Co-founders Travis Talmadge and Jason Goodman opened Bathhouse Williamsburg in a converted soda factory in late 2019 in order to combine the vibrant, social elements of bathhouses from around the world alongside an array of treatments for the modern athlete and fitness enthusiast. Bathhouse has now tapped Rockwell Group to design its second 3-level location in the Flatiron. Bathhouse fills a niche at the intersection of a no-frills banya and a luxury spa. Here, guests find an oasis at an accessible price point, offering an elevated experience with a sleek and modern design focus. Aiming to redefine what an American spa experience is, Bathhouse incorporates ancient wisdom with the best of contemporary recovery practices in a socially engaging environment.

Our design concept for Bathhouse’s first Manhattan location was the idea of the Hero’s Journey, the common template in our stories from mythology that involves a hero who embarks on an epic journey or quest, encounters challenges with a decisive apex, and returns home transformed by the adventure and personal growth. At Bathhouse, we saw each component of the guest’s experience, from reception to treatment rooms, as having a narrative corollary to this journey, complete with thresholds, mentors along the way, and helpers along the road to “recovery.” Making dramatic use of light and shadow, our muted, moody material palette includes travertine, fluted glass, stone, concrete, tile, and metals with a patina finish.

Our goal was to create a new architectural language, allowing guests to feel as though they’ve discovered futuristic remnants from an ancient civilization.