The location of this semester's project was Hot Springs, Arkansas, right next to Hot Springs National Park. The structure used to be a nursing home when it was built in 1964 and is a Modern building. Instead of demolishing the dilapidated building, our client decided to save it and turn it into a boutique hotel inspired by Hanamaki, Japan. In 1993, Hot Springs and Hanamaki became sister cities (apart of the Sister City program, started by President Eisenhower in 1956). The relationship began over the mutual importance of natural hot springs and rice production. 
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The primary concept for the project centers around the idea of bridges. Bridges is a three-fold idea. There are different physical bridges on the site, a metaphorical bridge connecting the two cities and the initial inspirational bridge at the Garvan Woodland Gardens dedicated by representatives from Hanamaki. On a smaller scale, the principles of Ikebana are also incorporated.