The Well House Boutique Hotel / ATLAS

The traditional building has intrinsic knowledge about how to deal with local climatic conditions in clever yet, simple ways. Elevating the structures on poles, open fire-pits, and even using a bit of smoke help traditional southwestern houses relieve the damp in winter. The goal of the hotel was to elevate the comfort inside the building through the use of energy-efficient heating and weatherproofing. Another issue is the way sound is carried throughout the wooden house through the thin partitions and floors. Soundproofing was added to the construction to try to give a bit more privacy and serenity to space. To keep the construction as sustainable as possible the whole system of the building was designed to make air-conditioning unnecessary — instead of cooling the building through passive methods. The facade was designed with wind scoops to capture air from the valley and ensure ventilation in the space clearing out the sultry feeling of summer.

The material choice is local, in particular the use of cedarwood the region is famous for. Bricks saw as lowly due to their common usage in building pig sheds, were elevated here in their deep earthy feel to something luxurious. Burnt and blackened bricks were hand-chosen to give a textural sensuousness to the first floor.

As the village finds a bridge to the future and looks to tourism and exchange to do so, the hope is that The Well House presents thoughtful solutions for merging the old with the new. By rooting design in the local aesthetics and material culture—the hope is to see Dali Village find a sustainable path forward that honors and values the past.