08-08 May 2024
Hotel Melià ,
Milano ,
Italy
|
10-12 May 2024
China Import & Export Fair Complex,
Guangzhou,
China
|
13-16 May 2024
Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia ,
Italy
|
14 May 2024
JPMorgan Chase Headquarters,
New York City,
United States
|
18-22 May 2024
The Ravenala Attitude Hotel,
Mauritius
|
23-24 May 2024
Large Hall of the Chamber of Commerce (Erbprinzenpalais),
Wiesbaden,
Germany
|
30-30 May 2024
Four Seasons Hotel George V,
Paris,
France
|
30 May - 02 Jun 2024
Rimini Exhibition Center,
Rimini,
Italy
|
|
|
|
Lakefront urban spa kiosks with Roman roots designed for Chicago architectural competition |
|
By Jane Kitchen 21 Sep 2015 |
The spa kiosks were the team's idea to bring people to the lakefront during the cold winter months Credit: Urban Therme
|
One of the entries for the Chicago Architecture Biennial Lakefront Kiosk Competition featured an idea for a 2,000sq ft (186sq m) urban Urban Therme spa created by designers Kyle Bigart, Andrew Sommerville and Alex Paulette.
The Chicago Architecture Biennial is a new event that the City of Chicago is putting on this year to open up a dialogue with the public about architecture and design.
Hosted by the Biennial, the Lakefront Kiosk Competition asked for proposals of a retail kiosk to be built along the city’s lakeshore, with certain limitations including size, budget and mobility.
“Living in Chicago, we know that the lakefront is heavily congested during the summer, but during the cold winter months, the lakefront quickly becomes desolate,” said Bigart.
The team looked at winter activities like ice fishing or a warming hut for die-hard runners, but ultimately ditched those ideas, as they wouldn’t have wide-scale appeal.
“A spa, which is both public and private at the same time, eventually emerged as the clear and best way to solve all these issues,” said Bigart. “Although it clearly wasn’t what the prompt or competition was exactly looking for, we knew it was an idea people needed to hear. We wanted people to start thinking of the lakeshore as what it can become rather than what it currently is.”
The Urban Therme spas are designed in mobile kiosks and made to serve multiple spa experiences, including hot and cold baths and dry saunas. The plan calls for a “herd of spas” to move along the lakeshore.
The team researched ancient Roman spas for inspiration.
“The logic is beautifully simple – spas have existed for thousands of years, and this way we didn’t need to invent any new technology, but learned to adapt Roman technology for our modern-day kiosk,” said Bigart. “This design process followed through to every aspect of the kiosk, like lifting the roof for sky views, which then also doubles as a rain catchment system.”
The team has designed the spa kiosks to include a roof cavity that acts as a rainwater catchment, which is stored in a series of reservoir tanks embedded in the back wall. A solar water heater maintains consistent temperatures where needed, and water is cleaned through an electro-magnetic filtration system powered by 24v batteries kept charged by photovoltaic paneling.
During the summer months, the kiosks become a shady respite for beachgoers, as the units point east, utilising the cool lake breeze from its large covered patio. During winter, the kiosks face the opposite way, shielding from the wind and looking towards Chicago’s skyline.
While Urban Therme was ultimately not the winner of the competition, Bigart said the reception from the public and the spa community has been so positive that it’s made the team think more about the project’s future.
He said while the project was contextually designed for Chicago, it could work in other cities – particularly those with the same cold weather lakefront issues.
“If there is continued interest at this level, I think we will start to look into refining the idea more and turning the conceptual idea into a more realistic project, and hopefully someday in the future realise the Urban Therme idea,” he said.
|
|
News |
1 to 12 of 8706 news stories |
|
|
01 May 2024
Marriott International has signed a new deal with Neom to open a Ritz-Carlton Reserve property as part of Trojena, a brand new year-round mountain adventure destination in Saudi Arabia. Launching in 2026, Trojena is a ... More
|
|
|
|
27 Apr 2024
The Bannatyne Group says it has officially bounced back from the pandemic, with both turnover and profits restored to pre-2020 levels in 2023, according to its year-end results. Owned by former BBC Dragon’s Den investor, ... More
|
|
|
|
25 Apr 2024
Kerzner International has signed deals to operate two new Siro recovery hotels in Mexico and Saudi Arabia, following the launch of the inaugural Siro property in Dubai this February. Designed to offer guests a holistic ... More
|
|
|
|
24 Apr 2024
The US spa industry is continuing its upward trajectory, achieving an unprecedented milestone with a record-breaking revenue of US$21.3 billion in 2023, surpassing the previous high of US$20.1 billion in 2022. This data stems from ... More
|
|
|
|
24 Apr 2024
Short-term incentives to exercise, such as using daily reminders, rewards or games, can lead to sustained increases in activity, according to new research. Researchers found that even a simple daily reminder encouraged people to move ... More
|
|
|
|
24 Apr 2024
Spa and wellness veteran Shannon Malave has been named spa director at iconic US spa destination Mohonk Mountain House. Based in New York’s verdant Hudson Valley and founded in 1869, Mohonk is a historic Victorian ... More
|
|
|
|
23 Apr 2024
Six Senses Kyoto opens its doors today, marking the eco-luxury hotel and spa operator’s entry into Japan and a new addition to its urban collection. Situated in the historic Higashiyama district, the 81-key hotel is ... More
|
|
|
|
23 Apr 2024
The UAE’s first-ever Dior Spa has officially launched at The Lana, Dubai – the Dorchester Collection’s debut property in the Middle East. Bathed in natural daylight on the hotel’s 29th floor, Dior Spa The Lana ... More
|
|
|
|
22 Apr 2024
The Sacred River Spa at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan will reopen later this year with an all-new design plus enhanced treatments and experiences inspired by its river valley home. Nestled amid rich tropical ... More
|
|
|
|
18 Apr 2024
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has released new data on the US’ wellness economy, valuing it at US$1.8 trillion. According to the organisation's recent report – called The Global Wellness Economy: United States – the ... More
|
|
|
|
19 Apr 2024
UK sauna enthusiasts will converge at Galgorm Resort in Northern Ireland next week for the highly anticipated second annual UK Aufguss Championships. Hosted from 22-24, the event will see competitors from across the UK showcasing ... More
|
|
|
|
17 Apr 2024
Remedy Place, a US-based social wellness club brand, is poised for steady expansion in the coming years, with plans to open two new clubs annually moving forward Remedy Place is the brainchild of Dr Jonathan ... More
|
|
|
|
|
Mindbody |
Mindbody is the leading business management software for the fitness and wellness industries.
[more] |
|
|
|
|