ARCH 602 | Spring 2022
Studio Critic: Daniel Markiewics
Partner with Qixian Zhang
The Bath of Many Vaults aims to blur the binary of bathing experiences and create more opportunities for a spectrum of cultural and bathing activities.
A bathhouse represents the epitome of decadence, and excessive decadence is often a signal of societal decline.
Bathing has cultural roots in various rituals, from Turkish Baths to Scandinavian Saunas to Japanese Osens and Rotenburos. In some cases, notions of excess and hedonism have been associated with the decline of empires; for instance, there were 856 baths in ancient Rome just before the empire fell in the 5th century. The bath house is a flexible program that aims to produce pleasure through relaxation.
Our project is centered around the combination of barrel vaults as a form and Brutalism’s focus on materiality. The barrel vault is a widely used architectural and structural element in many large and open spaces, such as art museums, train stations, and pavilions.
We devised a sandwich-like structure for the vaults, which consists of a 10-inch reinforced concrete shell on the interior, followed by a 5-inch insulation layer that incorporates the necessary air diffuser pipes when needed. A 3-inch exterior concrete shell is applied to the vault to achieve a uniform appearance. To maintain the vault's structural integrity while accommodating window openings, we implemented a ribbing system that spans the gaps within the vaults.
The ribs, measuring 8 inches in thickness, extend from the interior shell to bridge the vault. As illustrated in the window detail drawing, the ribbing occupies the center, while the 2-inch gap beneath the ribbing creates space for the installation of a low-light system in the interior window. This design ensures the continuity of the interior form. Similarly, on the exterior, a customized 2-inch insulated glass unit is installed to align flush with the exterior surface of the concrete shell, preserving the overall vault structure. A notable aspect of addressing heat and moisture trapped between the windows involves incorporating a 1-inch air diffuser pipe within the insulation layer. Additionally, lighting and HVAC systems are placed beneath the floor to maintain the structure's complete form.
Introduce your brand
The Bath of Many Vaults seeks to transcend the traditional dichotomy of bathing experiences, offering a diverse array of cultural and recreational activities. Drawing from the semi-circle shape of the vault, we completed the semi-circle in designing our pools. Our intention for the large circular pools was to allow them to serve a dual purpose when water is not present. The central pool of the bathhouse transforms into a public gathering and social event space, enabling an aqua theater for performances when the water is drained at night.
Radiating from the aqua theater to the edges of each vault unit, the spaces gradually transition from public areas, such as expansive bathing pools, cafes, and bars, to more private facilities like changing rooms, showers, spas, yoga classrooms, and office spaces. Upon entering the bathhouse from the north main entrance, visitors are guided by the walls towards the north corner for changing and showering. Once they exit the changing area, the walls direct them to the central pool. Staff enters the bathhouse from the south side entrance, while the basement serves as a mechanical and storage area, ensuring that visitors and staff do not interfere with one another.
