rooms are distributed across three zones, each attuned to a different stage of recovery. They are minimalist and oriented towards introspection, with careful attention to privacy, light and views.

The cluster of four rooms occupies a carved-out space containing a newly inserted volume made of concrete. The rock wall has been left intact to preserve the full atmosphere of the site and the sense of protection it provides. The contrast between the irregular, rough rock and the clean, monolithic rooms creates the sensation of being in a transitional zone. It is an in-between space, neither fully inside nor outside.

The sense of protection offered by the valley is palpable in the corridor leading to the rooms. This space feels earthy and has a distinct tactility. The rooms follow the natural line of the valley, creating a subtle staggered arrangement. A counter-space between the rooms allows light to enter. A natural route guides visitors towards their room, shaped by the rock wall, the fall of light and the monolithically placed volumes.

From the room, the view is framed towards the greenery of the valley. There are few stimuli. The focus of the rooms is on calmness, writing, reflection and withdrawal.

Within the cliff at the ocean’s edge

This zone, integrated into the rocks and close to the water, is the most intimate and powerful. Here, the force of the landscape is felt—the ocean, the rock, the passage of time. This is a place of deep personal experience and transformation. Embedded within these rocks are the baths, divided across three levels corresponding to the three stages of recovery.

The central question here becomes: Where are you in the process, and what are you able to hold?

The deeper you descend into the layers of the earth, the deeper you descend into the layers of yourself.

section

mass, space and water
from left to right: ocean bath, communal bath, massage rooms, individual baths,
consultation room, main building

plan

mass, space and water
from left to right, from top to bottom: ocean bath, communal bath, massage rooms,
individual baths, yoga room.
(the consultation room is not visible on the plan because it is positioned above the individual baths and next to the yoga room)
main building

Phase 1: seeking contact with your body

The first part of the programme forms the initial layer of the process and is located at the top of the cliff. This is where the consultation rooms, the quiet room and the yoga room are situated. In these spaces, the senses take the lead.

Here, the experience is shaped by the view and the continuous sound of the sea (due to the height within the cliff), offering a soft sensory stimulation with as little distraction as possible beyond the intended point of focus. These spaces provide a sense of protection. You are unseen, and you look out over the sea.

This phase gently and calmly initiates the reconnection with the body.

Phase 2: turning inward

This is the second layer, positioned midway inside the cliff. Here are the individual baths and the massage rooms. The purpose of this phase is to make contact with the body again, to relearn how to feel. It is about sensation, light, atmosphere and slow, gradual transitions. The body is central.

From the changing area, the entire route can be walked barefoot. Both the massage rooms and the individual baths are designed so that part of each space looks out over the ocean, while another part lies deeper within the cliff. This again corresponds to the needs of the programme and of the place: outlook and tranquillity on the one hand, protection and reflection on the other.

transitional space

Phase 3: turning outward

This is the final phase, and also the most demanding. This stage is about turning outward, both physically and mentally. This is where the communal bath and the ocean bath are located.

sketch communal bath

sketch, section and detail of the communal bath

In this phase, the architecture quite literally moves outward. Buildings become visible, and as a person within the building you, too, are visible. Here, the senses are stimulated to their fullest. Only when body and mind regain balance can this phase be faced. The acoustic environment is more intense, and the sensory stimuli are strong.

transition from the communal bath to the ocean bath

The ocean bath forms the final part of the route. It is the most elemental and raw place within the sanctuary and stands in direct connection with nature.

The ocean bath moves with the tides, which at times means that it is not accessible. This introduces a subtle psychological reference to daily life, in which we, too, cannot control everything. It reflects the unpredictability of nature, of life itself.

Natural and material connectedness

The geology of the site—limestone, sand, seawater and local vegetation such as oak—forms the foundation for the material palette of the design. These elements are not only referenced visually but also integrated physically, establishing a strong sense of connection to the place.

During the design process, the tangible qualities of the landscape were continually revisited: shelter versus openness, sound versus silence, height versus depth. These contrasts are linked to the needs of the user and to the idea that not everything can be resolved at once, yet everything remains interconnected.

The design of the sanctuary is holistic, with careful attention to the relationship between body, mind and environment. Every component, from material selection to spatial sequence, contributes to the process of recovery. Movement, rhythm, reflection and sensory experience together form a layered journey towards inner balance and connection with the world.