“Your proposition, like you, is simple, of interest only to the human soul: vast reach of all that is not, and still something is.” -Jane Hirshfield, To Spareness BATH HOUSE POWER HOUSE
annie robinson studio condia 2.3.12
The BathHouse derived from the study of transformation amongst abandoned buildings within an urban fabric. The phenomenon of reuse has lost its “willingness to proceed1” and has culminated in the blighted areas of industrial wasteland. However, the brownfields are a palimpsest of stories, etched with past building footprints and discarded building fragments. Each abandoned building holds a unique history within its empty shell. It is through this history that one can decipher an intrinsic, underlying substance and use it to transform old into new. How do we use history as a tool to determine new use for an abandoned building? Upon this transformation, does the essence of the building remain? Heidegger calls this intrinsic quality “thingness.2” Kahn calls it “the spirit of its making.1” No matter its name, the spirit, essence, thingness must be translated through the vessel of an existing structure. We find this thingness at the intersection of past and present. This intersection dictates what fills the vessel of Laclede Power Co. It’s
a
BATHHOUSE
in a
POWERHOUSE.
because history tells us.
The building (used 1902-1978), is situated along the Mississippi River, due north of the St. Louis Arch Grounds. It generated the first light of the city and shone as a sign of power and promise during the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. This fair particularly celebrated technology in the Industrial Age—man gaining control over nature. Directly across from the site is a 2,200 foot artesian well, the result of an intentioned sugar refinery’s conversion into a public bath in the 1920s. the present requires it.
harry steinberg, smokestacks
cloudfiles.rac/zumthor
1
Today, the site of the building is the trailhead for the Confluence Greenway, beginning 12 miles of new path along the riverfront. The path has a constant flow of bikers and runners. This focus on physical exercise just outside the city center displays a clear desire for both holistic health and urban escape. Even through economic recession, the spa industry has risen 10% in the last ten years, steadily showing the importance of health in times of stress. Through examination of ancient rituals, the bathing experience can be broken down into two parts: looking outward and looking inward. The Roman bathhouse was the cetner of social life, a place for culture and conversation. Simoltaneously, it was a place for rest and reflection. In response to this duplicity, the buildling will become a combination a community pool and high end spa in a museum-like experience--light and water displaying the beauty of human form. 1 Cook, John W., Heinrich Klotz, and Philip Johnson. Conversations with Architects: Louis Kahn
(and Others). London: Lund Humphries, 1973. Print.
2 Heidegger, Martin. Poetry, Language, Thought. New York: Harper & Row, 1971.
THE SITE. 1246 LEWIS STREET ST.LOUIS, MO Three
embracing the river.
tasks present themselves upon examining the site:
The river, like the land, was once a catalyst for city activity and transportation. How can its past culture resonate and reconnect with the visitors of the bathhouse? Water is the key element within and without the structure. The visitor experiences water in two different perspectives: in a controlled, immersing environment as well as a powerful, natural entity. Connected to the self, and connected to the world surrounding. River water enters through the previous condenser of the powerhouse, causing a constant flux of water level in the five subfloors and the basement of the building. This relationship should be maintained in an observational and interactive manner.
embracing the building.
The building being a part of the site, how can it remain cherished, as well as transformed? The program in the building focuses specifically on preserving rituals—the processional ritual of an active power station, the ritual of every moving water, and the ritual of bathing-- as well as preserving the spatial and structural qualities.
embracing history.
2
Can the historical essence remain through transformation? The history is expressed in the revitalization of the existing structure and surrounding area, paying special attention to former use and significance.
THE PROGRAM: PREPARE
bath360.uk.co
GATHER
Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities
SUPPORT
becker-architekten.net
3
Atrium Front Desk Café Changing Rooms (individual) Cloak Room Showers (men, women) Restrooms (men, women, family) Waiting Area
1000 150 650 1000 500 450 500 150
sqft sqft sqft sqft sqft sqft sqft sqft
Outward: Cold Plunge (52˚F) Steam Rooms (men, women) War m Bath (78˚F) Hot Bath (102˚F) Indoor Pool (82˚F) Outdoor Pool (90˚F) Outdoor Grotto Outdoor Terrace Sauna (men, women)
200 600 600 200 1600 2700 80 600 600
sqft sqft sqft sqft sqft sqft sqft sqft sqft
Inward: Rest Areas (x3) Massage (x3) Medicinal Baths (x3)
600 sqft 360 sqft 300 sq ft
People: Attendants Office Main Office Laundry
240 150 250 100
sqft sqft sqft sqft
T hings: Sanitation Plant Mechanical Water Treatment (wastewater, freshwater) Storage
1000 700 550 200
sqft sqft sqft sqft
Circulation (30%)
4809 sqft
Square Footage Available: (if all three floors were occupied)
51,000 sqft
Total Square Footage Necessary:
20,839 sq ft