Catharsis: 8 Therapeutic Spa Designs That Awaken the Senses

Sit back, relax and prepare to enjoy spaces that awaken the senses.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletters.

Great design transforms spatial experience. Through careful construction and thoughtful organization, the spaces we inhabit can become powerful environments acutely attuned to our senses. Spas perfectly illustrate this idea. Derived from a location the Romans called Aquae Spadanae, the word Spa comes from the town in Belgium that bears the same name. Over time, the act of bathing in natural springs would evolve to complexes and bathhouses specifically designed for relaxation and therapy. Today, modern spas incorporate varied programs around holistic sensual experiences.

Drawing together eight spa designs across five continents, we’ve rounded up a collection that explores the relationships between design and experience. Built as tranquil and serene environments, the projects seek to create rejuvenating spaces that restore energy and elevate perception. As an architecture formed around alleviating discomfort, each spa incorporates natural materials and private, enclosed areas with controlled lighting. So sit back, relax and prepare to enjoy spaces that awaken the senses.

Saunahaus by Bernardo Bader Architekten, Koblach, Austria

Sited in the foothills of Koblach Kummenberges, Saunahaus was built to reveal qualities of the Rhine Valley. Created to rethink its surrounding environment, the project includes guest space, a sauna room and a therapy room.

Fushengyu Hotspring resort by AIM ARCHITECTURE, Sichuan, China

Taking inspiration from its immediate surroundings, this hot springs project was built atop Luo Fu Shan. Utilizing natural building finishes, the design was made as a luxury environment that draws connections to nature.

© David Chipperfield Architects, 4SeasonsSpa

Cafe Royal, Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre by David Chipperfield Architects and 4SeasonsSpa, London, United Kingdom

Cafe Royal’s Wellbeing Centre was built around four elements: water, fire, air and earth. Each programmatic space responds to a separate element, from the spa and yoga rooms to the bar and gym. The design also features an elegant material palette, from carrara marble to solid hemlock and stainless steel.

Gippsland Spa by Carr Design Group, Melbourne, Australia

Designed around Turkish spas, the Gippsland Spa was created with five treatment rooms and a hammam. Tied to its vineyard site, the spa rethinks Australian vernacular outbuildings though a sensitive building mass that floats above the landscape.

Naman Pure Spa by MIA Design Studio, Da Nang, Vietnam

MIA’s Pure Spa was made as 15 treatment rooms arranged around open-air gardens, lotus ponds and relaxation platforms. The project uses local plants to provide privacy while encouraging a healing environment.

Aigai Spa by Figueroa.arq, São Paulo, Brazil

Located in São Paulo, the Aigai Spa was built around balance, health and relaxation. Created as an urban oasis, the spa rises above the ground to create a transition between public and private space. A textured concrete façade frames a large vertical garden, while a footbridge crosses a reflecting pool into the spa.

Pool and Spa area for an Hotel in Majorcaby Estudio A2arquitectos, Balearic Islands, Spain

The Hotel Castell dels Hams’ spa embraces the island’s Mediterranean location and surrounding environment. Oriented with views onto the landscape, the project’s windows create light reflections throughout the building.

Station Blü by Blouin Tardif Architecture-Environnement, Saint-Tite-des-Caps, Canada

Located on the outskirts of the Charlevoix region, Station Blü was built with multiple programmatic spaces housed within three pavilions. Respecting its context, the architecture highlights the nearby river and landscaped area while large openings and terraces cut across the buildings.

Feature image by Gabriel Rancourt Production

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletters.

Author: Eric Baldwin

Based in New York City, Eric was trained in both architecture and communications. As Director of Communications at Sasaki, he has a background spanning media, academia, and practice. He's deeply committed to trying as many restaurants as possible in NYC.