Public bath in Gamlestaden: bath as a platform for recreation and social activity

Abstract

Bath culture is existing in many cultures represented in Sweden today and it is a space where we are all equal. Therefore, it is an ideal space for different people to interact with each other. A public bath is a social meeting place where people gather physically but at the same time, they are there themself. The site in Gamlestaden makes the bath available for a large group of people in Gothenburg due to the good connections with public transportation, and in this way different people can go for a bath under the same roof. The bath will function as a platform for citizens to engage and meet. The design proposal consists of a bath, bistro, and a park. The thesis focuses on the rituals (undress-nude-wash-swim-sauna-sweat-wash-dress) conducted when taking a bath. A public bath is the only space where people watch each other naked it demands an understanding of how materials react to our bodies. This master thesis seeks to understand and materialize the space in which people relax and enjoy. A starting point for this project is the discussion of building a new regional bath due to the lack of baths in Gothenburg, and I believe there is a gap between the large baths run by the community and the private spas. It is an attempt to present an alternative bath beyond the existing baths in Gothenburg. This project is executed through research by design as a tool, and it is represented by a mix of iterations, drawings, physical models, and visualizations. Studies of built references are used to understand the spatial and structural execution and literature is studied to understand theoretical concepts of spatial experience.