The city's dazzling neon lights shimmer, consuming youth and time in their radiant display.

People dressed in their finest frequent upscale venues, but as the fatigue of maintaining such polished appearances grows, they increasingly seek out moments of relaxation. Beyond the usual activities of dining, shopping, and movie-going, "bathhouses" are emerging as a favoured leisure option to navigate the chill of winter. The evolution of these spaces with each upgrade in space and branding is subtle yet profound.

In partnership with Shangchen Bathhouse, designer Wei Zhixue has reimagined the bathhouse experience, merging the brand’s leisure-focused client positioning with innovative experiential designs. This collaboration transcends the conventional boundaries of bathing facilities by meticulously crafting a space that caters to various demographics. Spanning 6000 square meters across two floors, the design incorporates a strategic layout of functional flows, central scenic views, and deeply engaging details to ensure a harmonious blend of diverse scenes. This urban sanctuary focuses on rejuvenating body and mind, emphasizing a retreat to serenity far from the madding crowd.

The public area on the ground floor opens with a lush burst of greenery, selecting vibrant plant life and deep hues of red leaves to set the stage for the dramatic, suspended grand chandelier overhead. Above the elevator, a "floating" box establishes a calming and relaxing prelude before guests formally enter the bathhouse.

Architect Renzo Piano once remarked, "By ignoring the boundaries of rules, we shuffle the deck," and the design seeks to imbue the space with limitless possibilities: The third-floor reception hall embodies the concept of an "urban living room," making bold use of architectural surface materials. Incorporating layers of volcanic rock elements, it continually emphasizes the sequential flow and expansiveness of the space.

The reception area adopts an enclosed central layout, using geometric designs and a sense of order to create an enveloping atmosphere while balancing openness and interaction. Dynamic wall configurations provide directional guidance and a smooth transition between the interior and exterior. The simple geometric volumes narrate a spiritual elevation and purity glimpsed through the interstices.

In crafting these spatial interfaces, the design is enhanced by the deep textures of dark green stone and an inventive series of metal home furnishings, continually creating intriguing and vibrant transitional spaces. Supported by the interplay of colour and light, one immediately feels enveloped by a distinctive ambiance upon entry. "The greatest nurturer, water, enriches all," encapsulating how the space's artistic sensibility is finely and uniformly reflected in the details, enveloping visitors like silk and nurturing the soul like water.

The design's repetitive arrays enhance the experience along the corridor, seamlessly guiding visitors into the changing rooms where their journey begins. On either side, the neatly arranged lockers expand the space through a detailed mirrored symmetry, alleviating the claustrophobia typically associated with dimly lit environments. Even in the subtle bevelling of the signage letters, there lies a clever integration of the overall design.

The bath area unfolds in an expanse of continuous volcanic rock, providing a warm yet coarse texture that offers a profound sense of security amidst the misty ambiance. The varied combinations of home fixtures demonstrate a masterful control over materials and forms, creating an ambiance where the interplay of light and space, with their overlaps and intersections, softly blurs the lines of tranquillity.

Given the bath space's naturally dim features, the design strategically uses rough natural stone and smooth mirrored surfaces on longer facades and corners to craft a serene, primitive force. This is complemented by the warmth of gentle lighting and the juxtaposition of different materials, creating a dynamic and textured interface that further strengthens the brand's unique identity and memorability.

Bathing guests can immerse themselves in the warmth of soothing hues and natural textures, drifting leisurely through a space that epitomizes comfort and relaxation. The semi-enclosed design of the structure not only ensures privacy for bathers but also captures the poetic romance of "lush greenery framing a tranquil courtyard."

"Rivers flow eastward to the sea," with movement paths extending from the separate male and female bathing areas and converging in the communal zone. Vertical staircases elevate visual and experiential dimensions, adhering to yet disrupting order, where the interplay of base, apex, and plane crafts a delicate arc, presenting an orderly and aesthetically pleasing spatial design.

In the rest area, soft lighting paired with the steam room's sea salt-lit walls allows guests to relax deeply, opening up more fully to enjoy a dual delight of visual and physical indulgence. Under subdued lighting, a serene calm envelops the mind, distancing it from the hustle and bustle while simultaneously capturing the essence of both artistic and natural beauty, offering a tranquil, exclusive spatial experience.

The communal leisure area is a multifaceted space designed to simultaneously accommodate dining, steam baths, movies, and other forms of entertainment, providing an advanced, relaxing experience. The bi-directional expansion of the rock structure, combined with swiftly focused views, ushers in another level of sensory indulgence.

Transitioning from the dimly lit areas to the bright dining zone, the interplay of light and shadows between plants and acrylic enriches the space with visual intricacies, lending a soft and comfortable visual impression to the setting. The indoor arched ceilings, with their indirect lighting, create an atmosphere of enhanced softness and tranquillity.

Design goes beyond problem-solving; it delves into the infinite possibilities of the unknown. In the Shangchen Bathhouse, designer Wei Zhixue demonstrates an expert command of materials and original designs. By intricately weaving together modular combinations, scene-specific adaptations, and a bespoke furniture system within a replicable framework, he introduces a variety of possibilities. Bringing the popular lifestyle trend of soaking into the mix, the design uses geometric forms and a sense of spirituality in dim, flickering light to weave a narrative of interaction between people and space, exploring new sensory experiences.

PROJECT DETAILS

Project Name: Shangchen Bathhouse

Location: Hangzhou, Zhejiang

Area: 6,000 square meters

Completion time: November, 2023

Design Company: WUXING YOUXING SPACE DESIGN

Chief Designer:Wei Zhixue

Assistant Designer:Sun Zheng, Wu Guibi, Qian Zhendie

Construction Unit: Hangzhou Beiding Decoration

Lighting Design: Hangzhou Infinite Environment Design

Landscape Production: Hangzhou Wolin Planting Art

Lighting device: Hangzhou Zhige Lighting

Photographer: Hanmo Vision·Zhang Jianing