Situated on the top of Royce Mountain, just outside of Vernon, the 250,000 square foot spa resort sits on a spectacular 188 acre site overlooking Okanagan Lake. The 152 room resort, designed by Cannon Design, offers a myriad of amenities including conference space, exercise studios, a ballroom, dining venues and indoor and outdoor saltwater pools.

The 20 month project (started in July 2008) was fast-tracked by five months, finishing two weeks early and on budget. An impressive feat considering the project was built through the worst winter (2008/09) in Vernon’s history. 

“It’s basically constructed on a cut in the top of the mountain so it was very exposed to the worse winter we’ve had in Vernon in living memory. We had to deal with lots of snow and cold temperatures through the construction of the concrete frame,” says Marshall. 

Double shifts were necessary for most of the project to bring it on time. 

Just over 11,000 cubic metres of concrete was poured for the six storey cast-in-place reinforced concrete structure. It required excavating two storeys deep and 400 feet wide along the top of the ridge to put in a parkade, mechanical systems and more than 200 geothermal wells.

The geothermal system is expected to provide approximately 110 per cent of the hotel's heating and cooling energy needs.Excavation was made more challenging because blasting was not possible, notes Marshall. The excavation also required substantial modifications to meet new seismic requirements.

Being on top of a mountain (one road in and out) meant site access and delivery of materials was fairly difficult. “You’ve got narrow roads presenting safety challenges,” says Marshall, adding manpower at peak was about 200.

In addition, the many unique design aspects of the resort required innovative solutions.

“A lot of unique solutions or materials had to be designed and implemented to suit the owner’s requirements. Getting approvals on foreign equipment made it more challenging,” he says.

The resort’s 40,000 square foot spa, for instance, required specialized equipment to be imported from Europe. The spa’s signature treatment is the cold sauna – the first ever in North America. The -110 C cold sauna is touted as beneficial for people suffering from chronic pain such as arthritis.

Modeled after Europe's traditional wellness centres, the KurSpa houses seven unique sauna and steam rooms offering more than 100 treatments. Each room has a different temperature, scent, texture and stimulants with the goal to promote rejuvenation and relaxation. 

More than two million loose crystals as well as Swarovski luminaries and lighting systems were used extensively throughout the building. Crystals are incorporated into fixtures, finishes, backs of dining room chairs, signage and the overall architecture including the signature 59-foot-high window wall in the lobby. 

Composed of more than 90 uniquely shaped and sized pieces of glass, angled irregularly to replicate a crystal, the four storey atrium is supported by a complicated frame and unique cable tension system.  

Creating the complex entrance crystal was one of the key challenges PCL faced.  It required precise custom design and installation procedures. 

“The design and construction of it was very technical in that you have a steel substructure and glazed frames over top of it. And the tolerances were extremely tight and because it’s not symmetrical, it made it extremely difficult to erect within the tolerances required,” says Marshall.

In order to meet those exacting tolerances, PCL’s survey team had to develop an innovative system of survey. Their effort was recognized with a SICA Innovation Award.

Despite the challenging terrain, tight time frame and record snowfall, PCL successfully delivered a landmark luxury spa and hotel destination that was the largest construction project in Vernon history. 

“Certainly the owner had an incredible vision which they brought to fruition through this project. We had a good management team at the top and buy in from the trades. We had a team of experienced people driving the project through. It really was a good team effort,” says Marshall, who is particularly proud that the project was completed “without any serious safety incidents.”

The ingenuity needed to build the complex and technically challenging resort made Sparkling Hill the top honoured project at this year’s Vancouver Regional Construction Association Awards of Excellence. The complex took home a total of three gold awards including top prize for a general contractor. M&K Ready Mix Ltd. of Vernon and CN Architectural Millwork and Construction in Vancouver were also recognized for their contributions to the successful outcome of the project.