Hot//Cold//Warm: Reintroducing the Public Bathhouse to the American Society

Abstract

Reintroducing the public bath house to the American Society focuses on the important historical role of this typology in addressing public health and well being. In its beginnings the bath house served as a cleansing facility, while in modern times this function has shifted to the shower cubicle. While the function appears to have remained the same, there is a big difference to the archetype of bathing. Societies have historically searched for ways to create physical contact with water, but throughout history the same elements such as Spiritual, Hygienic, Therapeutic, and Social appear to have remained constant over time. (Croutier, 1992). "The role that bathing plays within a culture reveals the culture's attitude toward human relaxation. It is a measure of how far individual well-being is regarded as an indispensable part of community life" (Giedion, 1948).