PRAGUE THE WORLD´S NARROWEST SPA - building 3 meters wide Studio Suchánek I Jánoš I TUL CZ I 2014 Challenge: How to fit spa into only 3 meters wide gap between buildings? Site specific: Narodní is very busy shopping street and one of the two buildings is historically protected shopping centre Máj. Discovery: The protected building cannot be touched, so the solution might be building of external concrete wall next to it. Part of the site has no access to natural light, which can be seen also as advantage for the graduating experience as you climb to the light. Entering the building a moment of tension comes upon you. The space is high but narrow. After leaving the open space you enter the first box, the dressing room. The first relaxation area with high ceiling gives you some time to prepare yourself for your dive into the first cleaning box. Here starts the regeneration process by heat. Showers are followed by minimal spaces of Finnish sauna, steam bath and sauna with steam wave. The smell of wood is a constant reminder of nature. The strong difference between cleaning box and monumental interspace creates a feeling of freedom and empowerment. Navigation between boxes can be done via a paternoster or sets of stairs and ramps. The way is part of the cleaning process. As you walk from one box to another you pass benches, hammocks, sitting bags and tables with refreshments. The higher you get the higher level of purification you can achieve. Another 25 meters long volume, the swimming lane pops out of the building overseeing the street. Rising higher in the building light passes more and more trough the glazed perimeter of the building. You stop at the roofed terraces, or climb up to the highest box.
PORTFOLIO I Petra Ross I petra.ross@gmail.com
Accessibility
In between spaces for relaxation
Open vs. closed space
Street view - Národní
PRAGUE I Narrow spa
PORTFOLIO I Petra Ross I petra.ross@gmail.com
view to the sky music bath
sun terrace
glazed sun terrace
Top floors A-A´
B-B´
C-C´
PRAGUE I Narrow spa