Running through the heart of Houston lays Buffalo Bayou. Along the expanse of the bayou lays a sliver of land located near downtown. Along the stretch of land we were asked to design a series of bath houses. Starting with a Credo to guide our beliefs in architecture and a series of charcoal drawings we were asked to develop the design using the Haptic senses.

The concept of the Houston Bath House was that of an “urban waterfall”. The “urban waterfall” concept was developed as a means of circulation for pedestrians to “flow” towards Buffalo Bayou. The building is split into two separate entities with an underground path connecting between the two. This allows the buildings which protrudes though the ground to act as a sort of bank for the pedestrian path which goes through the middle of the two buildings. The buildings also represent the sensation of one going over a waterfall in that one cannot see the fall before going over. In this way the building is not visible from downtown, but is only able to be viewed from the water level. Since this sensation manifested its self the project was able to accompany two green roofs which patrons can walk on to get a clearer view of the bayou. The circulation on the inside of the building is that of an eddy which circles around just like a pool at the base of a water fall bringing one from each of the different baths, the Natatorium, Tepidarium, Frigidarium, Laconicum, and Caldarium. Each one of the Baths are positioned and designed in the anticipated order of use.