Abstract
Situated between Blacksburg and Christiansburg in Montgomery County, Virginia, the Yellow Sulphur Springs Resort began in 1810 as a collection of rustic cabins and closed in 1923 with two hotels, numerous cottages, a bowling alley, and a springhouse gazebo. In the interim, the resort hosted summer travelers seeking refreshment and leisure. Whether drinking the medicinal spring waters or catching up with last summer’s acquaintances, guests found Yellow Sulphur to be a peaceful and rejuvenating stop on the springs circuit. Currently, the property is privately owned and its owners have expressed interest in renovating the remaining hotel and opening a restaurant on its first floor.
Presupposing this renovation and a subsequent reopening of the Yellow Sulphur Springs Resort, I proposed a new series of seasonal cottage rows to house resort visitors and have designed one row in particular that overlooks a small spring on the site. Each cottage was divided into public, private, and most private spaces, both formally and systematically. Additionally, a distinction was made between the sulphurous spring water below and fresh rain water, which is collected above, to reflect summer light into the bathrooms following afternoon showers.
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