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Not quite a thalassotherapy centre, nor a
balneotherapy centre, spas bring together all the virtues of water
therapy, traditional beauty treatments and specialised treatments
using specific products into one place that is conducive to
complete serenity and calm. This new era reveals a very real need
for relaxation in today’s society and is attracting a growing
clientele.
A visit to a spa enables you to recharge your batteries, attend to
your well-being and get back in shape in a gentle manner, which is
facilitated by an environment and facilities that are conducive to
relaxation. At these spa venues the body recuperates in an
atmosphere that quickly makes you forget about the stresses and
everyday anxieties of your life. You leave feeling like you have
regained control and rediscovered a sense of energy and vitality
as well as an inner peace, both physically and mentally.
Conducive to regeneration and communication, the welcoming and
relaxing atmosphere of the spa naturally invites further
relaxation through treatments by awakening the senses and ensuring
that body and mind are equally well prepared.
Far from being in opposition to traditional beauty salons and
establishments, the spa should be seen as a new supplementary
concept. In fact it is possible to transform and personalise an
existing beauty salon, by gradually incorporating areas that cater
for aspects such as well-being, water, relaxation thus evolving
your establishment to include new and novel approaches to beauty
therapy.
Initially one might have regarded the spa as a passing fad but now
all indicators seem to point to the fact that the spa has become
an established institution, responding to the very real needs of a
stressed out society.
Nevertheless in order to be able to respond to the needs of this
new clientele and to be able to recommend effective treatments and
products, which help to re-awaken the five senses through their
textures, colours, smells and efficacy, it is important to create
specific areas which we will discuss later in this article. These
areas, which can be linked in various ways, should first and
foremost be adapted to the constraints imposed by water
treatments, namely water, steam and heat.
ABOUT STEAM
To simplify things, traditionally we have distinguished between
dry steam (like the kind experienced inside a sauna) and humid
steam (like the kind that fills a hammam cabin).
In reality, if you examine the different parameters associated
with heat, vapour and the layout or structure of the room, you
will discover that the atmospheres created by combining different
elements together will result in a person experiencing different
beneficial results.
The different rooms that one may find in a spa correspond to
precise definitions:
The steam bath
The beneficial effects of hot steam on the skin and lungs have
been recognised since Antiquity. Today we know that a temperature
between 43° and 48° is ideal for a Roman steam bath. The humidity
of the steam produced by a Roman bath is naturally 100%, which
results in the easy flow of perspiration from the pores of the
skin upon contact with the steam, leaving skin cleansed and soft.
You will also feel the joints start to loosen up and become more
supple.
Essential oils can also be added to the steam to maximise the
purging effect of the steam on the bronchial tubes.
The hammam
A hammam bath consists of a steam bath with heating benches and in
one room the sopa massage which is performed by the “hammam
master”. Originating in the Orient, the design and construction of
the hammam contributes to the overall effect created. The hammam
room builds an atmosphere where heat and intense humidity combine
together: it is the ideal preparation for a wet massage on a
heated stone bench.
The tepidarium
Upon entering a tepidarium, you quickly experience a pleasant and
relaxation sensation of well-being and a deepening feeling of calm
and equilibrium. The air in this tiled room is heated to the same
temperature as the human body, which then absorbs as much heat as
it emits.
A tepidarium does not release humid steam, but its walls and
benches are maintained at a temperature of approximately 40°.
As a result of the heat, the blood vessels dilate which improves
the circulation, especially in the cold areas of the body. The
body warms up but without excessive perspiration which allows you
to stay in the tepidarium for as long as you want. A tepidarium
session is not tiring.
The laconium and the caldarium
A laconium is similar to a tepidarium except that the temperature
of the walls is elevated to between 50° - 60°C. In a caldarium you
are simultaneously strengthened and regenerated internally: this
is healing in its purest form.
Unlike the sauna, the temperature of the air in a caldarium is
lower than that of the surface of the walls. In a caldarium you
can perspire without overburdening the metabolism and without
experiencing any difficulty in breathing.
The caldarium represents the steam bath in its initial definition.
With a humid atmosphere the caldarium reaches a temperature of
around 42° - 45°.
In short, then, a bath in the heat of a caldarium relieves one of
stress, without any side effects. You can stay in the caldarium
for up to an hour but it is important to make sure that the body
is then cooled down progressively after ending the session.
The sauna
The sauna, whose origins can be traced back to the Nordic
countries, is the ultimate dry steam bath.
During a sauna session the temperature of the body begins to rise,
resulting in the blood vessels dilating, which means the heart
doesn’t need to work as hard to pump the blood around the body;
and the muscles relax. The brief period during which the body
temperature is raised increases resistance and the excessive
perspiration which ensues helps to detoxify the body. Every sauna
session must be followed by a cooling down period, during which
the blood vessels contract.
Therefore, the heart, the circulation and blood pressure are
activated during a phase of intensity following a period of
relaxation.
The sauna is one of the most intense experiences for both body and
mind.
There are a number of ways to incorporate a sauna into a spa
complex. The sauna may take the form of a wooden panelled
structure using different types of wood that are very solid,
stable and durable; or a multi-functional soft sauna which keeps
air at a low temperature of about 60°C with a traditional steam
generator; or a solid wood structure, made from pine wood from
Finland.
With every sauna installation, we look for personalised
architectural solutions that give each establishment its own
unique character.
The individual identity of the sauna is created from the types of
heating devices used, the finish on the surface of the walls, the
unconventional style benches, the glass doors and the lighting
which gives the room a particular ambiance.
SPECIALISED BATHS
These different ambiances evoke a sense of well-being and this
sensation is completed by a specialised bath treatment, whose
efficacy is greatly enhanced by the preparatory phase.
The massage bath
Treating yourself to a bath in an exotic location is an experience
on its own. A massage is especially relaxing when it is performed
gently on part of the body or the whole body. Sensorial, relaxing
or energetic massages are highly recommended.
To achieve therapeutic effects, the massage can be combined with
programmed filiform water jets. You can have up to 230 jets
targeting the reflexology points on the body or you can mix water
and air, which can be adjusted to provide a gentle or an intensive
treatment.
The water-bed massage
New technology now makes it possible to combine a classic massage
with the benefits of heat-assisted therapy and massages underneath
the water.
The basic principle lies in the projection of water in waves onto
a water-bed.
The strength of the massage can be regulated, which results in a
very comfortable and pleasant massage. It is a very appealing
additional service offered by treatment centres.
The Rhassoul bath
The rhassoul bath also stems from oriental traditions. Rhassoul is
a type of Moroccan clay which one strokes onto the body, massaging
the skin.
Thanks to this treatment, which simultaneously uses heat, steam
and a projection of water, this mineral clay has a particularly
beneficial effect on the skin.
A rhassoul session is followed by a cleansing and a time of rest
outside.
The Venus bath
Everything that is good for the body and the inner person is also
good for enhancing natural beauty.
The traditions and customs of ancient civilisations are used today
in different types of mud baths and detoxifying treatments:
grasses, healing clays, chalk, body oils and bath ingredients…
they all enhance the skin and hair.
These beauty and well-being treatments also need to be
administered in a pleasant environment to ensure that they are
enjoyable.
The ice bath
After heavy perspiration – head for refreshing humidity. It’s a
wonderfully playful experience.
The blood vessels which were dilated through perspiration once
again contract and, despite this, circulation returns to normal.
The cooling period can be a truly unforgettable experience if
conducted in a chilled cave, for example, maintained at a
temperature of 4°C or in an icy spring, filled with crushed ice.
You feel like an Eskimo in an igloo with iced walls and floors,
and then you have to enter the icy cave or dip yourself in the
deliciously refreshing water which is lowered to a temperature of
8°.
The whirlpool bath
Water provides an extremely sensory massage. A jet of water
massages the surface of the skin. You can immediately feel how
circulation is stimulated in the tissue.
One of the biggest advantages of a whirlpool bath is that it is
such an enjoyable experience. Whirlpool baths come in a number of
round or hexagonal shapes with an overflow channel but we would
recommend the one-person variety because they offer optimal
hygiene and are also less expensive to operate because they cater
for the needs of a single person.
The affusion shower
The different types of affusion showers available allow you to
target certain areas, stimulate peripheral micro-circulation and
stimulate muscles in aver deep way.
The foot bath
The foot bath forms part of the traditional sauna ritual, whether
you like to progress from a hot bath to a cold bath or whether you
prefer a milder heat. In either case, a foot bath is a must after
every sauna and you must not forget to have one installed in your
spa.
CAREFULLY DESIGNED SPACES
Because a spa needs to be inviting and should provide the best
surroundings to ensure the client’s comfort, the different bath
areas are decorated with fountains, showers and fireplaces and
linked by relaxation areas which facilitate communication.
Special effect fountains and showers
Watching water flow out of a fountain has a soothing effect, just
as an invigorating shower has a stimulating and revitalising
effect.
A fountain is a symbol of revived life, representing eternal
motion but it also radiates a sense of peace and purity. No one
can resist its appeal. That is why it is an established tradition,
almost an unwritten rule, to position a fountain in the centre of
your plan.
There are a large number of showers to suit every taste and
temperament: from the simple showerhead positioned at head-height
or the flexible kind, to the more elaborate massage showers that
can be programmed to achieve special effects through a variety of
water jets, aromas, lights and sounds.
A shower enables one to rediscover the natural energy of water as
it falls on the body.
Open fireplaces
An open fireplace emits a feeling of comfort in the centre of a
relaxation chamber. There are a number of wood fires but modern
gas fires are more practical to use these days.
Whether it be a wood or gas fire, an open hearth transforms a rest
area into a haven of peace and contemplation.
A relaxation chamber
In a spa, clients spend more time in relaxation chambers than they
do in the bath areas themselves. It’s quite logical when you think
about it because it is in these areas that they search for peace,
wrapped in a soft towel or bathrobe.
The geometry and integration of these rest areas into the overall
layout always poses a challenge for the architects who design
spas. There needs to be a balance between aesthetics and comfort
to maximise clients’ relaxation and communication.
Heated relaxation benches
The heated tiled benches and seats in the relaxation chambers are
the most important aspects of the rest areas. A client sitting in
the relaxation areas undergo the most incredible experience where
the heat stored in the ceramic benches is transferred to their
body through their back and legs, resulting in a sensation of
comfort and well-being.
The corridors
The individual identity of each spa is defined by attention to
detail at every level. This of paramount importance when it comes
to entrance areas, passage ways, interior and exterior walls and,
obviously, a good choice of flooring.
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In conclusion, you can see that the layout of a spa is not an area
where you can easily improvise, due to the many technical
constraints imposed by the nature of the establishment.
It is therefore strongly recommended to enlist the services of a
qualified architect who, in conjunction with the suppliers of
various materials, will be able to coordinate the involvement of
other tradesmen (builder, electrician, plumber…) to ensure that at
its completion, your spa will function like a dream! |
