Bath House and SPA in Australia

Its regeneration Hepburn Bath House and Spa is celebrating its emergence as an iconic local landmark and the continuous use of the space as a healing mineral spa center, ensuring its sustainability and quality development in the future. Spa in Australia

The new North Pavilion is an impressive single storey structure containing the main public swimming pools as well as changing facilities at creek level and reception above.

A bridge link from the car park provides access in the building on the mezzanine inside a long roof and mainly glass on the walls that ensure a contextual intimacy. Turf with subtle overhanging skylight elements, the building gently nestles into the surrounding creek bed. The concept for both interior and exterior design was equal and identical.

Spa in Australia

The design team consciously approached the installation as a whole, rather than an envelope and the interior. Materials and details from the exterior are carried over to the interiors, creating a seamless approach and expression. Cast concrete, exposed aggregate and split face brick reflect the context within which the bathhouse exists, while a range of indoor pools vessels or voids carved out of the rock groove in which the installation is located are shown.

The reconstructed south wing is linked by a low-level glazing, which creates a clear distinction between the modern architecture to the north and the heritage elements which have been extensively restored, restoring the grandeur of the central pavilion and maintaining a link with older traditions. interior is the deliberate avoidance of applied finishes.

The materials are raw and honest, selected for patina according to age and use. The structural timber is recycled and re-sawn, bearing marks and irregularities that celebrate its former use.

Once in the central pool hall, the experience continues to unfold around corners and through caves offering a circuit of experiences. There is a clear separation between the activities with the materials and details used to clearly define the function as well as to clearly delineate the heritage fabric and the modern elements.

Fundamental to the operation of the Bath is its precious mineral water. The objective of using no more than the previous facilities by significantly increasing the capacity of the pools was achieved by redistributing the way water is used, adopting filters to reduce losses and reducing pressure on the aquifer by spreading the demand and reducing of use.

The uniqueness of the facility and its environment present a number of challenges for a sustainable design solution. Mineral water is fundamental for the operation of the Bath. Managing this valuable resource was a key objective of the design team.

The aim was not to use more mineral water than the previous installation, while significantly increasing the capacity of the water bodies. This was achieved by redistributing the way mineral water is used, adopting filters that reduce backwash losses and reducing pressure on the aquifer by spreading demand and reducing peak use.

Rainwater is also collected and used for toilet flushing and irrigation offsetting the city's water demand. The activities carried out in the bath present environmental demands that usually require extremely high energy consumption.

Through the application of double glazing, insulation, heat exchanger, natural ventilation and other design initiatives, the energy requirements of the operations have been significantly reduced. Local materials with low embodied energy from sustainable sources and manufactured by local professionals have been used wherever possible. The life cycle of previous projects was only 15 years. The new facility has been designed from the ground up with longevity in mind.

Below the pool deck is a host of services that provide warm air to the sloping glass walls. This plenum eliminates the need for exposed duct work and greatly reduces condensation on the glazing, an important aspect in creating the clean open space of the pool hall.

The Plenum also allows access to the pool's hydraulic systems, which are susceptible to blockages from the build-up of mineral salts in the water. The south wings have been adapted and reused in the bath complex in a free and integrated way that saves resources and energy.

The interiors are designed to take advantage of daylight as much as possible while avoiding glare and solar heat gain.

The client and design team's ambitions for the building far exceeded the available budget. A design approach was required that used economically durable materials in an attractive and expressive way.

Concrete, split face block, reclaimed timber and exposed aggregate flooring form the economic core of the building in which small areas of engineered detail highlight unique spaces.

Central to the interior design theme was the facility's long-term durability. The life cycle of the structure is fundamental to the economic efficiency of the development. A minimal applied finish and selection of materials for their ability to withstand the corrosive mineral water environment should result in a facility that ages gracefully and lasts.

The uniqueness of the project meant that items that are not normally cost effective could be considered. The number of private baths required created an economy of scale where it was more economical to custom-cast concrete items than to source manufactured items. Likewise, the maintenance requirements of bathroom faucets made it more economical to build unique assemblies than to modify available items.

Cast aluminum column bases in the pool room also yielded an unexpected economy. The requirement for corrosion resistance and the complex shape meant that it would be more expensive to manufacture the item from plate steel. The result is both sculptural and functional. Spa in Australia

The reuse of the existing building fabric and services also contributed to the cost-effectiveness of the design.

The materials chosen are an integral part of the expression of the basic design concept: the mineral water emerging from the rock.

The nature of the bath environment, a potentially corrosive atmosphere and high levels of humidity have led to a response that is both robust and integrated into the buildings narrative and core design concept. The concrete block form and split face reflects the rock from which the mineral water flows.

All other functions are handled slightly above this datum with glass, steel and timber. In the corrosive environment of mineral water it is inevitable that surfaces will stain and patina over time. The rawness and simplicity of the chosen palette should hold up well to this patina.

Recycled iron bark has been used for the main columns, supports and window frame. The recycled and sawn bark comes from a recently demolished 100-year-old wharf in Sydney's Darling Harbour. The stability and durability of the timber make it ideal for this application.

The entire column is functional and sculptural. The handcrafted cast aluminum bronze legs celebrate the uniqueness of the materials used and respond to the often intimate relationship bathers have with typical structural elements.

Iron bark flooring is used as a thematic link between areas in the new north wing and the renovated south wings. The floorboards are not limited to the floor, but flow along the walls throughout the ceiling and create recessed seating and benches.

Molded glass surfaces enclosing the reception area allow a view into the pool room while still providing a high level of personal privacy.SPA in Australia
Materials of use and details are used to clearly define the separation between old and new work.

At both a macro and a detailed level, the demarcation between the heritage fabric and the new elements is apparent and clear.