INTERVIEW: JIM SPEAR
Architectural Digest, people asked to see more. With the help of their wonderfully talented photographer Robert McLeod and an international stylist, Ampol Paul J, we created a book that would encompass Great Wall style – not just my designs but the incredible setting of the Great Wall, the villages and the villagers themselves presented imaginatively.
Who are your customers? There’s an equal split between Chinese citizens and people from other countries, with most of those coming from Europe and North America. There’s a mix between tourists and business people who have meetings here or take a break at the Great Wall before or after corporate trips elsewhere.
What’s your spa like? My wife and I have enjoyed spas in many places. I’m really selfi sh, so when I designed the Brickyard Spa I designed it fi rst to please us. It’s not huge – we have just three treatment suites – it’s not gold-plated. It’s a concrete expression of what I like to think of as the ‘luxury of simplicity’. The building is set apart from the rest of
the Brickyard in an area that features our kitchen garden, the lotus pond and yoga platform, arbors and secluded areas for relaxation. The grounds get more beautiful, fragrant and peaceful as the years go by. The walls are red brick with tiled murals created by local craftsmen and the fl oors are polished native slate. All of the furnishings were handmade to my design from distressed old elm. It’s an intimate place to relax in peace.
Spear has a passion for design and sustainability
I designed the spa to first please us. It’s not huge or gold-plated. It’s a concrete expression of the ‘luxury of simplicity’
How did you decide what treatments to off er? This was easy. We kept it simple. Chinese tui na is a special, traditional bodywork massage that stimulates energy (or chi) in the meridians and muscles. And we were able to fi nd experienced therapists to off er a high-quality treatment. We also off er a warm foot soak followed by a complete massage of the feet and lower legs. That’s a no-brainer as so many of our guests explore and hike the mountains near us.
Spear was involved in a book focused on Great Wall Style design
The Gold Suite has a sauna with direct views of the Great Wall. There’s an exercise room as well as an outdoor whirlpool where guests can take in the mountain scenery and stars at night 365 days a year.
What’s the benefi t of having a spa? A balanced life requires physical and mental nurturing and many of the guests we attract feel the same way. And our relaxing spa complements the many sports and activities on off er around Mutianyu. It gets booked up, especially on week-
ends, and the number of guests taking treatments increases 25 per cent each year.
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What yoga classes and retreats do you have? We off er outdoor sessions
by the lotus pond with a professional teacher nearly every Sunday morning in spring and autumn when the weather is most suitable. This year, we organised six weekend yoga retreats that included complementary meals. The programmes are small-scale, simple and participants report enjoying them very much.
What products do you use? Everything’s natural. Our balms, shampoos and conditioners are from Shangrila Farms, a supplier that shares our commitment to making a diff erence in rural China. Liquid soap is by Kaimi, certifi ed natural and pure. There’s a selection of high-quality
teas from toasted barley to peppermint. And we make our own potpourri, foot soak and eye pillows containing local lavender, while our fi ltered ice water has lemon and mint from our garden.
How does the spa help to support the Mutianyu community? It supports nearby suppliers. Many products are sourced locally including our spa pyjamas, which are handsewn by a local seamstress and our singing bowls from our sister business Schoolhouse Art Glass. As a rule, we also like to employ and
train local people but unfortunately we weren’t able to hire therapists from the area as we couldn’t train or certify tui na which is a specialised therapeutic massage.
What’s your overall goal at the Brickyard and The Schoolhouse? To provide wonderful experiences for our guests and sustain our business while making a diff erence in our community.
What drives you? Beauty, building, learning, providing ways for other people to thrive, making guests feel special and becoming a better person. ●
Katie Barnes is the managing editor of Spa Business Email: katiebarnes@
spabusiness.com Twitter: @SpaBusinessKB
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spabusiness.com/digital Spa Business 4 2014 ©Cybertrek 2014
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