This month, our Senior Manager – Design & Technical Services, Ratipan – or ‘New’ for friends – shares GOCO Hospitality’s sustainable practices when it comes to the design of wellness centers and retreats.
New is passionate about creating better human well-being through the power of design and creativity. At GOCO, she draws from more than 15 years of experience in master planning, architecture, and interior design to guide the development of projects from conceptual design through to construction. New is a fully trained and licensed architect, she values every project’s context and environment and creates inspirational guest experiences through the engagement of different senses in the design and master planning.
Ratipan Tussanapituk (New)
Senior Manager – Design & Technical Services
At GOCO, sustainability is woven into the fabric of our design philosophy. Our commitment to sustainable practices is reflected in every stage of our work from the curation of our Wellness Concepts to Design Adjacency development, Master Planning, and Architecture, where we strive to create spaces that are environmentally responsible, economically viable, and socially equitable.
Below are key principles and strategies that guide our sustainable design approach:
- Site Selection and Planning: We prioritise locations near existing infrastructure, and accessible within reasonable distance to the city center and airport connections. We aim to preserve existing trees, water bodies, and wildlife habitats wherever possible. Our projects work with the natural contours of the land to minimise grading, erosion, and environmental disruption.
Glen Ivy Hot Springs, California
2. Energy Efficiency: To integrate natural ventilation, daylighting, and thermal mass into our designs to significantly reduce energy consumption, ensuring spaces are both comfortable and energy-efficient.
3. Water Conservation: The designs aim to incorporate rainwater harvesting, green roofs, and permeable paving to manage stormwater efficiently. We also implement systems to utilize recycled water for landscape irrigation, conserving water resources, where possible.
4. Materials and Resources: Wherever possible, we prefer sourcing local, recycled, and rapidly renewable materials to minimize transportation impacts and reduce resource depletion, emphasizing sustainable material choices in our projects.
5. Indoor Environmental Quality: The spaces are designed to enhance indoor environmental quality by maximizing natural light, ventilation, and connections to outdoor views, reducing the need for artificial lighting and air conditioning.
6. Community and Social Sustainability: We ensure that our designs are accessible to a wide range of users and engage local communities in the planning process. This includes creating flexible and multi-purpose spaces to accommodate a variety of activities and fostering social interaction and community engagement.
Glen Ivy Hot Springs, California
7. Transportation and Connectivity: We integrate safe and convenient walking or biking paths into our designs and provide sustainable transportation options, including designated parking.
These principles are at the core of our work, ensuring that every project not only meets but exceeds sustainability standards while contributing positively to the environment and the community.
