ANCIENT AMBITION
The biggest challenge was to create a mystical atmosphere where relaxation is the main objective
PROJECT: Aire Ancient Baths LOCATION: Vallromanes, Spain ARCHITECTS: Alonso and Balaguer, Barcelona
A
Spanish company offering
experiences designed to encourage
a modern take on the
wellbeing and relaxation.
ancient bathhouses of the Roman, Greek and
According to the architects, led by studio co-founder Luis
Ottoman empires has opened its
Alonso, the design intent was
fifth site in Vallromanes, Spain,
“to maintain the character of the
and has announced the opening
existing house: its essence, rural,
of two more, in Chicago and
agricultural and medieval,” and to
Paris – all designed by Spanish
transport the user on a journey
architects Alonso and Balaguer.
to the past “through its walls,
The Aire Group opened the first Aire Ancient Baths 16 years
ceilings, windows, cracks, crevices, masonry, beams and arches.”
ago, in a restored 16th century
To accentuate this sense of
palace in Seville. Since then it
stepping back in time, the main
has opened four more: Barcelona
entrance and changing rooms of the
(2008), Almeria (2011), New
baths are housed in a new building
York City (2012) and Vallromanes
to the east of the mas, which has a
(2015). A sixth site in Chicago
permeable, lattice-work skin from a
lines of the hallways and different
is set to open this December,
traditional liquor factory on the site.
thermal areas. An old barn adjacent
and a seventh in Paris in 2017.
A glass bridge connects this
The Vallromanes site, like all Aire
structure to the farmhouse itself,
Aire Ancient Baths in Vallromanes is located in a restored farmhouse
to the modern building houses underground vinotherapy chambers.
Ancient Baths sites, is located in
where treatment rooms can be
“The biggest challenge was to
a restored historical building – in
found on the entrance floor and
create a mystical atmosphere where
this case, a 15th century ‘mas’,
wet areas on the floor below.
relaxation is the main objective,”
or farmhouse, at Mas Salagros
From here, a gap in an outer
says the studio. “All Aire Ancient
Ecoresort, 20 minutes from
glass façade offers access to an
Baths constructions follow this
Barcelona. Also in common with
open-air pool, while inside the
magical, mystical premise to achieve
its sister sites, Aire de Vallromanes
house the large stone walls that
a calming effect using natural
features a wide range of pool
support the building dictate the
light and underground spaces.”
The architects aimed to highlight the building’s original features while adding new facilities
CLAD mag 2016 ISSUE 3
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