Idea // American Bathhouse

^^^The new American Bathhouse?

In ancient cultures blessed with geothermal springs and other natural heat sources, the bathhouse was as ubiquitous as any other structure within the city. Greeks and Romans founded many of the practices we now associate with modern western spas in buildings called balneums and thermae, which, as time progressed, became centers for relaxation and socialization. These were also some of the first attempts in the Western world to create public facilities, open to both men and women, for the practice of personal hygiene.

As the breadth of the Roman Empire expanded, so too did its influence over the daily bathing habits of its constituents. Bath structures are quite commonly found today in the UK, Anatolia, and other former Roman territories. Turkish baths called hamam, constructed as early as the 16th century, resurrected the residual traditions of Roman occupation while simultaneously drawing on influences from Central Asian cultures; these structures were often annexed onto mosques as gathering places and also used to house ritualistic functions.  In Japan, bathhouses called onsen take advantage of heat generated by volcanic activity to provide a cleansing or purifying experience that has ties to the spiritual doctrines of Buddhism. Sento are another type of Japanese bathhouse that are commercial in nature and common in urban areas. Finnish saunas, a variety more widely known in America, have existed for hundreds of years and are yet another example of the prominent place bathhouses have assumed in cultures throughout history.

But to what end are bathhouses relevant in modern cities? The widespread advent of personal hygiene technology, compact and convenient enough for the private home, has wiped out the essential pragmatism of the local bathhouse; now, the building type must adapt to a different role. In Europe, for example, most contemporary bathhouses are similar to American spas in that they function as luxury amenities, but the architecture of the European model, having retained its traditional civic nobility, tends to be the more heroic. Grimshaw Architects' Thermae Bath Spa in Bath, England is, as a basis for comparison, a vast urban complex, built on the site of a formal Roman bath, featuring gorgeous architecture, extensive staff and  a wide range of services. Japanese bathhouses, on the other hand, tend to be more understated, fitting neatly into urban blocks (see  image below) and favoring a more traditional approach to service, which, unfortunately, is becoming less and less popular as Japanese society becomes more privatized.

^^^Ginzan Bathhouse, Obanazawa-shi, Ysmagata Prefecture, 2001, by Kengo Kuma. Notice how the building takes the shape of the block without intruding on the street or the landscape, and uses unassuming materials to mask its function.

We in America are left without a traditional urban bathhouse type; there are, of course, plenty of examples of  remote, isolated resort spas, similar to Peter Zumthor's seminal and quite beautiful Thermae Vals (actually affordable for a three-day stay!) in the Swiss Alps, but what do we have that can cater to the modern, urbane, on-the-move American crowd?  I have been pondering this question recently because two friends, independently of one another, suggested that cities like Atlanta should have small bath facilities so city-dwellers have a convenient place to freshen-up; one friend even went so far as to provide a marketing rubrik for a chain business based on such a facility. Granted, there are spas in the city, but these lack "in-and-out" functionality; a bathhouse should be similar to gym: no appointments, significant time commitments, or extensive preparation required. To me, this is a great excuse to experiment with creating a new urban building type - the American Bathhouse.

Below is a list of possible program characteristics:

• Small enough to fit in a park / urban lot / commercial build-out setting
• Membership-based access, key-card entry, or single attendant...towels, etc. for purchase
• "In-and-out" functionality
• Soap, fragrance provided
• Instead of a traditional commerical bathroom configuration, each room is its own separate bathroom complete with locking door, shower, vanity, hangers. This eliminates the need for seperate-sex spaces and maintains consistent privacy.
• Fascinating architecture that suggests a pleasing and relaxing experience, while still providing all the necessary conveniences.

Would anyone use a facility like this? Are there other features I may have left out that may be vital for a building of this type?