Fulfilling Imagery: March 2009

The above image is a creation of my own of a WPA poster. The WPA posters in the past advertised issues on all levels, such as economic, politic issues as well as diseases such as syphillis. The posters below are two of the few that I chose as inspiration for my creation. I took the elements of the images being complex and text being simple and added that into my layout. I chose simple colors just as the Be Careful poster. And the orientation of the worker is inspired by the central orientation the dog. My poster as you probably have noticed is advertising the issues of high unemployment in America. Jobs are constantly being shipped over to the eastern parts of the world, leaving Americans without well paying jobs.

I have come to find the phrase "I am going to take a bath" a broad statement. It could mean the cleaning of the body from dirt and odor after a long days work. It could also mean the cleansing of the mind body and soul. People also take bathes for leisure of relaxation. There are a few forms of bathing, it could be steam bathing, mud bathing, sun bathing or sitting in a tub of water. After doing research of a cultural bath experiences I chose the Jewish culture as inspiration to design a spa. The spa is not just an ordinary spa it is made to reach the needs of temporary wheelchair bound people that still have their mobility to move their bodies. Therefore, ramps are placed throughout the spa. While reaching the needs of the handicap I have based my spa around the Jewish bathing ritual, which is the the cleansing of the mind and soul for purification. The bath ritual was most common in Jewish women until not long ago men of the Jewish culture began purifying themselves just before Sabbath or during high holidays. The ritual consisted of reading a prayer before, in between or after dips, which was seven dips. The Jewish did the bathing routine as a way to purify their past identity. Women did it before marriage as a symbolism of purifying her identity and entering into a new beginning, or after milestones such as menstrual periods, divorce etc. After looking at many of their baths (Mikvahs) I found that there pool spaces were all rectilinear about 10x10 and stairs lead them down into the pool. The space was design for the privacy of one. After reading about the Jewish culture I have found the connection of transition and one can look at life as a journey , there are many paths you may choose to take. So below I based my design conceptually around a Transitioning Journey. The space gives one the choice of enjoying their experience with a group of friends or having their privacy.

Above is a view of the PLAN of the bath facility. As you can see there is a left and a right ramp that are set out to guide the client to a pool area. Each ramp is 5' in width. The grey tile is two 1'x1' Slate and is used as
a guide line to and through the pools. The blue tile next to the slate is a 6"x6" Aqua blue glass tile. And next to that is a 1'x1' White Porcelain tile.There is also an exiting ramp that lead the people out of the pools . I chose to have a opposite exiting ramp as a symbolic relation of not back tracking your life when purifying or trying to move forward.

Above is a perspective view of the left and right ramp that lead to the pools. The wood flooring is of a Composite Wood, which is not an absorbent or water, and is long last than your typically wood.

CEILING PLAN (above): structural elements contains a Stainless Steel, and a light grey tinted structural glass.

When entering into the pool I have expressed through material , transition. When first entering the pool one will encounter a on the walls a rough finish of Stucco painted White.
As they move through they would then encounter a smooth Blue Marble wall and polished White Granite seating which is a 1-1/2' above the pool floor and a 1-1/2' below the water level which is 3' deep. The partitions walls that are in the center of the pools is of a Frosted Glass, standing 8' above pool floor. When exiting the pool the opposite wall is made of a white Waterproofed Gypsum Board. The wall surrounding the landing platforms are 8' above the floor and from the pool floor to the ceiling it is 11'.

Above is a section cut through the bath facility . From left to right you are viewing the width of the hall which 5' , 5' landing with stucco walls, 9'-3" of seating space in the pool with the partitioned frosted glass wall in front of it which is 4' Wx8' H 2"T , 4' w space with another partition frosted glass wall which is 3' in width. When exiting there is a slightly sloped ramp that has a 1'rise and a 12' run. The railing shown above and throughout the space is constructed of Horizontal Stainless Steel Cabling.