6 minute read
WELLNESS: TAWARRI HOT SPRINGS
WA’s Largest Spa Is About To Be Built
Tawarri Hot Springs is set to be our next must-visit wellness destination.
Set to become Western Australia’s largest spa facility and the first of its kind in the state, Tawarri Hot Springs has received Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) approval to deliver an immersive bathing and wellness centre in Dalkeith. Designed by Plus Architecture for long-term Dalkeith residents Kathryn Gunn and Barry Jones, the development will bring to life a vision for world-class geothermally powered hot springs facilities accessible for community members and visitors of all ages and abilities. The facility will be built to a 6-Star Green Star rating and support hundreds of new local jobs from construction through to operation, while investing more than $25 million into the WA economy.
Tawarri Hot Springs will cater for up to 220 guests at a time and up to 500 daily and is located approximately 10 minutes from Perth’s CBD. Located across a 5,539m2 site, which formerly housed the historic Dalkeith Hot Pool and old Tawarri Reception Centre, the wellness complex will offer more than 25 different thermal bathing experiences, as well as saunas, hammams, and a Vichy shower, and will feature a restaurant, rooftop bar, café, and day spa.
Nestled against the Swan River, Tawarri Hot Springs’ architecture emphasises the site’s natural beauty through an interplay of natural materials and surface textures, seamlessly integrating landscape with a series of orthogonal pavilions that celebrate and complement the surrounds.
The European-inspired facilities feature both bright open bathing spaces and atmospheric cave-like meditation areas as part of the rejuvenation journey. Visual screens and strategically-designed spaces offer privacy when desired, while public bathing pools and relaxation spaces are communally accessible in open areas where guests can meet and interact.
Applying its award-winning expertise in immersive design to this project, Plus Architecture’s design thoughtfully plays between internal and external spaces, as part of a holistic wellness journey that considers all aspects of the end user’s experience with inclusivity as a core underlying concept. Plus Architecture Perth Director and project lead Patric Przeradzki said the immersive, oasis-like design of Tawarri Hot Springs encourages an idea of discovery, emphasising narrative over aesthetics.
“With the recent global rise in wellness culture, designing ‘just a pool’ is no longer enough –considering the entire experience of the user is central to creating memorable spa experiences,” Przeradzki said.
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen an increased awareness of how buildings impact our health and wellbeing. A decade ago, there was little consideration given to wellness in our built environment, but it’s exciting to now see the majority of projects across all sectors – including universities, airports, and residential developments -–incorporating wellness real estate principles.
What is wellness architecture?
There’s a growing body of research exploring how the design of buildings can influence our health, and I think the next stage is to move beyond single parameters like temperature and ventilation to take a more holistic approach to wellness in design.
“When it comes to designing healthy buildings, we need to take into consideration every aspect of the human experience in a space. This goes beyond physical health and means designing spaces that are inclusive of neurodiverse needs, and understanding how acoustics and stimuli within a building can affect anxiety and stress. This humancentred approach is at the very heart of our design of Tawarri Hot Springs. We’ve honed in on a comprehensive wellness journey that prioritises the emotional as well as the physical experience, through a rich research-led design approach. The architecture is strongly grounded in the landscape and gives equal attention to the moments in between bathing – relaxation, socialising, dining – guided by an overall core principle of inclusivity that ensures the experience is accessible to everyone, regardless of age or ability.”
Przeradzki and the Plus Architecture team undertook a rigorous, research-led design approach – including observing new wellness technologies across spas in France and Italy – in seeking to bring the ingenuity of a European spa experience to Australia.
“Our research enabled us to understand how these wellness destinations serve both the individual and the community. People use these places to relax in the spa, but they also want to explore the space, take photos, and socialise. It was therefore also important to give equal attention to the moments that exist between the ‘spa’ experiences such as dining and leisure time,” says Przeradzki.
“With Tawarri Hot Springs, our overall vision was to bring the ingenuity of the world-class European spa experience to Australia. As part of an intensive research process, we visited ten leading facilities in Italy, France, Scandinavia and the UK to understand what makes these spaces really successful, and importantly how we can apply these principles in Australia while ensuring that the design is tailored to the needs of the local community.
“One of the things we discovered was that European spas are about so much more than just the bathing or sauna itself – they provide holistic wellness services that seamlessly blend traditional wellness services with hospitality, beauty, relaxation and fitness. This all-inclusive, experience-driven approach to design is a core underlying principle for Tawarri Hot Springs.
“Importantly, we understood that a successful wellness and spa destination is a sum of its working parts: technicians, cleaners, engineers, maintenance, and so much more. There’s a tremendous amount of operations work that goes into presenting an immaculate wellness experience, which is why we’ve collaborated with leading experts, like water and spa consultants Barr + Wray, to ensure Tawarri’s design supports both visitors and staff in all aspects of its operation.”
“Importantly, we understood that a successful wellness and spa destination is a sum of its working parts: technicians, cleaners, engineers, maintenance, and so much more. There’s a tremendous amount of operations work that goes into presenting an immaculate wellness experience, which is why we’ve collaborated with leading experts, like water and spa consultants Barr + Wray, to ensure Tawarri’s design supports both visitors and staff in all aspects of its operation.”
An attractive tourism prospect that is set to revitalise Dalkeith and the surrounding region, Tawarri Hot Springs has already generated widespread enthusiasm across the Perth community.
Owner Kathryn Gunn said Tawarri Hot Springs had been designated a ‘Strategic Tourism Attraction’ by the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation and would boost Perth’s global reputation as a must- visit destination.
“While we expect to attract visitors from interstate and overseas, the Tawarri Hot Springs has been designed for and by the people of Western Australia and Dalkeith – using local materials and stories to deliver a peaceful and sustainable wellness destination for the suburb we’re proud to call home,” she said.
“There’s nothing like it in WA which is why we are so excited to be working with our community to deliver the project.”
Construction on Tawarri Hot Springs is slated to commence in the latter half of 2023.
