A Design-Led Model for Self-Care
Designed by Setsquare Studio, newly opened Sense of Self bathhouse and spa reimagines the ritual of bathing as an immersive and self-reflective practice
In developing the concept for Sense of Self, co-founders Mary Minas and Freya Berwick were inspired to create an antidote to the rising trends of social isolation and a culture of competitive self-improvement. ‘What started out as a radical act of self-love and nurturing the body and mind has been co-opted by the beauty industry and others — we’re competing with ourselves, even in leisure,’ Minas says.
In a bid to return to a more inclusive and authentic approach, the duo drew on their personal experiences to envisage an Australian bathing space influenced by global practices. Minas, a filmmaker, took five months out of her career to experience the bathhouses of Europe, North Africa and Japan, while Berwick, a botanist turned hotelier, experienced the saunas of Scandinavia while working and living in Norway.
These insights, coupled with the owners’ personal heritage and professional practices, inspired a unique understanding of communal bathing as a ritual rooted in community, acceptance and restoration. ‘As a filmmaker, I’m constantly searching for stories to tell and the most effective way to tell them,’ says Minas, describing the kind of curiosity and creativity the pair used to explore what Sense of Self could be.
Together with designer Caitlin Perry of Setsquare Studio, the all-female team sought to create a ritualistic interior that would enhance the connection to self, with inclusivity at its core. Sense of Self is set within a double-storey warehouse in Melbourne’s inner north, and presents a series of choreographed scenes that invite visitors to engage in massage and mindfulness on the upper level, or relax in the communal mineral bath, Finnish cedar sauna or cold plunge pool below.
Perry harnessed the building’s industrial character in her design, framing views of the gritty urban landscape, celebrating the beauty of the exposed truss ceiling and creating drama through changes in volume. ‘Moving between dimly lit cave-like spaces into bright, naturally lit voids allows for a heightened experience and a constant reassessment of one’s body within space,’ Perry says.
‘Considered view lines and the use of frosted glass, curtains, mirrors and vegetation bolster connections through sounds, views and shadow movement,’ she continues. Elemental materials like terracotta, travertine, micro-cement, rough-trowelled render and sandstone explore hard and soft, rough and smooth, which the designer believes ‘allows for rawness and an awareness of one’s vulnerability’. Nude and blush hues are complemented by copper and brass highlights, subtle embellishments that will naturally patina over time.
Berwick’s partner, carpenter and industrial designer Fraser Munro, crafted a series of striking monolithic forms that present intuitive areas for pause, addressing the ceremonial touchpoints of bathing while guiding visitors with minimal signage or written directive. Intended to build on Sense of Self’s raw tactility and authentic character, Perry says, ‘The pieces are cast and carved in such a way that they’re encouraged to wear and chip as they would in the natural environment.’
Embracing an intuitive layout and human-centric design ethos, Sense of Self creates a sense of comfort and ease, giving visitors the autonomy to experience the space on their own terms. ‘We want our guests to choose their own adventure, while also feeling confident in engaging with a new ritual and experience,’ Berwick says. Indeed, after a challenging 2020, the opening of Sense of Self is a timely reminder to reconnect with ourselves and make self-care an ongoing ritual.
Text / Hayley Curnow
Images / Martina Gemmola
