The Roman thermal baths have a cultural, historical and social value, they permeated and invaded Europe, from Antiquity until the Middle Ages. The first public baths were built for the use of a modest population then developed to become an essential element of Roman town planning, a symbol of power and wealth. They illustrate the model of life of the citizen, attentive to the care of the body and eager for social and friendly exchanges. It is after the “prandium” (midday meal) that the Romans went to bathe and have fun at the thermal baths, where a “rite of sociality” is accomplished there.  

The legacy they remain with us made us want to work on the thermal baths experience, like a plunge into history. This practice is the subject in our Balnea project, of an immersion for our senses, our body. By re-questioning the practice of bathing thanks to four stages divided over 2000m square of term, Balnea offers swimmers an opportunity to emancipate themselves from their clothes through the water, its different states and the bathing rituals.

Balnea is a luxury resort located in the inner suburbs of Paris, in Colombes more precisely. His architectural inspirations were drawn from the largest thermal baths ever built, those of Caracalla, in the 3rd century AD in Rome. Contemporary elements have been added to create a new language space.