BATH HOUSE: Prelude

Bathing is the immersion of the body in a fluid, usually water or an aqueous solution. It may be practiced for hygiene, religious or therapeutic purposes or as a recreational activity.

source: Wikipedia.

“We ought to remember … that the thermae of old, with their routine of daily regeneration, were as much a matter of course to their users as our restaurants are to us. Only more so; they were considered indispensable.”

Bernard Rudofsky

The challenge for this semester's project is to develop a bathhouse from one idea encountered over the semester; which by reconciling issues of form, human activity, meaning and climatic mediation is a delight to inhabit. The outcome will be a well-defined architectural entity that celebrates the ritual of bathing.

The first step in the project involves identifying a bathing ritual. Each tutorial group is therefore expected to research, adapt and describe a ritual for your bath-house. This will be based on research into the bathing rituals of many cultures. The chosen ritual must be clear, simple, preferably easy to adapt to an indoor environment and public. The following questions can be used as a guide or checklist:

• What time period is the ritual prominent?
• Where is the ritual prominent?
• How many persons can take part at any one moment?
• Are men and women (and children) separated or together?
• What are the steps involved in the ritual? (labelled step 1, step 2, step 3 etc.)
• What is the purpose of the ritual? (cleanliness, recreation, religious etc.)
• What is the significance of the ritual to the culture?
• What are the support activities to the main bathing ritual? (drinking, eating, smoking, talking?)
• Is the ritual self-administered or is there mandatory assistance?

The presentation format is open. Format and medium is up to you. Remember it's an opportunity to educate everybody in the studio so make sure you communicate well.

We have received questions about this and powerpoint is acceptable. There must be however some traditional media use in the final images. Also...don't go overboard! Plan to present for 3-5 mins. Start time for the presentation will be 2pm. All work must be pinned up or digital files placed on one machine by 1:30pm

Apologies for the late posting. Any feedback?